[NSW] Lithgow trip yesterday ("gunzelling by FOOT!")

[Maikha V Ly <maikha@MailAndNews.com>]

To all

Is there such thing as Gunzelling by foot? Or was I just 'train chasing'?
Read on to find more.


"Yesterday (Friday 27/4) I went to Lithgow (yeah no big deal for some, but 
for 
me it is).
A ridiculously long 2hr train ride from Penrith but in a few minutes I was 
saying 'so this is lithgow?'. (The 85's at Lithgow Maintenace didn't look 
happy)

First off at Lithgow, went out into Main St. Walked East to the end, got a 
hair-cut (trimming my 80's style hair!), waled from East to West of Main St. 
then walked back to the station (Since arrivng, the whole walk took me only 
40mins!).
I went across to the PO to send a few letters (relating to my article in RD) 
then went to the Bluebird Cafe to have lunch (Topped with a choco 
milkshake!).
---
After lunch, I hung around the station, until 30mins, made my way back to 
the 
Eastern End of Main st. (At the overpass of the train line) where I was 
expecting to get a picture of the 12:40pm IU service arriving at Lithgow 
passing the unused platforms and the signal box.
Two shots I was 'rehearsing' taking the pictures of the train from two 
angles 
20m apart, running between the two for the shots.

As soon as the 10min late running IU came around the bend slowly running 
into 
the town, I got my first shot, RAN 20m back and got the second shot (from a 
higher viewpoint).
In the quick swift of the second shot, I then set off RUNNING AS FAST AS 
POSSIBLE along Main St. back to Lithgow Station, practically racing the 
train 
to the station for a third shot.
Running 400m from my spot to the station was pretty fast (seeing as though I 
crossed a red light at a street crossing!) but as soon as I got to Lithgow 
Station, the V-SET was heading out west (?!?).
Still with breath from running, I asked the CSA and he told me the train was 
shunting on PLatform 1 to let light engines through.

To the rush, I saw the v-set (Later identified as V44)  still going, and 
slowing over the switch, to platform 1.
Then again, I dashed to the pathway (Used for Disabled acess) running much 
more faster than Main St. I got two pictures of the train reversing through 
a 
window without glass in it, then the set making it's way onto platform 1!!


So in the end all the running was totally worth it!!!

---
The service got out at 1:50pm, I jumped on that train to go to Mt. Victoria.
At Mt viccy, spent more than an hour wondering around the 'suburban' streets 
like a lost tourist, before returning to the station 25mins before my 
service 
home was due to arrive (A CSA there noticing my photography, walked up and 
gave me a yellow envelope with a Mt Vic postcard and a timetable, nice man).



That's the story. My long awaited Lithgow trip finally!

Went on my own to have a final minute to myself before skool kicks in again, 
to get away from the Rat Race, and somewhere where I would't need to worry 
about things :-)


Maikha "V" Ly
http://www.geocities.com/microchip_689

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"If I never missed that stupid Endeavour at Victoria St, I would have not 
missed my connection and I would be breathing"

(Said me Maikha repeatedly on the way home from the Hunter Valley trip, 
17/4/01)
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