Re: Vic Tangaras

[pcc@ocean.com.au (Les Brown)]

jdennis@acslink.net.au wrote in aus.rail:

>That may be, but I well remember travelling to Belgrave (for Puffing Billy
>work) in the early 60s, and to Hurstbridge (just for fun) in the mid 60s,
>riding in what we called "dogboxes".  I am sure it was a railfan term then -
>otherwise I wouldn't have known about it.  (Of course, the term *railfan* was
>equally unknown then, AFAIK)
>
I remember as one of my best railway experiences, after securing the
co-operation of a friendly guard, travelling up to Eltham in the
cupola in the Guard's compartment of a dogbox late one Saturday night
as I had arranged to stay overnight at the DVR. Magic trip. The guard
had to get out at every stop to blow his whistle and wave his green
flag because the doggies had no bell system.

In the sixties, railmen could not understand why anyone would want to
travel on trains "just for fun", and the older, sootier and dirtier
the train the more we liked it. They never called us railfans - they
called us "hystericals" because they thought we were mad. They were
right - we were and we loved it.

Les Brown