Re: Double Rs to Donald and Chances of triple header

["David" <valley123@xtra.co.nz>]

Could anyone please tell us what was in the consist in order and if 707
will had come back the same night.   Any advancement on the tour?
Could it happen with a bit of luck that there could be a triple header with
707 in the making on the return journey?  anyone know?
It would be a fine sight with three R's and 15-16 cars~!
Where did the second coal wagon come from or did it run on the tour?
Reg
D


Yuri J Sos <steam4me@enternet.com.au> wrote in article
<3730359e.11655359@news.enternet.com.au>...
An autumn Friday evening in Melbourne...... clear, chilly and not a
breath of wind.

You could hear R761 whistle for departure from Spencer Street from as
far away as Footscray station and right on time the Rs and 15 cars
thundered through Footscray (there's a 61k ex mini-DV screen grab pic
at http://people.enternet.com.au/~steam4me/images/Steam/rrfoot.jpg).

Ingliston Bank, though, was the place to be.

Barely a breath of wind, an absolutely clear sky, the moon in its last
quarter, the stars fairly blazing against the midnight blue
background.  Quite chilly...even cold, I think.  Dead quiet.

And then the sound of two Rs working hard on their long train making
steady progress up the bank.  From my watching point at the top of the
grade at the automatic near Bank Box, I could hear them coming from
the Anakie Road bridge, fifteen minutes or more of the steady chant of
these magnificent machines, the locos' beat rhythmically going in and
out of sync as they steamed up towards Bank Box Loop in fine style,  a
fine trail of smoke lingering over the track and painting a track plan
in the sky.

I turned to watch them pass and their smoke was lit bright orange by
light reflected from the open firebox doors...... as the locos crested
the grade at Bank Box, their speed immediately increased and all too
soon the train disappeared out of sight, red marker lights fading away
long before the sound of the 4-6-4s died away and the stillness of a
chilly autumn night returned.   The smell of coal and steam slowly
melted into the dark as well.

You just had to be there.  The moon, the stars, the clarity....... the
steam.

You just had to be there.

One of those fleeting magic quality moments you get hidden amongst all
the quantity time you spend trackside.

Double Rs will ascend Warrenheip bank on Monday evening scheduled b/w
1925 (Ballarat East End) and 1942 (Warrenheip Loop).

Do yourself a favour.  Go to the top of Warrenheip bank Monday evening
(it's a simple drive up the freeway from Melbourne).  Just sit and
listen and be transported back to the golden era of double Rs on the
Overland.

       
Regards

Yuri
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Yuri J Sos
Melbourne VIC AUS

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