Travelling the Puffing Billy

October 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As I mentioned recently, my husband and I had guests from interstate and we spent a day with them on the Puffing Billy train. The train leaves from Belgrave and travels to Emerald Lake Park and then moves on to Gembrook. We chose to go as far as Emerald Lake Park, have lunch and wander around and then catch the train back to Belgrave.  That, in itself, was a pretty full day.  There were a lot of carriages on the train when we caught it and two engines pulling them but once we got to Menzies Creek many of the tourists got off to get on buses and the extra carriages taken off and we were put back to one engine only.  In reverse, the second engine was added back on when we got back to Menzies Creek.

On the Puffing Billy

It was a long train and yes, people do sit hanging their legs out of the windows.

Coupling up the engine

Coupling back up after removing one of the engines.

The flagman

All aboard!  Leaving Emerald Lake Park station.

On the trestle bridge

Returning back to Belgrave.  The two engines pull the carriages across the historic Trestle Bridge.

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Puffing Billy at Emerald Lake Park

August 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

One of the ways that people come to visit the park is in travelling on the Puffing Billy train. It makes a few visits a day to the Park, sometimes travelling through to Gembrook or returning back to Belgrave.

In these shots I was standing on the hill below as it was making changes getting ready to return to Belgrave.

Filed Under: Emerald Lake Park, Puffing Billy

The trestle bridge

July 11, 2010 By 1 Comment

I had queried something I’d seen on the trestle bridge in one of my photos recently and was told that the rail bridge has an annual inspection and then an independently structural integrity inspection every 5 years.  They also inspect for pest infestation.  Some of the bridge uprights date back to 1920 and are still in perfect condition which speaks a lot for what the early pioneer railway men knew in those days.  I was thanked for my concern and I appreciated being given the above information.

This is a span of the trestle bridge in Belgrave.

Puffing Billy Train, Selby

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More on the Puffing Billy

July 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Just can’t resist pulling out my camera if I know the Puffing Billy is near by!

Approaching Selby crossing

Yes, I was a bit close for this one!  I could feel the heat from the smoke as it passed me by – but don’t worry, I was standing aside and not on the track.

At the Selby Crossing

And when it left the crossing

Leaving the Selby Crossing

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Puffing Billy, Selby

July 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

And then I hopped into my car quickly to try and get past all the buses and tourists also at the bridge to get to the crossing near my home in Selby. I knew the tourists weren’t heading there but I had to be on the road before they were just to get there in time.

This crossing is literally up the hill on my street.

And after the crossing

Filed Under: Puffing Billy

Puffing Billy, Belgrave

July 1, 2010 By 2 Comments

Yesterday I deliberately went to collect my mail later so I could co-incide my trip home with the passing of the Puffing Billy.  These are some shots of the steam train as it travels on the trestle bridge in Belgrave, Victoria.

As it was approaching the bridge

And on the bridge

Filed Under: Puffing Billy
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