bluemountainsline

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection Magnificent things ... unfortunately like so many steam locomotives entering service in the 1950s the AD60-class's days were numbered by the increasing adoption of diesel locomotives by the NSWGR.

I am somewhat doubtful that this photo is actually taken between Lapstone and Glenbrook.

Mich I'm inclined to agree -- have you got any idea where?

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hpeters] Aha, so Mich John Cowper were right about it not being Lapstone-Glenbrook. So is it, in fact a trial run between Enfield-Hornsby-Broadmeadow?

AB

The newspaper article is dated 2 August 1952 while this scene above is said to be three months later on 21 November. The photo, which has been published in at least one publication, was taken from the then highway overbridge above Emu Plains at the foot of the Blue Mountains. There is another view of this same train further along its journey at Valley Heights:

www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/4740534200/in/pho...

It is also worth adding that the photo location is actually between Emu Plains and Glenbrook (or Lapstone although this latter station was not opened until 1964, at least 6 years after the railway's overhead electric wires reached Lithgow).

This photo was probably taken at least a decade earlier than 1910. Locomotive 148 is a member of the C79 class, 20 of which were converted from tender to tank engines between 1896 and 1902 to make them more suitable for hauling suburban trains backwards, as in the photo. Also, in 1903 a more modern and powerful tank engine, the S636 class, was introduced and quickly became the standard class for suburban trains in Sydney until displaced by electric trains from the 1920s. 65 of the S class were in use by 1910.

Before February 1936. "Mr. J. Dowling, of Rockdale, in a letter to the Editor, says that a beautiful fig tree, which stood in the small garden reserve on the western side of the Central Railway station, has been sawn off at the base. About 12 months ago the branches were lopped, but the foliage eventually regained its former beauty. Now, he says, it has been converted into an eyesore." - DESTRUCTION OF TREE, The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 14 February 1936, p.4. - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/17332879 "NSWR 190[6?]" - could the garden plantings be to mark the anniversary of the opening of the new railway station in 1906? Perhaps the 25th anniversary in August 1931?

pellethepoet Unfortunatley fig trees have a huge root system which have a habit of destroying roads and paths. Perhaps it was starting to cause such problems at Central Railway. I remember the figs in Manly started to rip up all manner of things some years ago.

pellethepoet Terrific! Part of The Tree Mystery is solved! I still find it astounding that they obliterated 4-6 blocks of buildings, roads, cemeteries, sandhills, etc, and kept one tree. Go FIGure!

pellethepoet You found it, nice one! An 'eyesore' indeed, hmph... beachcomber australia Aww, you' re too quick with those puns! AB

In 1948 -