"Thirty-Six, Forty-Two" was built in 1926 and was restored to working order in 2008 by the NSW Rail Transport Museum in Thirlmere.
On Saturday, 31st August, there were 6 return trips (an extra one was added) from Wagga to Uranquinty and one return trip to The Rock.
It has been decades since the once-familiar sound of a steam train whistle regularly resounded throughout the City of Wagga Wagga. Heritage Express - Nostalgic Rail Travel in Style - is the tour operating arm of the NSW Rail Transport Museum, operating the NSW rail heritage fleet. I thank them for this information and the images shown.
Because we live alongside the main rail line connecting Melbourne and Sydney, we are accustomed to the XPT passing by twice a day and twice during the night, but to see a 1930's Steam Train on Saturday was a great thrill, especially to hear the puff and toot of the locomotive. Wish I had have known about it earlier and we may have made the journey!
Here's my view from our house with The Rock Hill in the background.
Note how lush green our countryside is at present.
The railway arrived at The Rock in 1880, then known as Hanging Rock because of the geological feature, a craggy outcrop which dominates the immediate landscape; rising 364m from the flat plains of the Riverina it can be seen from miles around. Indeed, it is my view from the front of our house and features in many of the photos I share with you. The Rock was quite a railway junction for a while early in the last century.
The first European into the area was Charles Sturt in 1829. Initially known as Kengal, after the Wiradjuri title, it became known as Hanging Rock but after a major rock fall in 1874, the rock ceased to hang so visibly so became known simply as The Rock.
Spring arrived today presenting us with a magnificent day for FATHER'S DAY - I hope all our male customers enjoyed THEIR day!
Some images of Spring at our place.
Triplets in the foreground and doing well.
Olympic Highway and rail route in the background.
Posts
Thanks for explaining how The Rock got its name!
ReplyDeleteI love such stories and history of a place too.
DeleteI love your magnolia blossom, it's absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what is happening at Uranquinty these days? Many many moons ago, when I was a young child, my father was posted to the RAAF base there and in fact he helped close it down in 1959. We used to have such fun there - it was a small base and very family-oriented. On Sunday afternoons all the officers plus families would gather in the Mess, have dinner, and in winter we kids would toast crumpets over the huge open fire. Ah, nostalgia, isn't it great?
Most definitely is. A lovely little town with good community spirit and a beautiful tourist amenities block which is a credit to the community as well as a well-kept garden park. Pub is doing well and partly owned by Rugby Legend Chris Mortimer. Bread shop is a haven for tourists and those who want a Sunday drive just to have morning tea. Garage is now a very modern large we-sell-everything and the Post Office combined. Two of my staff live at Quinty too :)
ReplyDelete