Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Eugowra, Nanami, Trajere, Nyrang Creek, North Gooloogong...a quick visit.

This last week I had a chance to spend a day traversing some old dirt roads, down by the Eugowra line with my Son Z. We had the best time, and without Z's help on the GPS there would have been no way we would have found as much as we did.

The scenery is fantastic, fresh air and cow pats! We started at Eugowra and took many photos of what is left. A lot of deconstruction around the main station area has seen huge piles of dirt and rail making the area safe for trucks to turn around it seems.

Off to town and we took many photos of the local houses and we were watched by a silver headed fellow in his Aurion, in fact as it turns out he does it to anyone he doesn't know, apparently a one man neighbourhood watch group! So the local ladies in the coffee shop told me.

Down the road we headed and we found Nanami, a stub siding with a timber mill and five S wagons. The area was being used to store farm equipment and had not seen use as a mill for ages. The area was set into the side of a hill, as were other spots on this line.

Once we left Nanami we drove along looking for Trajere when we spotted an old mud brick Church in a paddock close to the road. I find these sort of buildings a real attraction, so out came the camera. It will definitely find its way onto the layout. The outside of the building walls were not completely worn away, as up under the eaves some of the walls were protected enough to keep their surface. I just really loved this spot, trying to imagine who had been here, how it effected the local community, Gods House. 
Oh yeah! Trajere as well, great silo complex. to be honest i'm not sure about all the silos, a heap of work to model, but what a presence on the layout.
Next on the list was Nyrang Creek a loop siding just down the road. It is being used currently by graincorp, and Z loved the idea of illegally trespassing, and with his Dad!

North Gooloogong was last on the list. The Station is about 4km out of town, located in the side of a hill between cow paddocks, quite literally! The area could not be seen from the closest road, in fact without the GPS we would have thought the access road was a dirt driveway. This was by far my favourite spot. Silo, two loading banks, gantry crane  (footings only) and Station (long gone). The whole of the complex was on a curve following the lay of the land. An interesting point if you haven't already noticed, all of the above mentioned silos had their corro roofs painted, just these the other side of Gooloogong and they are unpainted again. It does pose the question though, when were they painted? Did it happen when these stations were opened? More to find out I think.

It was a great day, and has really got the research juices flowing. In case someone reading this can help. Some questions to find out:
1. What was the track layout of Eugowra at opening? Did it have a grain shed at opening?
2. Who ran the timbermill at Nanami, and why are the wagons still there?
3. The Church at Namami, wow! Anyone got anything?
4. Track plans for any of these stations, when they opened, and as they were changed.
5. Any photos of this line?
6. Where and what to ask for when wanting information on trains that ran, what locos, what wagons?

Thanks for reading, what a hoot of a day, I did have the best of company though, Thanks Z, 
have a great week,
Oorroo!
Geoff.





7 comments:

  1. Hi Geoff,

    For information on the branch, you cannot go past the book "Lines to the Lachlan (revised edition)" By Lawrence Ryan published by ARHS.

    There was an article on Greenthorpe Station in Branchline Modeller (AJRM) Issue 2 and while I readily acknowledge that Greenthorpe is on the Grenfell Branch the article lists wagon and loco types used which would most likely be similar to the Eugowra branch.

    ARHS NSWR Signal and Track diagrams Volume 3 CD Rom has been significantly updated since first published and may be of assistance regarding changes to layouts at the various locations.

    Lastly you may also try another oracle of the area - head over to Lambing Flat. James may be able to help.

    Hope this helps and is of interest.

    Regards,

    Tom R.

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    1. Tom, I'm going to have a look for that book, thanks for the heads up. The Grenfell line is a real favourite of mine and only about 50km down the road! The article you speak of is the reason I went looking at that line, yes your idea of using the listings would work. I have the original 2 disc set of diagrams, is there much of a difference in the last disc?
      Thanks for your help, Geoff.

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  2. Geoff

    The two train hobbies photographic books on the Blayney - Cowra -Demondrile & branches provide invaluable photo's of train compositions of trains in the area, the first one covers the Eugowra line also.

    Depending on your era of modelling choice the whole will determine very much what you will operate. From Memory & I will check my 1965 Western WTT for you if you want, Eugowra had 2 mixed services a week, also complimented by a RM on certain days. Canowindra, was served by a mixed train once a week also.

    Other than the regular mixed services, specials were run for both stock & seasonal grain trains. My only photo's on the branch are taken not far out from Cowra & in the mid 60's

    Would love to see any of the pics of the timber mill, as that is a project I have in the planning.
    Cheers

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    Replies
    1. Colin, I'll see if I've got your e-mail and send you a copy of what I have. Keep in mind it's been a while since the area was used so all the equipment has gone, just leaving the buildings that are now used for storage.
      Geoff.

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  3. Thanks Geoff.

    I seem to recollect a photo some time ago that primarily had photo's of the S trucks but at a distance, I am really more interested in the buildings rather than the R/S. Sadly almost all the old rail served timber mills & small abattoirs are now gone, I know I missed getting photo's of the old Tenterfield meat works before it was pulled down.

    Cheers

    Colin

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  4. Hi Geoff.

    I've just completed a virtual tour of this area courtesy of Google Earth. I'm sorry that I have no info at all to help you with, but I can offer some advice that might yield helpful results (based on what I've learnt from researching the area I'm modelling).

    These old towns have people whose families have lived there for generations. It's possible that some of the 'old-timers' might remember when trains were still running. Better still, they might have photographs or other memorabilia that they're prepared to show to you. Next time you're up that way, ask the ladies in the coffee shop to introduce you to the local historians.

    Regards,
    Ron

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  5. Hi Geoff,
    The second disc of station diagrams from the ARHS (NSW) is a big improvement on the first. A lot of additional information and diagrams can be found on there. Definitely worth it.
    I can also put in a plug for the Railway Resource Centre at Redfern who will have working timetables showing what trains ran when and when the line closed.
    Kieran Ryan is the authority on silos and will build to order, I believe. You can probably contact him through his website, www.krmodels.com.au
    There was also a series of articles in AMRM a couple of years back under the title "Shifting the Golden Grain" which described the history of railway operations in moving the wheat harvest.
    I was out that way a few days ago - didn't get to Eugowra but it certainly is a picturesque region where there was concentrated railway activity once.
    Regards
    James

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