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.
