T176....Sydney's foamer train!

Yes...what self respecting gunzel type lurking here in wonderful NSW does not try to photograph, and have a "quiet moment", over this local suburban trip train in the road raging madness of Sydney.

Why?

Well the crackling vintage motive power for starters. For a long time ancient GMs 22 and 27 did a rather fine effort most of the time.

At present though it is Alco 4471, and GM27, doing the pants enlarging work at the front.

However, often, even daily, motive power can be switched around, and then you will see 442's, FL's, 45's and rarely an EL or a GL.

Yes, well what can one say to that?

The other appealing feature is the schedule.

Often first past Sydney's notorious and cursed peak blackout, the hard at work gunzel can lie in bed, with his deviate imagination towards other non rail forms of public transport, and then pick a spot anywhere on the metro goods line to prepare for its arrival.

When current railmags in hand, sometimes with sticky pages, T176's arrival is sure to please, as it hammers past sometime after 9.00am on its return run from Yennora, to Botany.

Departure from our rail choked port is anytime from 12.45 pm on, to again beat the insidious afternoon peak, so if the morning was not enough, a second helping can be again once enjoyed.

For your arousel, here is T176 on Monday 3 March 2008, just north of Chullora Junction.

4471 and GM27 are full of hard, throbbing, power at 1.15 pm, this particular day.

Things are heating up!

No comment needed!
Total fire bans as southern states suffer record heat....
Ben Cubby Environment ReporterMarch 15, 2008
SOUTHERN states are in the grip of a heatwave of unusual intensity, with scorching heat expected in the next five days.
Sydney has escaped the worst of the heat but on Thursday Adelaide surpassed the record for the hottest continuous spell for a state capital, recording its 11th consecutive day above 35 degrees. Thursday night, with the temperature above 30degrees, was the hottest March night in the drought-stricken city's record.
In Melbourne, yesterday was among the hottest on record for March, and the 40-degree heat has prompted fears about running the Australian Grand Prix. Blistering heat would not only make spectators, drivers and support staff uncomfortable, but could affect the reliability of the cars, a driver, Anthony Davidson, told reporters.
Last year was the hottest in southern Australia since reliable records started being kept in 1910, and the trend appears to have continued, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
"The weather's been consistent with global warming trends," said John Turnbull, a senior forecaster at the National Meteorological Centre. "But I wouldn't say this is proof positive of global warming."
A high-pressure zone in the Tasman Sea is causing the heatwave by blocking a cool southern change. Winds around it travel anti-clockwise, allowing ocean breezes to cool Sydney, but causing hot, dry inland winds across most of South Australia and Victoria.
The Riverina, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania have total fire bans this weekend.
Last night fires were burning north and south of Adelaide and at Willunga, where nine firefighters were injured and a house lost on Thursday.

The finer things of life in Thailand!

Yes, along with trains, comes Chang Beer.

Anyone who has travelled in Thailand knows the wonderful, blithering, idiot this brew turns you into, not to mention the effects on one's stomach, and, er other endearing features to your fellow backpackers.

After all, who hasnt wobbled to a Thai State Railways station, gut churning, blinding migraines, and that unpleasent feeling about what went on the night before, and who really did it with the guesthouse cleaner.

Ahh fine memories...

To discourage such activities here is two most vibrant ladies, selling the opposition's product, that does not have as many nasty side effects.

Its all in the water, or the formaldehyde!

Doom, doom, the coming doom!

Allready, like in the mid thirties, when things were a tad under the weather, one can see the gathering clouds of storms and despair, as once more our greedy and selfish nature will take its course.

Again, blood, fire and death shall pour from the skies, as millions die, and very nature herself becomes our enemy, as the weather patterns conspire against us.

Just to remind you all that war etc is a right bastard, here is a bombed out station from World War 1, to show it is best avoided.

Cold war warning over Arctic riches
Ian Traynor in BrusselsMarch 11, 2008

EUROPEAN governments have been told to plan for an era of conflict over energy resources, with global warming likely to trigger a dangerous contest between Russia and the West for the vast mineral riches of the Arctic.
A report from the European Union's top two foreign policy officials to the 27 heads of government gathering in Brussels for a summit this week warns that "significant potential conflicts" are likely in the decades ahead as a result of "intensified competition over access to, and control over, energy resources".
The seven-page report, obtained by The Guardian, has been written by Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy supremo, and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the commissioner for external relations. It predicts that global warming will precipitate security issues for Europe, ranging from energy wars to mass migration, failed states and political radicalisation.
The report warns of greater rich-poor and north-south tension because global warming is disproportionately caused by the wealthy north and west, while its impact will be most catastrophic in the poor south.
The officials single out the thawing Arctic as a potential flashpoint of rival claims, pointing to the Kremlin's grab for the Arctic last year when the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, hailed as heroes a team of scientists who planted a Russian flag on the Arctic seabed.
Developments in the Arctic have "potential consequences for international stability and European security interests".
"The rapid melting of the polar ice caps, in particular the Arctic, is opening up new waterways and international trade routes," the report notes. "The increased accessibility of the enormous hydrocarbon resources in the Arctic region is changing the geostrategic dynamics of the region."
The report also stresses the volatility of regions that hold large mineral deposits and predicts greater destabilisation in central Asia and the Middle East.
The report comes as the issue of energy security begins to loom large on the agenda of Western policymakers. A summit of NATO leaders in Bucharest next month will discuss the problem for the first time, while a new manifesto for a radical overhaul of the Western alliance moots the possibility of NATO being used "as an instrument of energy security".
The manifesto warns that the Arctic thaw has already created "minor tensions" between Russia and Norway over fishing rights around the Spitsbergen archipelago, where large deposits of gas and oil are locked under a frozen continental shelf.
This "potential crisis" would draw in the US, Canada and Denmark "competing for large and viable energy resources and precious raw materials", it says.
But a group of former leaders from the US, Britain, Germany, France and the Netherlands complain that the EU is not tackling the issue of "protection of energy resources and their means of transportation".
The Solana report is the first high-level attempt to get the issue on the summit agenda. The authors call on the EU to draw up an Arctic policy "based on the evolving geostrategy of the … region, taking into account access to resources and the opening of new trade routes".
Next month's summit discussion of NATO's role in energy security is fuelling speculation that Western troops could be deployed as "pipeline police" in places such as the Caucasus.
A NATO diplomat said energy security and the security of transport routes were "a national responsibility, not an alliance responsibility. We should be looking to offer advice and help, rather than putting boots on the ground."

Some random hornbags....

Yes, what would we be without hornbags?

Thankfully our local area has an abundance of such lovelies, enuf to remind your's truely of the great days of feral backpacking, in all those strange parts of the world...

So, with one's confidence enhancer in hand, namely cold tinnies, bear witness to some of my photographic fruits...lah.

New PPE "great success!"

New advances in world's best practice PPE, have now allowed the following ISO 9002 approved changes to take place.

As can be observed, the sourcing of suitable highly colourful and visible items to protect the accredited rail safety worker, has been " great success".

And in keeping in line with modern managerilism, the KPI's for sick days, and other company unfriendly breaks, fall accordingly, and this now ensures that the team leader will recieve his bonus this year.

This of course creates a win-win situation for all concerned.

And not to mention fulfilling another vital requirement of the modern day workplace.

The concept of "fun".

Yes, all that shift work, long hours, family unfriendly lifestyle and other beasties affecting the aforementioned rail safety worker- accredited, will soon be forgotten, and soothed with these beauties whilst "on site".

And of course, there is allways the opportunity of "upskilling" and "exterior" learning of course,

and "recognized prior learning" is allways appreciated!

Random bollocks.....

Ah yes, sometimes the hobby is just like the picture left....think you have a right hornbag session, then out comes the surprise!

After all, who has not been left in a state of morbidity, and despair when one's chosen photographic filth session has not emerged on time, as ordered?

Or that evil little cloud has drifted over, where at once your carefully chosen vantage point has as much appeal of a meat and two veg package, at a rather disreputable backpackers in SE Asia?

Tough times, people, tough times.....

And sometimes, well it is just hard to cope.

So, as we create a wellspring of gunzel awareness and their special needs, let us hope that the general populace understands the odd meltdown, at the end of station platforms.

And contributes accordingly of course.

A few rounds at the local pub allways works wonders.

Thankyou.