Narrow Gauge

Narrow Gauge Railways used to be the preferred type of rail to build in Australia, since it was far more economical. If you are like me, and immediately realized that nothing changes with rail width that should cause it to be cheaper, you still need as much track, as many wheels and so on, including the fact that narrower rails would probably also lead to narrower carriages and cars, and thus less cargo capacity. However, one should realize that narrower gauge means less land has to be flattened, turning diameters can be smaller (remember that train wheels do not corner) and so on.

Anyway, without further ado, we come to the end of this enlightening lecture on rail economics, and to the point. The Puffing Billy Railway, called the Spirit of the Dandenongs, Australia’s favourite train, and so on; is a narrow gauge steam based railway running from Belgrave on the outskirts of Melbourne to Gembrook, up in the hills. No, not Belgrade, despite what it sounds like when said by the Metlink announcers.

To get to Belgrave from Kew, I had to get a train from Camberwell station, not far from here. Luckily the trains go direct and often, despite taking a while because of frequent stops along the way. Trains here operate on the same ticket system as the trams, but I needed zone 2 ticket (well, 1 and 2) seeing as I was going so far. Not a bad price for it though, a full day Zone 1 and 2 will cost an adult $9.90, about 6€.

The train ride was rather uneventful, and quite long. However, the following observations were made. The train was quite full of Pakistanis, playing loud, obnoxious music from a cheap stereo, trying to overshout their own music in conversations. At some minor stop along the way, two young girls boarded, and came to sit quite close to my position. Both had their asses showing quite a ways, the other’s mercifully still clad in underwear. It was not a pretty sight, but then neither was the boy who came to meet them on the next stop.

The ethereal voice, also called the announcer, or the woman who says what station it is, on these trains is quite frightening. She seems far too happy, with a strange inflection and wavy intonation. I would love to get on tape (preferrably an audio file though) the voice saying “I’m not insane!” It is honestly quite unnerving sitting on a train with a psychotic voice.

Arriving at Belgrave, I followed the signs to Puffing Billy, and was rather terrified to witness a large group of school children waiting for tickets. I had been told specifically to avoid going on the weekends, because the schoolchildren tend to be noisy. Luckily it quickly turned out that they had a separate line, and were going to be riding in a car of their own. There were quite a few cars, many more than I would have thought.

I got my ticket, a facsimile of the original train tickets, and took the opportunity to get some pictures of the fine tank engine locomotives that were going to be pulling us along the track. There were two for our train, and another in the yard being warmed up. Thomas, I noted, was not there. Probably in the engine shed, I would imagine.