captainkman
You are reading this.
Here's a re-telling of what happened when I rode the Valley Rattler on Sunday. http://www.thevalleyrattler.com/ is their website.
We started from the Old Gympie Station at about 10:00. We boarded the train. I was in carriage 'H' with my Dad. We picked up some passengers on our way to Kandanga, where we stopped for 20 minutes to have lunch. They had 45 sausage rolls to feed 103 people! I was one of the first to line up, so I didn't miss out at all.
We continued down South to Imbil, the terminus, where we disembarked for one hour. At Imbil, the loco (C17 No. 967) was turned around on the turntable and was re-coupled to the carriages while a man told us about the loco, the line, and some really bad jokes, like:
Q. Why can't steam locos sit down?
A. They have a tender behind.
I learned that 967 is not really a full C17. Yes, 967 itself is a C17, but the tender is from a BB18 1/4, and the headlights are from a Garratt!
The turntable was powered by the air from the brake pipe, and the air compressor was working hard.
When 967 went to couple, the man asking the questions, answering questions, telling jokes and informing us asked, "How many carriages will move when the loco couples to the train?" One man was sure that all 7 would move, but I and the guide (the man) knew it was zero. But, the first 2 or 3 times, the loco bounced away from the coaches because of the sprung buffers.
After the coupling up, everyone went and did what they pleased. Dad and I went down to the (small) markets, and looked around. Then we went back to the train and Dad lay down on the grass next to the turntable and had a sleep. I went on a tour of the coaches, the tour guide was the joke-telling man. It was very informative, to say the least.
After the long one-hour was up, the loco blew the whistle for everyone to get back on, and I hopped into the cab as had been pre-arranged. Then we set off from Inbul, towards Kandanga, where I was supposed to get off, but the crew let me stay on. We let some passengers off there, and when we departed, the fireman said "Go blow the whistle while the driver's not looking!" so I did! I told the fireman that "My life is now complete". When we got well under way, there was a leaking hose using boiler-water that is for washing off the footplate. The valve was leaking, and when the fireman pulled the hose up, boiling water splashed onto my leg. I said $#!t, and the fireman grabbed a cloth and I wiped my leg dry. Boy did the water hurt!
At Dagun, we stopped once more for another 20-minute break where everyone disembarked the train, and tasted the cheese, wine and icecream. I'm too young to taste the wine, but the cheese was great! I also got an ice-cream, but I didn't finish before I had to run to the cab, where the crew told me that I could ride all the way back to Gympie! It was a fantastic ride, passing many bridges, cuttings, a wallaby, a rabbit (the first rabbit I've seen in my life! Or was it a hare?) and some cows crossing the line.
We arrived back at Gympie at around 4:00, and I got out of the cab and thanked the crew for the ride.
I recommend the trip 110%, even if you're 'stuck' on the carriages!
Thanks for reading,
Cappy
P.S. I'll have a YouTube video soon
We started from the Old Gympie Station at about 10:00. We boarded the train. I was in carriage 'H' with my Dad. We picked up some passengers on our way to Kandanga, where we stopped for 20 minutes to have lunch. They had 45 sausage rolls to feed 103 people! I was one of the first to line up, so I didn't miss out at all.
We continued down South to Imbil, the terminus, where we disembarked for one hour. At Imbil, the loco (C17 No. 967) was turned around on the turntable and was re-coupled to the carriages while a man told us about the loco, the line, and some really bad jokes, like:
Q. Why can't steam locos sit down?
A. They have a tender behind.
I learned that 967 is not really a full C17. Yes, 967 itself is a C17, but the tender is from a BB18 1/4, and the headlights are from a Garratt!
The turntable was powered by the air from the brake pipe, and the air compressor was working hard.
When 967 went to couple, the man asking the questions, answering questions, telling jokes and informing us asked, "How many carriages will move when the loco couples to the train?" One man was sure that all 7 would move, but I and the guide (the man) knew it was zero. But, the first 2 or 3 times, the loco bounced away from the coaches because of the sprung buffers.
After the coupling up, everyone went and did what they pleased. Dad and I went down to the (small) markets, and looked around. Then we went back to the train and Dad lay down on the grass next to the turntable and had a sleep. I went on a tour of the coaches, the tour guide was the joke-telling man. It was very informative, to say the least.
After the long one-hour was up, the loco blew the whistle for everyone to get back on, and I hopped into the cab as had been pre-arranged. Then we set off from Inbul, towards Kandanga, where I was supposed to get off, but the crew let me stay on. We let some passengers off there, and when we departed, the fireman said "Go blow the whistle while the driver's not looking!" so I did! I told the fireman that "My life is now complete". When we got well under way, there was a leaking hose using boiler-water that is for washing off the footplate. The valve was leaking, and when the fireman pulled the hose up, boiling water splashed onto my leg. I said $#!t, and the fireman grabbed a cloth and I wiped my leg dry. Boy did the water hurt!
At Dagun, we stopped once more for another 20-minute break where everyone disembarked the train, and tasted the cheese, wine and icecream. I'm too young to taste the wine, but the cheese was great! I also got an ice-cream, but I didn't finish before I had to run to the cab, where the crew told me that I could ride all the way back to Gympie! It was a fantastic ride, passing many bridges, cuttings, a wallaby, a rabbit (the first rabbit I've seen in my life! Or was it a hare?) and some cows crossing the line.
We arrived back at Gympie at around 4:00, and I got out of the cab and thanked the crew for the ride.
I recommend the trip 110%, even if you're 'stuck' on the carriages!
Thanks for reading,
Cappy
P.S. I'll have a YouTube video soon
Last edited:
