Railway Digest Magazine February 2017 Back Issue

In praise of water
Railways have a love – hate relationship with water. For 150 years water was the fundamental source of power on rail, and still is in a less obvious way for most of the electrified railways of today. Max Michell reminisces about a special piece of railway that skirts the waters of the Hawkesbury River and Mullet Creek, north of Sydney, and was a part of his life for six years.

GALLERY
A selection of recent railway photographs from around Australia.

Around the Silver City
Situated in the far west of New South Wales, Broken Hill (aka The Silver City) is home to the world’s largest silver, lead and zinc mine, established by Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (now BHP Billiton). During 2016, Railway Digest regulars John Hoyle, Larry Zanker and Bob Grant visited Broken Hill, and recorded some typical scenes of regular operations around this remote but important rail centre.

The Ida Bay Railway, Tasmania
Proudly proclaimed as ‘the last operating bush tramway in Tasmania’ and ‘the most southerly railway in Australia’, the Ida Bay Railway in south-eastern Tasmania provides passengers with an educative and entertaining glimpse of narrow-gauge operations in the island state. Over the Christmas break, Phil Vergison paid a visit to this charming little railway, which he describes as both ‘quaint’ and ‘quirky’.