NR18 Indian Pacific

With inside info, a trip to Keswick to see NR18 in the new yellow livery. Scheduled to haul the IP for a while, instead of been rostered on freights. So might not be seen in the Adelaide to Melbourne route for while. Have to wait for the Overland livery NR to appear from the paint shop.

Bordertown

Originally part of the South East narrow gauge system, though was never classed as a break of gauge station. The station building is the third for Bordertown. The first, built in 1883, burnt down in 1889 and was replaced with another wooden class 2 structure. But the town folks of Bordertown thought that their town deserved better, being an important agricultural centre; so a new, Art Nouveau style stone building was constructed between 1914-15.

"A modern, substantial and attractive building was seen as an indication of the prosperity and future of the town. The station was also handling much more traffic and needed a larger, more extensive building. Contractors began work in 1914, using stone from Jim Watson’s Cannawigara property and stone railed in from Keith."  Sources: Tatiara, The First 140 Years, Alan Jones, 1985.

On opening, the new signal box inside the station replaced two others in the yards. The narrow gauge track also reduced, eventually going altogether, when the South East was converted to broad gauge by 1954.

Station maybe closed and slowly falling down, though the building was repainted a few years ago, and the Overland still stops; passengers using the bus style shelter. Still an important grain loading centre. Bordertown has a 2180m crossing loop.

Two VHGF/Y models

Two models, same series of grain hopper. Auscision's to the left, has finer detail, slightly higher top rail, but the V/Line logo has to be said is terrible. Powerlines, to the right has finer pipe work at the base, not so shiny wheels and much better logo printing.