I choo-choo-choose you.

Yesterday my best mate Adam took me on a heritage rail tour. Now this is probably something I should mention, a confession I need to make. I'm Mikey, and I've never grown out of the Thomas the Tank Engine phase. Deary me.

The preserved electric locomotive 8606 and Silverton's 8644 hauled the train of 3801 Ltd's forties-era ex-NSWGR passenger carriages. It left Redfern at about 9.30am and went around the City Outer, Airport and East Hills Lines to Glenfield, then went north to the Harris Park Y-Link, west past Parramatta and then all the way over the Blue Mountains to Lithgow, arriving at quarter to two in the afternoon. Adam and I managed to get a cab ride in the loco from Werrington to Faulconbridge along the way (how many people can say that they've done that?).

The inner nine-year old Mikey had a field day. It was a fun trip, and I spent most of it hanging out the open top half of the horse-stable-esque carriage doors with the wind in my face while we hurtled down the track at maximum line speed.

We had lunch and a drink or two at a pub in Lithgow before making the return journey. We left at about twenty to three, coming back via the Metropolitan Goods Lines and Enfield Yard and taking a trip up the Eastern Suburbs Line to Bondi Junction. The looks we received from bewildered commuters, especially on the ESR, were classic. When the train glided alongside the underground platforms between Redfern and the 'Junction, some tried to board. And some didn't seem at all surprised that CityRail may have resorted to using mid-twentieth century rolling stock.

Even if you aren't a gunzel, a heritage rail tour is something everyone should get around to doing. There is a romance involved with long distance rail travel, let alone locomotive-hauled passenger trains. You know the kind - fast smooth trips, stopping at quaint country towns, casual wanderings to the buffet car, the privacy of your own compartment if you're lucky enough - that sort of thing. Economic rationalism has left us with somewhat unappealing modes like the XPT or Xplorer and, even more digustingly, road coaches. Shudder.


Listening to:
Title: Lovecats
Artist: Paul Anka
Album/station: Rock Swings (2005)
Length: 4.01