Last Winelander?

[ghostryder]

The ARHS Qld ran what could well be their last Winelander run to Wallangara this weekend, 2488 was the unit in charge, I Took a wrong turn at Alburquerque (Last time i use Bugs Bunnys Directions Ha ha )and ended up in Granite Country Queensland, where i found 2488 and the ARHS Winelander service. So i chased it from Warwick to the Wallangarra and here are some shots from the trip yesterday.

Sorry if this is in the wrong spot please feel free to move it to the right spot if needed.

Warwick

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12695628544/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12695331243/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12702564245/in/photostream/

Stanthorpe

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12703050184/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12702584235/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12702780463/in/photostream/

Ballandean

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12702626905/

Devils Elbow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12702761263/

Wallangarra

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12702605285/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12703581934/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12703141825/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12703121435/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashmos_pics/12703130815/

[ozbob]

Thanks for sharing these photographs.  I have been to Wallangarra by steam, glad I have.

[ghostryder]

Thanks Bob, i had travelled through this area many times during the 80s on visits to Grandma's rarely saw a train moving in this area it, was either a loco stabled at Wallangarra waiting to do the run or wagons at the various fruit loading points, so it was nice to catch a train running through this area.

Scott

[DayboroStation]

Thanks Ghostryder - I love the photos you took. Reminds me of when I went on the Winelander in 1995. Pity it's so expensive, as it makes an enjoyable weekend journey.

I often wonder why Southern Downs Regional Council (which includes Warwick & Stanthorpe) doesn't lobby QR for a weekend tourist train service running between Warwick / Stanthorpe / Wallangarra (eg a railmotor or similar). Even a once a month service could be a good tourist drawcard.

By the way, I lived on the Granite Belt in the early 1980's (Applethorpe). There was one daily service (including weekends) that took fruit/vegetables etc to Brisbane. In addition, special "cannery" trains ran once or twice a week, which took fruit to the Golden Circle Cannery at Northgate (mostly fruit that was marked due to hail etc). I'm not sure when these services discontinued, but by the time we left the district in the mid 1980's, road freight was becoming increasingly popular and the writing was on the wall for rail even then. Applethorpe Railway Station once boasted a big shed, station building, and a resident's railway house. Unfortunately, there is nothing left of Applethorpe Railway Station now. 

[SurfRail]

I often wonder why Southern Downs Regional Council (which includes Warwick & Stanthorpe) doesn't lobby QR for a weekend tourist train service running between Warwick / Stanthorpe / Wallangarra (eg a railmotor or similar). Even a once a month service could be a good tourist drawcard.

Southern Downs Steam Railway would be the people to talk to - if somebody could tip in enough funding I expect they could run more regularly. 

I'd like to think that the Winelander could still be retained in some form - some Lander cars could conceivably become part of the heritage fleet.