GrahamH's photos

To assist crew operation the steam locos at DownsSteam we have added a water level gauge to the tender. In use we found the level was sometimes difficult to discern. I tried several things which were not suitable then asked another volunteer if he could 3D print a suitable plastic ball. He was able and that is the white object in the tube floating at the top of the water. I added a knot of bronze fly wire at the base of the plastic tube so the ball wont vanish into the tender when the water is mostly used. See the PiP for the whole gauge. This photo is of 106, and 1037 has a similar arrangement. February 2025

These are the equaliser air tanks, part of the airbrake system, from DH41. They belong under the short end above the bogie. The one on the right is as I removed them from the loco with a thick coating of oil and dirt. The one on the left is clean after much wire brushing. February 2025.

Sandblasters came today to prepare the DH's frame for painting. The truck supplied the material and the compressed air for the work. See PiP. March 2024.

Ed is wiping off ash and dust off the 1037's rodding. This has accumulated while standing for a few months while waiting for spare parts. January 2025.

We have an interesting view out our lounge room window. Around September last year after my wife had done some weeding and mulching with old lawn cuttings some bower birds started using this as a bower.They haven't built any vertical walls as I have seen elsewhere. Multiple males have been using it to display and as a source of blue things to take away to another place. The blue items are mostly clothes pegs and bottle tops. This photo shows a young male re-arranging the decorations. They are generally sensitive to us. If they see any movement through the window they fly away. australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/satin-bowerbird

DH41's axles have had bearing lubricated and are painted. Now they are being prepared to be fitted back into the bogie frames. January 2025. See PiP.

Ed is moving coal towards the front of the tender on loco 1037 in the DownsSteam workshop. February 2025.

A bench in a place which decades ago would have had a scenic rural view. See PiP for plaque. February 2025. HBM to my viewers for 24/02/25.

A general view of the work area at DownsSteam as viewed from the cab of DH41. From right to left. Part of the loco water tanker and the not yet restored air conditioned passenger cars are on the loop road. The Queensland Rail track is just beyond the green hedge parallel with loop road. The railmotor is on the platform road at the platform in between charter runs for a school holidays group. Loco 106 and the wheels of DH41 are on shed road 2. Between the shed roads a tour guide is show a group of visitors through the workshop. Loco 1037 and the shunt tractor are on shed road 1. Another smaller workshop, the Westinghouse Shed, is hidden from view. Next is a shipping container which has been storage but is currently unused. Over the top of the container can be seen a little of the roof of an air-conditioned car setup as a training room. Lastly you see the road access driveway to the site with, at the left, a former oil tanker as part of the rainwater storage system. January 2025.

Rust in the cab frame of our 'new' diesel loco. January 2025.

The driving area in the 2000cl railmotor. See PiPs for more info. This run was a Trivia Train to the southern limit of our current permitted use on Queensland Rail's track, a small village named Hendon. February 2025

DownsSteam's railmotor train standing in Clifton station. This day we ran a Trivia Train to Hendon, the next crossing loop South of here. We stopped here in each direction for a break. February 2025. HBM to my viewers for 10/02/25.

A cold October day in 1994 at ZigZag Railway. A scan of a print of a quickly grabbed shot of the guard's compartment and and the guard's 'assistant'. zigzagrailway.com.au HWW to my Ipernity viewers for 05/02/25.

This day was to be a shunting training day. The carriages have been brought to a convenient place for coupling and uncoupling. However it was found that the brakes on 2 of the 4 cars weren't releasing and the initial investigation gave strange results. Oliver with Evan looking on is reporting to the driver and a trainee fireman that we haven't resolved anything and are wondering what to do next. The loco also had developed a problem with getting the required pressure in the main brake tank. Shortly after this I got into the cab and found a very quiet fire, see PiP, a dozen shovels soon got it going again. January 2025.

Thanks to the excessively wet summer we've been able to light up 106. On Saturday 18/01 a shunting and brake testing training day was scheduled. This photo shows some delighted visitors getting a quick guide to the loco with some children getting in the cab. 106 paused for them as it made its way from the shed to get the carriages we would be working with which were at the far end of the platform. January 2025.

Look at these two images so that your eyes focus on a point halfway to the screen. You should see 4 images. Make the inner 2 images become 1 by moving your head and adjusting your focus. If successful you will see loco 1307 in stereo. These images were made in late 1972 or early 1973 where withdrawn locos were stored prior to scrapping. The camera was a Zeiss Ikon Contina and the film Tri-X with home development and these scans from commercial prints.

Some people like to make a gingerbread house at Christmas time...

After Christmas as we farewelled a daughter and her family this magpie took advantage of the open front door and walked in. We found this after the family had left. I first saw the bird on the kitchen floor looking at the refrigerator from different angles. Then it saw us and it walked around the house a bit pausing in the bathroom. We then got out of its way so it walked directly from here back to the front door and when outside it flew down to the grass and garden.