Kevin-Penong

January 2003

Whilst the trip is a hell of a way from Adelaide, some 900km (600 miles) from Adelaide, the line was ours and we were free, within the scope of our management plan, to use the line as we see fit.

This time four cars along, Ian Harris and his MT14-Z42, Ivan Wood and his STT-Z42, Norm George and his M15-B-Z42, and Nic Doncaster with his M19Z42. Also joining in for the weekend was Murray Dent and Geoff Harris.

We set up a camp and control point near the site of the old school at Kowulka, about half way between Kevin and Penong. Three days of absolute pleasure followed.

Norm and his M15, M112. This was its first big outing following overhaul. The car behind is Ivans STT, with Murray Dent catching some ZZZ's. Photo taken at the Kevin Terminus.

All four cars lined up at Penong.

The team.

We swapped cars at one of the "crossings", this one is little more that a track that the farmer has created.

The area is in the grip of a drought, and as I prepare this page, the first rain in a couple of months had completely missed this area. Whislt we were over, there were a few drops, but nothing more than to settle the dust.

At the Kevin Terminus.

When Ian first bought this former Queensland Railways car, it was a real mess. He meticulously restored the car to better than original. Seen here near the Kowulka Road Crossing.

M112 and Ian's MT14 at Penong. Grain trains last ran in 1997, and took three hours to travel between Kevin and Penong!

The line runs through very sandy country. This cutting is not far from the Kevin end, but note the sand. This was a constant problem on this line.

The group at Penong. The little shed to the far left of the photo is the train control/station building.

Nics M19 on the embankment from Penong (which is to the right of the photo). The plow represents the reason for the line.

World War 1 and II veterans opened up this country.

Uploaded December 25, 2008

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