I was keen to try out the new Mariyung Trains now they have started running on the Blue Mountains line. So I caught one leaving Central at 8:56 and went as far as Hazelbrook, where I visited my sister and her husband, and then travelled back down on an old V Set train.
Here we are passing the old Crago Flour Mill at Newtown. The mill has been repurposed for housing.
The Crago family have an interesting history – See for example the Crago Telescope and John Low in his book “Blue Mountains Byways” tells the story of Allan Crago, who was accidentally shot while bushwalking in the Kedumba Valley in 1926. The rugged and remote location meant that he could not walk or be stretchered out, so a medical team was sent down the valley and set up a makeshift hospital. John’s article is also in Hut News.
Now approaching Strathfield –
And going past the Clyde Marshalling Yards –
The Metro Station Box, under construction at St Mary’s –
Crossing the Nepean River –
Mt Portal –
Glenbrook Gorge –
Inside the Mariyung carriage –
These new trains have been a long time coming. To run in the Blue Mountains both stations and tunnels had to be altered. Here are my thoughts –
Advantages –
- Probably quieter
- Smoother starting and stopping
- Tray tables
- Higher seats – head support
- Power – USB and 240 volt sockets
- A lot easier for people in wheel chairs
- Roomy toilets, bike spaces, luggage spaces
- Good graphics showing stations and train layout
- Flexibility to have 4 car, 6 car or 10 car sets.
Disadvantages –
- No air locks- with doors opening automatically at each station, cold air enters the carriage (or hot air) – so air conditioning will have to work harder
- Seats can’t be flipped to face direction of travel
- No bar to rest feet on
- I don’t think the windows have double glazing
- The 10 car sets have less seats than the old 8 car V sets.
And one last photo. On the journey back to Central, I photographed this old Gatekeepers Cottage at Springwood. It dates from 1867 and was once occupied by a family that had the job of opening the gates to allow carts and horses to cross the railway line.
Other Gatekeepers Cottages survive at Medlow Bath and Mt Victoria.