Friday, March 24, 2023

Strath 2

We quickly recovered from the long drive and OF took us to look at the local historic train station, which I found interesting. Different track gauges, the width between tracks, has been a constant problem in Australia with some states using narrow gauge, some standard gauge and some broad gauge. Strathalbyn was connected to Adelaide by broad gauge I think, but then the the mainline into Adelaide was changed to standard gauge to allow interstate freight and passenger trains use the track without having to change trains. Consequently the broad gauge line through Strath could no longer reach Adelaide and became a historic line for tourists and enthusiasts. 

Of course I don't mention real names in blog posts so I have given  the pseudonym OF, Our Friend, to protect his privacy. (edited).

While it was early for dinner, we three had a nice dinner at the Victoria Hotel, sitting outside where the air was rapidly cooling after a rather warm day. Gary came back to our motel and we chatted and he overstayed his was welcome. We made plans for the next day.

Here are some photos taken during our trip and after we arrived. I meant to take a photo of a sign on a bakery window, along the lines of  'Skinny people are easy to kidnap. Stay safe by eating cake.'

We made a toilet stop at this rather nice lake. It has a nice sandy beach. If you enter the water you must wear secure footwear to protect your feet from shellfish.


The toilet facilities and the covered barbeque and eating shelter were great. 


A closed bank is not just a country thing. We noticed when we were out shopping today, another South Melbourne bank has closed. 


Some rather mute silo art.



A train shed for a short train.


Admire the beautiful sandstone station.


This looks like a water tank to me, to fill up steam trains.


Unconventional train air conditioning. 


I think I have worked out the complication of these tracks. 


Strathalbyn does thick spongy lawns so well and this was no exception. 


Station street frontage. 

28 comments:

  1. It looks lovely - and quintessentially country.

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    1. That is a good thing EC. No inner city busyness for a change.

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  2. It does look lovely there. The railway track situation sounds a little messy.

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    1. JayCee, I just read this morning how the absurd change of gauge made rail travel here so slow, that once aircraft started flying, it quickly became popular.

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  3. A pretty part of the world. The shellfish? Do they bite?
    I love Adelaide's sandstone buildings. I guess it's the novelty of seeing something different.
    That mural has a quaintness about it.

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    1. Caro, the shellfish are sharp, as the sign said. Sandstone is nice but being made of sand, I feel it is weak compared to our bluestone.

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  4. Sounds like a lovely vacay. Pseudonym Gary.Hehe.
    Yikes on the banks. Did they lift regulations there like they did here (by the previous administration)?
    Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com

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    1. Sandra, yes, deregulation, then when a banking disaster happens, more regulation, then a relaxing of regulation and then another banking disaster...rinse and repeat.

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  5. All my people I mention in my blog was pseudonym.

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    Replies
    1. Dora, I am disappointed your son is not called Sawyer.

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  6. It looks nice down there at Strath. Maybe I should go one day, just to wander around. I'll have to see if there is a bus service from Adelaide.

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    1. River, no doubt there is a bus that replaced the train service. We didn't notice one though.

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    2. I have an old State Guide from 2005 which has timetables for Stateliner, Greyhound etc buses and it says a Transit Plus goes there, but I'd have to check if that still runs.

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  7. Thank you! I love the idea that silo art expanded from western Victoria into South Australia and beyond. Particularly that the Strathalbyn art goes to the very top of each silo, is paler and is most gentle.

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    1. Hels, I should have noted that the silos are in Coonalpyne but they are quite isolated from the usual silo art trail.

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  8. Looking good there and the railway station looks similar to a few I've seen. Difficult sometimes if people overstay their stay.

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    1. Margaret, G staying a bit long was hard for me after a tiring day of long travel and then dining out. R was enjoying the company of someone else but me.

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  9. "...he overstayed his welcome..."

    Pseudonym, indeed!

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    1. Indeed Kirk. I will redact the post in a couple of days, but not as severely as governments do.

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  10. Very different colouring on those silos. I wonder if they will weather as well as the brighter ones

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    1. Maybe they will Cathy, although they do face north or north east. They are in Coonalpyn, SA.

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  11. I had a client once, who was about 100 years old, when I went to visit her, she as very clear, "you can leave now!" I overstayed, and she repeated, "that's okay, you can leave now!"

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    1. TP, wouldn't it be good in life to be able to do that without fear of offending.

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  12. To be honest, I understand nothing from trains, that's Greek or Chinese for me I only travel in them but I understood "The toilet facilities and the covered barbeque and eating shelter were great."

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    1. The small stuff can be so important.

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    2. For the last time I am not anonymous !!! (Gattina)

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    3. I can work out when you comment Gattina.

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  13. Shellfish in the lake? What kind? Here we have to wear sandals or shoes because there is often broken beer bottle glass in the lake and river edges.

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