Chaps, Chewy and Kam...

On our way up to Armidale before Christmas, the misses and me decided we'd pop in and have a look at the world famous Rothbury Riot Memorial.  We pulled off the New England Highway just before we got to the centre of the thriving metropolis of Branxton to have a sticky.  I knew there was some sort of a private rail museum, much in the mould of DS&RM (as in not open to the general public...very often), but didn't know where it was.

After pulling off, we were both looking for something that looked like a memorial which would tell us about this so called riot.  We drove up a short driveway, through a gate and towards what looked like a car park.  Nothing.  Right turn and crickey!  About a dozen 900 class rail cars... and the rest.  Drove down past 8 and 12 wheeler passenger cars, 4 wheel and bogie goods items of many varieties, past some old ruins...assuming it had something to do with mining.

We keep driving down this dirt road, I'm still thinking maybe this memorial thing is down here further...even if it isn't, this is alright.  As we drive further down this road, passing yet more wagons and carriages, my mind wanders to the rumours of the crazies that own this sort of stuff, and I start looking cagily around for someone shooing us off with a shot gun.  

Got the camera out and started doing some shooting of my own.  Saw some interesting things: CPHs (God's gift to NSW railways), rattler cars, u-boats, then I look up on top of the hill, and there seem to be hundreds of vintage buses.  We decide that we should probably get going, we're still a few hours away from Armidale, and it is bloody hot, go out via a different road (that I guessed went back into that same car park thing at the front).  Past the house (photo at bottom) and this extremely large, unfriendly looking dog which was going to do everything it could to keep us from going more than 10kmh.  Surprised it didn't pull a shotty on us.

Got back to the gate.  It was a large sign on it "KEEP OUT: TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED".  Oops.  Missed that.

But where is this memorial??  Gave up looking.  Started to pull back out onto the highway again, look look to the right - truck coming - wait.  Sitting in amongst some shrubs, right on the side of the road, is this tiny little plaque commemorating the Rothbury Riots.  Oops.  Missed that too.

Took some shots, most are below.  I've never seen any photos from Rothbury before, enjoy them!

South Maitland Railways vans

CPH 16

My powers of deduction tell me this is CPH 31

A pig boiler?

Another pig boiler?

Not just trains...

A view from the western end

Rattlers

not a great shot, but an idea of the western end of the area.  I'm assuming whatever loco's they might keep on site are kept in the shed to the far left

Sky blue public buses...those were the days

I love Leylands

U-boats.  From memory there were 4 or 5 cars there...perhaps more

Powerhouse train I think.  Brick chimney from some ruins visible over the top

Track work anyone??

Character