This page comes courtesy of ex WAGR driver Pat Lyon who emailed us with an offer of some photographs in his collection taken by George Baxter during a period when Pat was working as a relief driver in the Pemberton area whilst then regular driver Cecil Hallo was on long service leave. Pat indicates that he spent some 4 months working the Pemberton - Northcliffe section and enjoyed his stay also saying that the locomotives being used at the time (W class) handled the loads with ease making for easy working.

The Crew at the time these Photo's were taken by George Baxter, consisted of Driver - Pat Lyon, Fireman - Bob Hansen and Guard - Dave Wheatley.

All Photographs taken by George Baxter & Supplied by Patrick Lyon from his Collection.

PTCo gratefully acknowledges this contribution. Thanks Pat.

W 913 and Goods to Northcliffe

On what appears to be a reasonable sort of day, W 913 ( In Pat's opinion the 'W' class was the best and most economical steam engine the railways ever bought ) and train of mixed wagons including  - FD ventilated/louvred goods van, GE, RCA, H, R open wagons, Q class bogie flats and the standard WAGR Z class brake van sets out from Pemberton towards the small group settlement, sawmilling and dairy town of Northcliffe, 37km's south of Pemberton by rail.

Eastbrook Bridge. The embankment on the far side between the abutment and first pylon carries the sawmill logging line into the forest east of this bridge

Upon leaving Pemberton station W913 winds its way through the town climbing to the top of the grade, less than 1 km from the station, just behind the towns Sawmill. From there it is downgrade into the surrounding young regrowth Karri forest for approximately 2km's meandering through to Eastbrook Bridge (shown above). A further 5 bridges will be crossed in the next 8 km's.

Still heading downgrade we pass through the area now known as the Cascades, crossing 3 bridges and then gently climb to the site of where a water column was originally situated at the 175.5 km mark to enable locomotives to take water before Pemberton bound trains started the long climb into the township. We then start to fall away again to another bridge and then through the tobacco farms of the Michaleadies family and into Brockman Siding. This siding would occasionally be shunted to pick up a wagon loaded with potatoes, grown by the Cabassi family. After leaving Brockman we once again start to head down hill for the short stretch to the Warren River Bridge (shown below).

W 913 rolls across the Warren River Bridge

I have broken these pics into several pages to enable a faster loading and better quality picture so please use the link provided at the bottom of each page to continue to the next pages

Click here for Page 2 of W913 to Northcliffe

Send mail to pemtram@wn.com.au  with any questions or comments.