Zig Zag trains
Trip Start
Jan 18, 2006
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166
276
Trip End
Dec 19, 2006
Katoomba, Australia
Monday, August 21, 2006
We made an early start and travelled over the Blue Mountains to the 'Zig zag railway'. The original rail route through the Blue Mountains from Sydney to the west, now run as a steam tourist attraction. We were the first ones there and decided much to the surprise of the ticket lady to do the 'bush walk' down and get the train back up. The walk was amazing, steeply down through woods and kapok bushes, then heathland with wonderful views, the last bit was about 200 steps down to the lower station. (yes more steps!!!)
We were the only ones there again, but a man opened up the box office when we arrived so that we could buy coffee and tickets on the train back. The train finally arrived, and there were only 2 other people on it! We had a great tour of the locomotive sheds, and saw how they restored and maintained them. We then got to ride back up, 4 of us, so we sat in the drivers cab. Graham didn't really want to come, but once we'd started he found it amazing. On one part he sat next to the chatty driver. The train literally, clung to the side of the cliff and went over numerous viaducts and through cuttings in the rock. It must have cost a fortune.
