Well, it was just another day photographing one historical train. X31-T378 was rostered on heading to Traralgon with many of the customers going onwards to tours or just enjoying time at Traralgon.
Now, a bunch of photographers were out in force chasing it, but strangely, not many photographers chase EMD diesel electric locomotives which makes it surprising, I would’ve thought more people would’ve been photographing further and further into Gippsland.
I started my chase at Hawksburn Station where X31-T378 powers towards Warragul. I remembered live-streaming this on either Facebook or Instagram (lol). I didn’t realise that other photographers were on the same platform photographing there (jk).
I arrived around 11.40ish where I waited until the ex-Traralgon heading back to Melbourne to clear and await X31-T378 arriving into Traralgon. X31 arrived bang on time only to bring the rain with it. Completely unfortunate but that’s the way of photography, you win some, you lose some.
After a good old pub feed and avoiding the rain, I went out to photograph X31-T378 being prepared to head back to Seymour. Normally I would’ve photograph the train back but I thought I would’ve done something different. I took the SRHC train back (early birthday present).
It was also my last photo on my Canon 70D after my shutter broke for good. Oh well.
I was onboard the wooden first class carriage, this was a photo of the compartment which I had been allocated but went to a friends to share.
I was allowed to look out the BCE carriage which was a good experience but I still wished Yarra was on the train (but that was on charter to VGR for the Royal Train Shuttles between Castlemaine and Bendigo with B74-S303).
Arriving into Melbourne was certainly interesting as X31-T378 roars though Melbourne as the driver notches it accordingly over the ‘new’ Flinders Viaduct where I got off at Southern Cross. You could see the general public wishing they want to be on it.