Sunday, 10th February 2013
As the previous day, we walked Keith’s dog early in the morning before returning home for breakfast. Around 7.00 a.m., it was fully light but there was a cooling wind to make the exercise pleasant.
When I was in Perth last in 2007, Keith took me to see Byford Wildlife Park which, at the time, was still being built. My post describing that earlier visit is here and the pictures I took then are in the set Byford Nature Park.
We returned to Byford on 10th February 2013 to what is now called Cohunu Koala Park and open to visitors. We had principally returned to see the ‘Pioneer Steam Museum’, the locomotive sheds and the 7.25-inch railway.
In the Steam Museum there were various steam driven pumps, a ship’s mooring winch made in Renfrew in 1898, a Worthington high-capacity pump, Weir feed pump, Stuart ‘Cygnet’ marine engine. There were also products made by The Austral Otis Engineering Company Limited, The Geo. F. Blake Mfg. Co. New York, Mumford of Colchester and British Steel Piling Co. Ltd. Finally, there were three Portable Engines made by Marshalls of Gainsborough, Ruston and Hornsby of Lincoln and a ‘Britannia’ Engine.
In the locomotive shed there was a rather nice electrically operated rail-mounted crane. Modern traction was represented by a diesel-electric outline Co-Co numbered 1561, a diesel outline shunter carried on six wheels named ‘Terrier’ and a diesel-electric outline ‘Oakford Express’ numbered 4850. There were also three live-steam locomotives – a mogul named ‘Cohunu Queen’ carrying running number 3 and in the crimson livery of the Cohunu Park Railway, an impressive mogul with the outlines of a typical American locomotive in black with running number 45 named ‘Dixie’ and marked ‘Southern River R. R.’ and a 4-4-0 in blue accurately portraying the West Australian Government Railways design.
Before looking at the operating railway, Keith showed me some of the animals. I was able to stroke a koala, wander amongst a number of kangaroos who seemed happy to be stroked, watch the black swans and pelicans on the small lake and marvel at the improbable appearance of the ostriches. An astronomical observatory building was still being completed but the ground floor was already in use as a toilet block.
The 7.25-inch passenger line forms a continuous circuit which threads itself through the park, at one point climbing in a curve to cross over itself. There are lots of ungated level crossings and a short tunnel. There is one station where passengers board and alight. The 3-coach train was being hauled by ‘Joan’ – a crimson Bo-Bo with a ‘Hunslet’ plate on the front but with the makers plate on the cab side more accurately crediting ‘Wato, Green and Jowitt Locomotive Works’ in 2006. The locomotive is powered by a Morris Minor petrol engine with a fully hydraulic drive. During a lull in passengers, I was allowed to drive a ‘staff train’ around the line. It’s the first time I’ve had “Ostriches on the Line"! Instead of moving away from the line, the three creatures insisted on racing us to the underbridge so I let them pass through first before continuing.
My thanks to Keith, Anthony and the staff at Cohunu Koala Park for their hospitality.
On the way back to Keith’s home, we called in to see one of Keith’s friends, Birgit, a charming lady with two dogs and a fascinating home. I was made very welcome.
My pictures
Williton Dog Walking Area.
Cohunu Koala Park.
[Revised 1-Mar-2013]
Monday 11 February 2013
Perth WA - Day 3
