Monday, 11th February 2013
The day started by walking Keith’s dog around the 'Dog Walking Area'. Presumably because it was a weekday, we saw more dogs and owners than on the previous days. All the dogs played happily chasing an assortment of balls, rings and frisbees.
On our arrival back at Keith's home, we took breakfast. Keith had a telephone message that the Steam Museum we'd failed to get into in Fremantle on the previous Saturday would definitely be open, so we drove down to the city again.
Adrian Pope was the volunteer in charge of the Steam Museum, which operates as an annexe to the futuristic-looking building of the Maritime Museum Fremantle next door. The steam exhibits are housed in a conventional steel-framed workshop building clad in corrugated iron. Adrian was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable host and we spent over three hours there.
We learnt that the air compressor which normally operates the exhibits had failed and, whilst repairs were being carried out, the Museum was being opened on a more irregular basis.
The only exhibit working was the Robinson version of a 'Stirling-Cycle' engine. The base of this engine houses a heater to power the engine. This was originally gas-powered but is now an electric heater. There's an excellent article in Wikipedia here about the Stirling engine.
Robinson's implementation of a 'Stirling Cycle' hot-air engine.
It will take me a while to sort out the details of all the models and preserved mechanisms on display, but the set Steam Museum, Fremantle gives an impression of the range of exhibits. I'll just mention the marine engine on display which reputedly powered the "Cygnet', the launch used by C. Y. O'Connor (1843-1902) during development of Fremantle Harbour.
The engine from the 'Cygnet' (apologies for the poor focus).
There is a statue to C. Y. O'Connor by Pietro Porcelli a short distance from the museum commemorating his work on the development of the harbour together with his role in the development of the water supply for the Goldfields area, the railways of Western Australia and other public works. Sadly, C. Y. O'Connor took his own life in 1902. There's more about this remarkable man in a Wikipedia article here.
The C. Y. O'Connor statue near the Steam Museum.
We then moved on to the Ship Wreck Museum where, amongst a large collection of smaller artefacts, the is a large preserved section of hull from the 'Batavia' which was wrecked in 1629.
The preserved section of the hull of the 'Batavia'.
The remains of a 2-cylinder steam engine from the 'Xantho' are currently being conserved after over 100 years under the sea. This engine was built by J. Penn and Son in Greenwich, England.
After browsing a second-hand bookshop, Keith drove to the highest point in Fremantle which commands splendid views both to sea and towards the city. There are a number of War Memorials here, including (rather improbably) a periscope made in Scotland. We then returned home.
The oldest of the War Memorials overlooking Fremantle. The three young people were making a video.
In the evening, Keith, Fhines and I drove to a nearby Chinese Restaurant for a very enjoyable meal.
My Pictures
Williton Dog Walking Area.
Steam Museum, Fremantle.
Shipwreck Museum, Fremantle, WA.
Fremantle, West Australia.
Monday, 11 February 2013
Perth WA - Day 4
Perth WA - Day 3
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]
Perth WA - Day 2
Saturday, 9th February 2013
We walked Keith’s dog, Sasha early in the morning. A few hundred metres from Keith’s home, there’s an open space designated as a ‘Dog Walking Area’. There are a number of dogs and their owners who regularly exercise here so it becomes something of a social affair. After the walk, we returned home for breakfast.
Later in the morning, I went shopping with Keith to his local shopping centre. One popular store for grocery and the like is Coles where we spent some time. The experience is not so different from shopping in the U.K., although it's much warmer in Perth! Whereas everyone in England complains about just how cold and damp it is, it seems everyone in Perth complains about how insufferably hot it is (around 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday and expected to be a degree or two hotter on Sunday). Needless to say, the shopping malls ensure they are well air conditioned to encourage customers.
In the afternoon, I'd arranged to meet my friend Captain Myo Lwin, former captain of the 'Road to Mandalay'. He had flown to Perth to join his wife who had been in Perth for a little while to support her daughter during delivery of the daughter's first child, Wyatt. The Captain's charming daughter and her husband had kindly invited me to visit them in Perth to see the Captain's new grandson. Keith provided transport and, with Keith's interest in matters Nautical (he is a former Ship's Engineer), Keith and the Captain were soon engaged in heavy discussions. We were made most welcome and young Wyatt is a most handsome addition to the family.
My pictures
Williton Dog Walking Area.
Around Williton.
Wyatt.
[Revised 1-Mar-2013]
