Trevor's Travels

Bob the Railway Dog, Peterborough

No Comments »11th July, 2015; Category: Adelaide, Animals, Books, Historic places, South Australia

Bob the Railway dog in front of the Visitor Centre, Peterborough, South Australia

The wonderful story of Bob the Railway Dog is one of those quirky stories you come across frequently throughout Australia. This statue of Bob stands outside the Visitor Centre in Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. Back in the late 1800s Bob was a frequent traveller on the old steam trains travelling between Peterborough and other towns along the various lines leading out from Peterborough.

Bob has been recorded as travelling to Adelaide, Broken Hill and Port Pirie and other towns on the railway lines on many occasions. There is some thought that he even made it as far as Kalgoorlie in Western Australia on one adventure, and this site claims he ventured even further afield. He was also the friend of many local people and more than once had amazing adventures. The Visitor Centre sells a very interesting and readable book about Bob (or it can be bought online).

Further reading:

Bob the Railway Dog

Bob the Railway dog in front of the Visitor Centre, Peterborough, South Australia

Bob the Railway dog in front of the Visitor Centre, Peterborough

Visitor Centre, Peterborough

Peterborough, Railway town

No Comments »9th July, 2015; Category: Historic places, Museums, South Australia

Old steam train on display at Peterborough, South Australia

Over the last 40 years I have visited Peterborough in the mid north of South Australia on many occasions. My wife grew up there and we still have family living there. We try to visit them often. Up until recently I haven’t really bothered taking many photos of the town.

Peterborough is a very historic town and was settled in the early years of our state’s development. It became a very important railway centre for many years and this is still celebrated throughout the town. Over recent weeks I have featured some photos of railway related items around town. On several occasions I have mentioned the local museum known as Steamtown. Outside the museum stands a beautiful old steam locomotive which I have featured in today’s photos.

Please note that in the final photo, the loco is NOT pulling a caravan. It is just that a tourist has parked right behind the coal tender. If you look carefully you can see the 4WD which is attached to the caravan.

Old steam train on display at Peterborough, South Australia

More model trains at Peterborough, South Australia

No Comments »7th July, 2015; Category: Historic places, Museums, South Australia

Model trains at Peterborough, South Australia

This is the final post in a series of four about the model trains featured on the four main entrances to Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. (Look back through previous posts to see the others, or go to the archives.) This particular train is at the south eastern entrance to town on the road leading from Burra and Terowie.

I think that these are a wonderful introduction to visitors to the town. The people of Peterborough have made a great effort to feature model trains in this way seeing that the town has very strong ties to the historic development of railways, not only in this state, but also in the whole of Australia. The local railway museum adds to that interest as well.

Further reading:

Model trains at Peterborough, South Australia

No Comments »5th July, 2015; Category: Historic places, South Australia

Model train at the eastern entrance to Peterborough, South Australia

In recent days I have written about a visit to family in Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. On that occasion I took a series of photos of various features of the town.

Because Peterborough is historically an important railway town in the development of our state, locals have made interesting installations greeting people coming into the town on all four major entrances. Here is the third of those, this time on the eastern approach to the town as visitors are coming from NSW including Broken Hill.

I find that these model trains to be quite amusing and delightful, but I wonder what the thinking is with the one featured in today’s post. Is it meant to be a small replica of Sydney Harbour Bridge? Or is it merely a representation of a railway bridge in the district as my wife suspects it might be; she grew up in the town.

I love the engineer waving his shovel – or is he the fireman?

Model train at the eastern entrance to Peterborough, South Australia

Model trains in Peterborough, South Australia

No Comments »3rd July, 2015; Category: Historic places, Museums, South Australia

Model train at Peterborough, South Australia

As I wrote here a few days ago, we visited family recently in the mid-north town of Peterborough, South Australia. While there I took a few photos around the town, something I had neglected to do much of during numerous visits to the town over more than 40 years. Peterborough is rightly proud of its railway heritage and a railway museum features high on the list of visitor attractions.

In today’s post I feature another two shots of one of the four model trains shown in the main entrances to the town. This one is on the road into town from Orroroo to the north. I love the nice touch of the engine driver waving from the cabin, and the signals next to the line.

I will feature more photos in a few days’ time.

Model train at Peterborough, South Australia