2022 Scavenger Hunts / Grand Tours

Murphyau

Well-Known Member
#23
The Final Results for the 2022 TeamStrange "Trails to Rails" Grand Tour have just been published.

In 1st Place Overall, and the Top Australian rider, was Derrick Sutton, with Jim Weatherhead achieving 2nd Place Overall and the Top US rider. Paul White was the Top Canadian rider.

Of note, Australian Finishers in the Top Ten were Ian McPhee (equal 6th Overall with Wendy Crockett), and Simon Bell (10th Overall)

Other Australian to achieve Finisher status were Ed Gerner, Glen Yeomans, John Gilbert.

TeamStrange will also give a special World Traveler award to Wendy Crockett & Ian McPhee for collecting locomotives in Australia, Canada, and USA, including all three trans-continental railroad bonuses.

Well done, everyone. Overall, an outstanding result in a world class event.
 
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HACKLE

Well-Known Member
#24
Well done Derrick, 1st. overall. Drain and Wendy in 6th. place along with the other great Aussie finishers, Ed, Glen and John. Fantastic result. The morning after Derrick and Liz spent the night with us whilst out chasing trains, Elwyn said, for all the riding he's done, he better win. Never a truer word spoken. Cheers to all.
 

Derrick

IBR Finisher
#30
Hi All,

Thanks - As i mention in my covering email below "Its been a ride (well, series of rides…) that makes me laugh and smile every time I think of it."

This is from the documentation I submitted, and also for family/peeps at work to contextualise where I went "on the weekend"

Click here > Google Map of Individual Rides/Locations

for toggleable trips, and the ability to look at photo's/video's where they were taken

straya.JPG

and if you just want the photo's/video's/spot tracks by trip then here is the trick > Photo Albums with Videos Etc - Some Occasional Swearing..

A couple of my faves..

(SWEARING INVOLVED in this one - Note this video didn't count for points....)

(Tit Pullers Dairy Farm)

(Things got a bit hectic at times...)

(The Picnic Train had a fair head of steam heading out of Paterson NSW)

naranargoon smaller.jpg

kapunda.jpg

waswetinbathurst.jpg

silverton.jpg

Colbinabbin.jpg

This for context (from my email submission, edited for brevity/clarity etc)


Hi David/Team Strangers,

Firstly, thanks. Its been a ride (well, series of rides…) that makes me laugh and smile every time I think of it. My wife is threatening an intervention if I don’t stop discussing Steam Trains after the 16th November, so let me get this out before the clock ticks over =;^))

Some Context
We had a Group In-State Saddlesore in Canberra/The ACT over the Weekend of the 25th to 27th of March. Who doesn’t love riding around in circles (and traffic) 20 times…

On the way home to Melbourne I got cleaned up by a Kangaroo about an hour east of Albury NSW (about 4.5 hours from home). Was quite the drama at the time, what with some communications issues (on my side), a 3 hour wait for the Ambulance, a week in hospital, 6 weeks off work (broken ribs and shoulder blade) and a written off bike. Throw in COVID at the 6 week recovery mark just to make it more interesting.

While I was home, the Rally Flag and Sticker (that I’d ordered previously =;^)) showed up and I started crafting plans…

The Start

Fast forward to early July. In June I’d found a new to me 2019 R1250RT to replace the 2017 Triumph Tiger 800 XCA, in Adelaide, South Australia. Paid for it and got them to hold it for a month. About 600 miles/1000 kms home over two days as a “See where I am at ride”, seems like a plan. And there’s a few trains on the way. “New Bike Home” is that trip

Couple of easy to nab “Local” locations and rides follow. Easy to nab, but I screwed up, getting a photo rather than a video of one, and in my attempt to fix my error 12 hours later I managed to get booked for the 1st time in 18 years. My own fault.

All this was to make sure I was able to make the “Border Run” this year. This is a gathering on the Western Australian/South Australian border (Well, Truckstop) that goes back 45+ years to when the Highway across the Nullarbor Plan was 1st sealed. While I’ve probably done it a dozen times, Covid lockdowns kept me away in both 2020 & 2021 and I was determined to go this year. This is normally a 4000km round trip that I’ve done in 3.5 days (with a booze up in the middle), but I’d take the scenic route this year (and a few extra days). It was this weekend I lured Ed Gerner from Canberra into the madness (and he Glenn Yeomans!) I had hoped that my new URAL sidecar rig would have been here for this trip, making Ooldea a possibility, but not to be. I’ve include a few scenery snaps from this trip, including nearby the turnoff to Ooldea.

Onwards to the “IBA Australia Muster” , held in Nambucca Heads this year. Saddlesore optional, but this was an excuse to stretch my legs northbound, seeing as far north as the central coast of Queensland, well into Sugar Cane country. The Saddlesore took 22 hour to knock out, what with the photo stops for trains left, right and centre. It was here I found out about the Teamstrange Messageboard and the Discussion/Clarifications on “Cass Railway” vs “Big Boy” type tours. The wheels started turning, collecting more photo’s and videos on the way home.

The Ramping Up

The next weekend was “Traralgon”. This was the first of 4 “chase the train” days. Taking some learnings from the IBA Muster return trip I put in more planning, and the 3 I did in Victoria also paid off with local knowledge. For 3 of these I only chased the train in one direction, getting multiple videos from railways stations, driveways, wide spots in the road and railway crossings. All 3 were one-off tours put on by the respective heritage railways. Great rally practice, planning and execution wise.

Gippsland and Bellarine” was a chance to expose my wife to the insanity =;^)). A leisurely tour to the east of Melbourne, then an equally leisurely Ferry trip across what’s known as Port Phillip Heads on the Sorrento to Queenscliff Ferry. Some frivolity and swearing was involved. And not just from stalling and tipping us both off the new bike in a failed uphill off camber overruling of Google maps!

Maitland and Bathurst” followed. This was an, at times, wet miserable weekend. Northbound out of Sydney in heavy Friday afternoon traffic, and heavier rain. Only to find out, when I got to my accommodation that I had booked for The. Previous. Night! Got lucky with a motel 20 minutes away. The Maitland to Dungog chase was fun on the Saturday, the slog from Sydney to Bathurst in the rain not so. The weekend in question sees Bathurst host a 1000km endurance V8 race that is legendary down here. Which brings out every rev-head, which brings out every Highway Patrol Car, most of the Mobile Camera Cars, booze busses and unmarked cars in the NSW Police fleet. And it was raining to the extent they were getting ready to close bridges, and called off the final qualifying session for the big race at about the time I went through town.

Which brings us to the “Mont Albert Shuttle” train. I captured this 19 times, but I’m not sure they all count if the Cass Railway rules apply.
(3rd Jan 2023 - Edited to note - I was disallowed 16 operating trains, I'm assuming they were all from this day and I expected this even before I set out. Was still a good day (for the most part!) chasing trains "on the clock")

I got each video at different locations, but it really depends on interpretations. Rather than explain, the booking page for this train (a one off) https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/960714 details
TIMETABLE
  • 3 x return shuttles will depart Mont Albert at 10.05am, 11:11am and 2:31pm. These will operate via Blackburn and Burnley and return. Passengers will not be able to join/leave the train at Blackburn or Burnley.
  • One way transfer trips will depart at the following times -
    Transfer 1: Newport (9:01am): Flinders Street (9:29am)(PLATFORM 10) to Mont Albert arriving at 9.55am.
    Transfer 2: Mont Albert (12.11pm) to Ringwood arriving at 12:27pm
    Transfer 3: Ringwood (1:30pm) to Mont Albert (1.45pm) then via Burnley to Mont Albert arriving at 2:21pm This train can be boarded at Ringwood or Mont Albert - note it is just a quick stop at Mont Albert for those wishing to take the shorter trip.
    Transfer 4: Mont Albert (3:31pm) via Burnley to Flinders Street (4:13pm) to Newport arriving 4:41pm
I’m not going to be too fussed if I lose some or all of these, given I got multiples of the shuttles (in different locations mind you). I also chased it from leaving the depot to returning to the depot in Newport (in Melbourne west) . Hopefully the log, spot and videos help you decide. Let me know if I can be of any help here (or elsewhere).

The “Warrnambool West Coaster” was supposed to be a 2 day trip, capturing a different steam train returning from Wycheproof on the Sunday. Floods in Central Victoria put paid to the second train, so I mopped up a few static trains on the way back.

The END

The “IBA Memorial Wilcannia” ride is relatively new, with the Memorial only being unveiled in 2019. I love Broken Hill (and Silverton) and research told me there was both trains and murals available. I was reminded about the Ambush involving a Steam Picnic Train in WW1. I have some photo’s of that for a Wild Card entry (and a few other wild cards sprinkled throughout). And some photos of the memorial plaque and location.

On the way back I got the static train in Wycheproof, the self-titled “Train Town on the Calder” given that the active train line runs down the middle of the main street. I’d like to think I planned that for the last static train, but that’s just how it fell. And similarly I got more videos of the Victorian Goldfields Railway Castlemaine to Maldon train, rounding out the set that I started with my 1st operating train on the way home with the new bike in Adelaide.

Notes
-I’ve attempted to get every static steam train in VIC, NSW and South Australia, and probably ½ the ones in Queensland. I’ve missed a few with operating hours but overall I’ve been pretty lucky.
-We are experiencing massive, massive flooding in large parts of NSW and northern Victoria, following on from flooding in Queensland earlier this year. There’s probably 10 trains I got, that I couldn’t get to currently, and massive detours and potholed roads around the place to get pretty much anywhere more than 2 hours north of Melbourne. The main road between Melbourne and Sydney was shut in both directions the other day, and that was the detour for a lot of the Melbourne-Brisbane trucks, and the Sydney to Adelaide/Perth trucks given the flooding in Central NSW. A real mess.
-Several trains I planned to chase were cancelled, but easy to see why (and give me something to do on the Sidecar when it turns up next year! Don’t tell my wife! =;^))

Documentation
I’ve created a “Parent” Album, and linked in the Comments 10 Child Albums aligning to the Groupings above. In most cases I’ve included Spot links to try and give you some context of each trip.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=TnE4VmtzUWN5dDRpTkRGMzZaUktHTnlFVnd0RUFn

Speaking of context, I’ve also created a Google My Maps with 10 interactive Layers, again 1 for each trip.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1PVJDDTbdWd-pA9Qnj4etcjMdUVrilaw&usp=sharing

The Icons in the MyMaps are (mostly) self-explanatory (Except the Rifle, I call that the Long Shot for Wild Card consideration =;^)))

Learnings & Ideas
-I’m surprised (as evident in a number of videos) as to just how hard operating steam trains can be to hear when you’re deaf in 1 ear, have earplugs and a helmet covering the other ear!
-If you’re going to chase trains, planning is key
-And local knowledge helps immensely


Derrick
 
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Ed.

Premier Member
#35
Thanks for the write up with heaps of info in there, Derrick....and thanks for "dragging " me into the shenanigans! Even as a very late starter an a big unexpected interpretation to my plans I had a really great time planning and implementing rides, although I think (and my family would agree) I learnt waaaay more about trains than than might be completely healthy....I can give up any time I want to, really I can!

It was unreal to have the excuse to get up to Ooldea on the transline, I still maintain that 4.5km west of Ooldea is bloody not Ooldea but a pretty cool spot though. Interesting that of three bikes to get up there, two of them were gen 1 feejars, expect yamaha new adv model announcement shortly.

Thanks all at Team Strange, don't reckon this will be the last one of these I try.
 

Fatman

Well-Known Member
#38
Well done Derrick (and I see plus 1 (Liz) in some pics! ;)) well deserved result for the amount of work and preparation you put into it. Congrats to all the other Aussies putting a big effort in, then Drain and Wendy now that's another level with points in 3 countries! Awesome results all.

PS. So that means Derrick wont ring me at some dark hour and telling LTP and I that he got a great pic of some train in some workshop near Brisbane from memory, now that has to be a good thing, for my sleep at least! :D
 

Tele

Premier Member
#40
Well done Derrick (and I see plus 1 (Liz) in some pics! ;)) well deserved result for the amount of work and preparation you put into it. Congrats to all the other Aussies putting a big effort in, then Drain and Wendy now that's another level with points in 3 countries! Awesome results all.

PS. So that means Derrick wont ring me at some dark hour and telling LTP and I that he got a great pic of some train in some workshop near Brisbane from memory, now that has to be a good thing, for my sleep at least! :D
My memory has you ringing me....:)
I am sad to confirm that this is typical "old man" syndrome ... unable to recall who called who, when they called and why they called. This is indeed a sad and slippery slope :D:cool: