Aug 27, 2023 5 min read

27 August Newsletter Friends of Eaglemont Village

Belching smoke and steam a locomotive powers through Eaglemont today.

Going, not coming. A extra loco is there because there is no turntable at Hurstbridge - tonight this engine leads the way back to Spotswood.

Equally impressive on the way home in the dark

One steam engine at the front, one at the back, different designs, different sizes - driven independently.***

Seems a little odd, but the steam locomotive throttle regulates power rather than speed. As they are coupled together by the carriages in between they must always be operating at the same speed.

The issue is how much power each of the two units is contributing to the joint effort.

Don't let the physics trouble you, just enjoy the photos.

Well done the families who took excited little boys to watch the hissing, rocking, rattling beast rush through Eaglemont.

Well done Liz D for bringing Holly out again this year to relive the age of steam.

*** the electronic "ink" is not yet dry and from Innsbruck comes a correction.........

"Thanks, John, for the great photos!
You wrote: One steam engine at the front, one at the back, different designs, different sizes - driven independently.
They are only different colour locos. The design and the size is identical - they are both K class locos.
Nilss"

(I did notice one was Tuscan Red & black, the other one green and black. Perhaps I should have gone up to Hurstbridge and admired their stationary majesty! That explains why both have K140 on their fronts.)

Gang Gangs Still About

Liz M messages me this morning that 6 Gang Gangs were observed feeding in Townsend Street.

I have heard them along the southern side of the rail line but no sightings.

Might be still sulking about the cotoneaster removal.

Juvenile males comfortable in each other's company

Ryder-Cheshire this Week

Wednesday morning this week from 9:30 a.m. at 10 Donaldson Street Ivanhoe we have our monthly light gardening effort at Ryder-Cheshire Homes.

Mothers & Babies Network

Give yourself a change of scenery, get some adult company, enjoy a free cake and coffee courtesy of our Australia Post community grant.

1st & 3rd Monday each month at Eaglemont Dish.

Mulch aplenty

Along Sherwood Road we have 3 mulch piles awaiting some volunteers to distribute it across our garden beds.

Good for weed suppression, good for soil moisture retention, good for composting down into soil nutrients - but not if it sits in heaps........

Brett's Been Busy

"Hi John.
Thanks for the great flowering native plants.
After Bev's encouragement from prior weeks, I cleaned up the bed opposite her driveway on a beautiful sunny afternoon, then popped in the natives, the ground was reasonably moist but I watered them in".

Marcus does battle

I am regularly updated by Marcus about the opportunities that he seizes to fly the flag for Eaglemont's citizens.

Planning issues, aged care, community centre, transport matters, bike paths, safe walking areas for seniors - all grist for the mill for Marcus.

Box Trailer on Order

Thanks to Stephen C and Mike F we have developed a full specification for the FofEV trailer funded by Bendigo Bank Heidelberg and the Kate Thwaites Jaga Jaga community grants.

An order has been placed with Victorian trailers, and in about 6 weeks we should have a handsome lockable trailer for storage, use at working bees and at markets.

Thanks to Mick D for reviewing the specs we developed - always useful to have someone with experience in such things onboard.

Classified Ads. from Yesteryear

Mercury and Weekly Courier, 24.10.1902, Page 2
DAIRY COW.—Mr. Bragg, of Eaglemont, Heidelberg, has for sale a first class four-year-old cow, on the point of calving.

Watsonia Station Toilets

No hesitancy out at Watsonia to have railway station toilets open to the traveling public - within 50 metres of a set of public toilets and also the library toilets.