Tuesday, March 24, 2009

D51714 preserved at Kagoshima

These are images of a preserved locomotive I found next to our hotel (the Sun Royal) at Kagoshima (photographed 12th February 2009). The address is Yojiro, Kagoshima City just up from the hotel, across a small street (Google maps .

D51 is a type of 2-4-2 steam locomotive (the wheel arrangement is called a Mikado) built by the Japanese Government Railways, the Japanese National Railways and various manufacturers from 1936 to 1951. The design of D51 was based on D50 which was launched in 1923. A total of 1,115 D51 locomotives were built. Early D51s built were known as "Namekuji type" (or "slug").

The number consists of a "D" for the four sets of driving wheels and the class number 51 is one of the series for tender locomotives that the numbers 50 through 99 were assigned to under the 1928 locomotive classification rule.

Several of the D51 class survive. A D51, D5122 stands outside the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Railway Station Sakhalin Island, Russia having been captured during World War II Another D51 , D51231 stands outside the National Science Museum in Tokyo.

The loco is preserved with some track and a signal.

Morning at Exile Bay

There is something good about our early morning walks with Alistair along the footpath along Exile Bay. The sun, the water and the clear skies make this a wonderful time and experience. Sun just comming up

Here is the sun arriving over Abbotsford with smooth water, the boats bobbing and the somewhere out there a rowing boat training and coach hurrying them on.

Exile Bay Sunrise

Later the sun lights up the sky and the ridges; colouring the water.

Walking back

On the way home to a well deserved coffee and dried dog food. The Bushell’s factory is in the background – last of the industries along the waterfront in Concord.

I think we are lucky or blessed to be able to do this walk every day.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Industrial Heritage and Art: Yamamoto Sakubei in Tagawa

Yamamoto Sakubei

This is Yamamoto Sakubei one of the most stunning artists in the area of industrial heritage I have ever seen. I am not sure of his story but his art – in the form of pre-Manga drawings - documents life in the coal mines of Tagawa in the Chikuho region of Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu. I know very little about him except that he was an ex-coal miner. I was sent a book of over 500 of his drawings and saw more at the Tagawa City Coal Mining historical Museum. cola mining woman miner

Here we see a typical drawing of a woman mining a coal seam. There is text describing the drawing (I wish I could read Japanese) and the drawing is quite detailed.

coal mining loading coalOn the right another miner is shown taking the coal to a skip. Women and men worked together in Japanese coal mines until the 1930’s. The work was really tough as there was little mechanisation in the mines until after the Second World War. Yamamoto Sakubei seems to document the gradual mechanisation of the mines.

coal mining miners equipment

This image shows the equipment of the Japanese miners although it should also be noted underground because of the heat very little clothing was worn.

The collection of drawings is not only an important documentation of the work involved in mining but is also quite poignant in its depiction of what was a hard and dangerous life.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Winning isn't everything…but

We all know this but it is nice to be able to report that I won the raffle for the door prize at the inaugural Small Business Book Club run by the City of Canada Bay and the Department of State and Regional Development. Cover

The prize was a copy of Louise Woodbury’s book on the subject of taking time out from a business in order to recharge your batteries but also to refocus and restructure your business goals. She was very positive about the effects of this approach and the changed mindset that can result from the break.

We are lucky in Canada Bay that the Council is very positive towards small business and actively supports the development of small and micro businesses in their area largely because of the balance it brings to the suburbs, dragging them back from being simply dormitory suburbs.

Normally Jane wins all these things so I was happy to win a prize for once!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Forestville Model Railway Exhibition 2009

The Forestville show is always one I look forward to as it can be quite interesting, although often it is a bit samey. Last weekend was typical – the mostly the same layouts with the same issues.

Forestville09 2 001

Here is the main hall from the stage showing that at 10:30 on a Sunday the show was quite well attended although there didn't seem to be the same number of stands and non train stands seem to have expanded.

One of my pet hates is going to a layout and seeing nothing happening – this seemed to be the case with both Dungog and Main Line Mk2. Surely a simple rehearsed sequence of trains would solve the problem and engage the public.

In contrast Bridport had a choreographed and narrated sequence which packed the people in.

Forestville09 2 017Still there is a lot to learn from Dungog. I really love this area on the layout because of the high quality of the scenic work. Especially I like the trees and the texture and colour of the cutting.

Forestville09 2 021

Here it is looking the other direction and you can see how it captures the feel of an Australian scene.

When I make a layout it will be hard to live up to this standard.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Spices at Herbies

Today Jane and I did a Spice Appreciation Class at Herbies (see http://www.herbies.com.au/). This was my Christmas present to Jane. The course was at Herbies in Rozelle and presented by Jacqui Newling (who has worked at Herbies and has done a Masters in Gastronomy with a thesis on on food in the first (European) settlement of New South Wales).

The course was held in the back shed where there were several nice wooden tables and a very aromatic atmosphere. We were given a general introduction to spices and then a run through of Saffron (best from Kashmir), Cinnamon and its cousin Cassia and Black, White and Pink pepper.

We then tasted four blends of spices (on chicken) and discussed their main components – lemon myrtle in the Native Barbeque blend; sumac in the Greek seasoning, Ras el Hannout (top of the shelf spice mixture and the various Paprika’s – in Smokey Barbeque seasoning.

We finished off with a coffee and Nutmeg cake. Yum!

All this was really inspiring stuff and we had a great time. It is well worth going to if you have the time.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

At Work in Chikuho (14th February 2009)

This page hopefully gives some idea of the inspection work and the team doing the work. On the right we are inspecting a canal used for coal barges.

Dinu.Bumbaru turns his back on a steam engine (below). We visited many sites and Museums and worked to a fairly tight schedule. There was a lot to see.

The team from Kagoshima Prefecture are being briefed about coal mining locations at one of the coal mining museums (above).

Barry and Koko discuss matters while the others listen or try and find where we are on a map. Mike checks out an archaeological point (switch) lever.

At the end of the day we all began to fade.