Hi, just thought it would be good to get to know all my fello QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA, WA, & NT'rs on this site. So Hoping you'll share where you're from, where you're working or worked previously. It'd be great to see photos of where you're working and any rippa Jokes or Yarns. I'm soon to be back in Emerald Central Queensland and most of my experience grader driving has been in and around that area as well as Lorraine Station and Century Zinc North West of Cloncurry. Cheers Adrian. P.S The first Grader I learnt to drive was a 140G. However I never operated this particular machine , seen here on a property near Belyando Crossing between Clermont and Charters Towers QLD.
These photos are from my very first grading job when I was 21yrs old on Woodhouse Station, south west of Ayr QLD. I knew absolutely nothing except what I had been shown when I was 16. An old bloke gave me a crash course on his 140G, when he saw I was interested. I would ride my pushbike out to see all the machinery working on a job they were doing to widen the corridor to duplicate the train tracks near Coppabella. He took pity on me and offered to take me for a ride and showed me the basics. These photos of a very amatuer attempt to build up 10kms of road.
A good grader man always has fencing wire. It's not just handy for fixing fences lol.!
G’day Adrian, If you have a look on a map, we are about half way between Taroom and Mundubbera, on the Auburn River. We are surrounded by five towns, all about 120km away by road. Closest pub, at 115km, is at Cracow but it would be a bit of a stretch to call it a town. We have cattle places here but as a sideline we also have a little road maintenance business servicing two local govt. areas, other cockies and the like. I’ve always had an unhealthy interest in machinery...my first paying job, at age 11, was ploughing for a neighbour on a Chamberlain 306 for $5/day. Will you be on coal trains in CQ?
Hi Qld'r thanks for sharing. To answer your question. In a word, No. At this stage Im going back to Emerald to work the passanger train, The Spirit of the Outback as far as Longreach and back to Rocky. 2 x a week if that. I used to work the minerva Coal trains when I was in Emerald, before Anna Bligh sold us off. So that's why I'm keen to pursue any grader driving I can on my other days off. I have an ABN and have been doing some part time work near Capella. If it interests you I have a Youtube channel. Just put Adrian Nettlefold in the search and you can see what I have been up to. I will definitely have a look to see if I can find your general location. P.S. always on the lookout for new work contacts, so if you need a hand one day, just send a message. Cheers Adrian.
I hope the photo was taken recently. What's all the green stuff Queenslander? moss!!!
We’re pretty keen on trains ourselves. Did the Spirit of the Outback a couple of years ago. Will be spending this New Year’s Eve on the Great Southern from Brisbane to Adelaide. Tones, that photo was taken twelve months ago ... wasn’t real flash then but lush compared to now.
Qld'r I followed my Grandfather into Earthmoving, he was Grader driver in the Widgee Shire Council in Gympie. And then I took after my Dad into QR in 2000, he was a Train Driver Gympie,Cloncurry, Coppabella and Nambour, then finally Wickham in WA for Rio Tinto til he passed away 18months ago from stomach and esophageal cancer. The only thing I will miss about Brisbane is Working Steam Locomotives. I got to work the 100yrs of ANZAC Troop Train out to Longreach and back in 2015. (See my youtube channel)
Apart from a small stint on a 140G leveling out piles of top soil towards the end of our job on the Haughton River development in 1995, and a day trying to learn how to use BladePro on the 140H that J.J McDonald & Sons had at Century Zinc Mine when we were building the airstrip during the startup construction stage. Was on Lorraine Station in the Gulf of Carpentaria North West of Cloncurry. I was there to drive their D9H and was later put on the old 12E Cat doing more fence lines and a quick fix (blade the bull dust to the side due to no water) on one of the gazetted roads that tourists used as a short cut to Lawn Hill National park. The 12E was originally the pride and joy of the resident grader driver, an old Aboriginal man by the name of Jack Stacey. Jack 64yr had a very much younger wife 27yr Louise and when knock of came to shut the machines down at 5pm, Jack was already at the front gate to the house they had. He had a healthy distrust of us single fellas hahahaha. Jack always refered to himself in the 3rd person. and some of the conversations about his black relatives made me think he was whiter than myself. He hated bludgers almost as much as he hated thunder and would literally hide under the bed when a thunder storm was about. He worked hard and he knew a lot. He also Loved his Steak, which was amazing to watch when you considered he was toothless... Not a tooth to be seen. He'd gum that meat til it broke apart, but by the 3rd day of steak sandwiches, he was back to white bread butter and honey. He also has emphasyma and couldn't walk 10 paces without running out of puff, but yet he wouldn't give that old open cab Cat up for anyone. By the time I got to use her, Jack was gone and it had be abused by the newbies who had come and gone when I returned for a few days work in 2001.
Good stuff. Really enjoying the pics and the stories!!!! An old blade man that was a good friend to me stayed in the seat so long that his wife would help him up into the back of the pickup using a step ladder, then back the pickup to the grader door and help him up in the cab. He was also legally blind and didn't have a driver's license. One visit with him I said Howard how do you control the blade with your sight problem? He said oh I just lower it until the machine starts to struggle then lift it a pinch. I was embarrassed for him. I've always told my Township Board to not let me stay that long. Howard was running the Township Grader when they bought this one. They gave it to him when they got a motorized Cat. I bought it at his Estate sale. My Son had never ran a grader. So I hitched my tractor to this one and he ran it for a couple hours. He came away with a whole new respect for those oldtimers!!!
WOW!!! That's Awesome. I know a bloke here that has a whole paddock full of vintage machinery, but I'm not sure he has one of these old horse/crawler drawn types. My Grandfather told me that he had driven trucks with wheel ratchets to hoist the tipper when he first started working. I have to say, I had a dear friend that taught me a lot about driving trains in particular Steam and Air Brake, and it was his passion for the subject that helped me retain what I needed to know for my exams. I never got to go any clearing sale, but he had made sure I got his Driver's fob watch, Books and diagrams and things of sentimental value, will he was still alive. I was a bit embarrassed and humbled that he thought enough of me as his last student, to give them to me. I miss his stories and being able to sit down and share with him what is the current work situation more than anything. Thanks for sharing OVRSZD
Howard was a mentor to me in regards to my "growing up education". He fixed me up with my first cigar. He was also a school bus driver. He hauled a bus load of FFA (Future Farmers of America) boys to Kansas City for the Annual FFA National Meeting. As we were unloading he said "Hey Rich I gotta go gas up the bus in about an hour, you and a couple of your friends need to go with me". I said sure. Later we got back on the bus with Howard and he headed for downtown Kansas City which was about a mile away. We drove into the heart of downtown on 12th Street. It was lined with bars and Houses of Ill Repute. He stopped in front of one where there were three scantily dressed young women standing by the front door. He opened the door and said you boys be back down to the FFA Center parking lot by 3 p.m. We got off the bus. Those girls were all over us and led us inside. I was 13. My life was forever changed. When we got back to the parking lot and got on the bus Howard had a huge grin on his face. He said "You boys have fun"? From that point on Howard was a "god" to me!!!!!
And I thought I was having fun ploughing on the Chamberlain at 11yo.
I,m thinking you guys will liven the"joint" up!
I knew it wouldn't be long before the conversation would lead to the pleasures of the flesh Don't knoe any earthmover that isn't facinated by the finer "points" of the feminine form. I blame the vibrations through the seat on the prostrate... and the fact they constantly have a lever if some discription or another in hand . I worked with a short nuggety bloke that had thick black hear on his head and probably all over is round body... he also had a nasilely voice and sounded like he was whinging while being half cut when he spoke normally. Anyway, he was too long in the saddle driving side tippers at Canington and on his days off headed off to Townsville to blow off some steam. He decided he'd thumb through the classifieds for someone offering their wares for a reasonable price. On arrival at his motel room, said "Lady" enters the room and in a european accent announces "I vont more money." Old mate says "MORE MONEY???!!!" We haven't even started. She Turns to him with a glint in "Her" eye and says " I av a whatsy" Old mate with a puzzled look says " What the F' is a Whatsy?!" "She" proceeds to lift away the skirt and panties to expose a Largish Mr Whatsy Johnson. By this time a fearless friend was out of his depth and says " YOU Better Take Yourself and Your F'n Whatsy outa here before I flog the Sh#t outa ya!!!" He was telling a stunned work crew this story at smoko.. needless to say I had to get on the 2way afterwoods and Say" Hey Gav, "Yeeeaarh Moses, what the F' you Want??" "I got a Whatsy but I ain't gonna show ya"
Sorry for the long break away folks. Just sitting down now after getting back from my last adventure in God's Country "Central Queensland". Here are some photos of my attempts to reshape and build contour banks. The owner wants them formed in such a way as to be able to plant on them. It was great experience... I even gained an audience for a bit.
I believe that the Emu go back to the age of the dinosaurs. Don’t know how they managed that...surely the dumbest animal on earth, big bird with tiny brain, more likely to run into you than vice versa. Just a wild guess, but are those hills around Springsure, or thereabouts?
A bit further North Ol mate. Near Capella, Peak Downs Ranges. The Emu's were pretty funny to watch, as I would back up, they'd come running after me.. then I'd start off forward for another pass and they'd leg it ahead of me til I backed up again. I came down your way on my way home. Stayed the night in Bilo and got talking to a bloke named John from Taroom. It's Dry out there isn't it!
I realise that I probably have the saddle too far out, but it was for practice sake more than anything. I'm using a "Self Directed Learning Package" Lol.!!
Brown is Beatiful, but you can have too much of a good thing. They need rain. As can be seen I didn't lack for anything while out on the paddock.
Here are a few photos taken while visiting a friend and youtube personality Jpaydirt (AKA Mr Jeff Anderson) at his place in Idaho. The old 14G would have to be my favourite machine. I got my grader ticket on one at a Machinery School at Rocklea in Brisbane back in 1994, and later worked briefly on one on a Job building Pelican Waters Gulf Course and Resort for Peachey Constructions from the Gold Coast. Jeff has some fantastic older Cat equipment and services his local area doing mostly work for big irrigation properties. I will post a link here to his Youtube Channel.
I found one on my trip back from Capella the other week pretty much identical.
Did you find a machine tag to figure out who made it? Very cool old machine!!!
Sorry, I didn't find any markings, but I have to admit I wasn't looking real hard for any either at the time. I saw it at the last minute and backed up to take the photos.
Would that be on the Dawson Highway, between Moura and Banana...Dawson mine in the background?
Yes got it in one Qld'r.
I haven’t seen the grader but the name of the place rings a bell. I pass through both of those towns fairly regularly but have only been on that road once. We used to cut across to Moura on the Gibihi road before they accidentally blew it up.
Great picture. Can you tell me the history of the road. It obviously has serious structural problems.....
Over-zealous use of ANFO by the mine next door at a guess. The other option is rain but it doesn't do that very often in that part of Australia.
Yes, it used to be a public road through the Dawson metallurgical coal mine and the road fell away after a nearby blast. The whole mine is about 50 km long and road was a valuable short cut. It has now been abandoned, but the mine operators are probably glad to be rid of the public from the middle of the site. What would cause the dashed appearance of the haul roads nearby?
Really large washboards???
I would say that just before the satellite photo was taken the water cart went down that road “spot watering”. It’s a technique to reduce the amount of water used on the road while still controlling dust. Modern water carts you can set the spray nozzles on a timer so that they open for X seconds and close for Y seconds, both numbers being almost infinitely variable. I know that on Ground Force carts you can even change the numbers while on the move.
In fact, the water cart is just down the road.
Qld'r can you guess where these beauties are? Merry Christmas to you all. 3rd of January I start off back to Emerald to take up as a Train Driver back there with QR on the 6th Jan 2020. Hope to get some good pics along the way and I will try post some more stories etc... in 2020.
I’ll give it a go. Obviously somewhere with irrigation. Maybe the North Burnett, somewhere between Monto and Gayndah perhaps? I would gladly forego the big can of XXXX for a few barrels of rain.
The 16 is Banana and Father Christmas is south of Eidsvold. And yes, is any one praying for rain? I mean it used to be common for leaders to call everyone to pray for rain. I think we've lost the true meaning of Christmas, it just doesn't seem like it used.
I had a bit of a hint. For the last couple of years the North Burnett locals have been producing creative Xmas displays incorporating hay bales. So where is home for you Adrian, and have you settled on a preferred route for your commute back to CQ?
I have a house here in Caboolture. I have decided to go back the same way via Tansey to Biloela and then Springsure so I can take mum to have a look a house I am hoping to buy there. Hopefully after I start on the 6th, I will get to take her for a bit of site seeing round Emerald and Capella, before she hops back on the Spirit of the Outback back to the Sunshine Coast. I get 2 days to 3 days to look around so I'm going to make the most of it. It's good to see People still have a sence of humour. I used to get to work the Santa Christmas Steam trains, but unfortunately that is all over for me.
If you’re into railways then you should check out the “Steam Nuts” thread in the TGIF forum.
Thanks Nige. It's been a passion of mine to Work Steam At Work, right from the time my Dad took me for a ride on one with one of the Old Steam Driver's when I was 3 or 4yrs of age. I Got qualified to Driver that Very Same Locomotive about 33yrs later. BB18 1/4 No.1079 which has be in continuous service since 1956. It has never officially been retired, even though Steam hauled trains stopped in 1969 in Queensland. So now Im not going to be in Brisbane and No longer in Heritage, I might have to find other outlets like the group you suggested. Please feel free to have a look at my Youtube channel just type my Name in the search.
Can’t/won’t go back after doing some time in Emerald? Qualified steam loco drivers would be pretty thin on the ground in Qld. I would imagine. Instead of going through Biloela, you could head west from Eidsvold, through the thriving metropolis of Cracow, to Theodore. Because we can’t use the Gibihi road anymore, you turn off just north of Theodore and travel up west of the mine to Moura. It’s a good road, only completely sealed in the last five years or so and should save about 40kms.
Thanks for the advice about which direction to take Qld'r, but I am keen to have a look around this time and I have mum with, so we are planning to take about 2 to 3 days to get there. That way we can stop to have a look at anything that takes our fancy. As far as your asking about going back to Brisbane from Emerald. The answer is Not on your Nelly! The Heritage devision of Queensland Rail, is apart of City Train & crewed by City Train Electric Train Driver's, who like myself have seniority and Diesel qualifications. At 43yr I'm the youngest "Steam Train Driver" with nearly 20yrs service in QR. Unfortunately when I transfer I will be classed as a "Regional Driver" and after 12months my qualifications for steam will become dorment and after 6yrs I will have to sit QR's Exams again to qualify as a Steam Driver if I wanted to work them, as well as transfer back to Brisbane. With the Current management, QR Heritage is almost finished. It's looking less and less likely that QR will be running any Steam Trains in the near future. They seem to be farming what operational locomotives we have out to private Historic railways on hire... All the rest will, become static display In the Ipswich Workshops Museum I would assume. I'm sad to lose this part of my job, but can't wait to get away for driving these suburban electrics... The New Generation Rollingstock "Units" bought from India Are riddled with faults, uncomfortable and very poorly built. The Commute from Caboolture is becoming harder with the Bruce like a parking lot. and I really have never gotten used to the city. I grew up in Coppabella in the 80's in a town of 300 people. I'm glad to be going back to the bush to be honest. I only came because of Anna Bligh selling us off. Anyway I've rabbited on enough. Thanks again, Merry Christmas to Yourself and your family and God Bless.
That’s sad to hear, it’s all well and good having static displays but there’s nothing like a working steam engine to draw a crowd. Merry Xmas to you and yours and I hope to post a few pics from the Great Southern in a week or two.
Hi people. I know I haven't been here in a while, but I'm without Home internet at the present. I am now back in Emerald and have been attending to domestic chores etc... Anyway here are some photos of a No.16 at Banana Qld
That ole kid is a Beast!!!! Thanks for the pics!!!
Great pictures Like how they blocked out 3R. What is the other lever marked TD DD and another setting I can’t make out?
I've never driven a 16 this old, but I think for each gear on the Powershift direction controller it is broken into Slow Drive, Direct Drive and Top Drive . Hope someone who is more knowledgeable than me can correct me and explain how it is driven. Cheers, Adrian.
I suspected direct drive but wasn’t certain. Thanks
From the Cat No 16 sales brochure I have it says. Three drives.. torque divider, direct and overdrive. In each of the three ranges give the operator nine speeds forward and reverse. Top speed of more than 30mph (50km/h)
Thank you Terry140 !
Hey thanks for correcting me, I wasn't sure. I thought it was something along those lines, but like I say I have Never driven a no.16 that old. 16G yes. On that note, does it explain how it is to be operated?? As in which is selected first etc...?
Another wonderful find although I wasn't able to get close enough to it was this grader at Biloela Qld.
It says - All speeds are truly powershift, available to the operator without clutching, braking or decelerating. The transmission automatically shifts down from direct drive or overdrive under lugging conditions. It does not shift up under lighter loads beyond the drive selected. I had a play on one of these years ago..beautiful machine, but my ears are still ringing from it lol
I just came across this.
old 140H