Some members of our family arranged to meet for a picnic lunch and a ride on a steam train. And yes, the memories came flooding back.
I thought of the joys of the railway picnic, getting out of bed before dawn, catching the steam train in Mundubbera and going to the beach. Families enjoyed free ice creams, cordial and games on the sand at Hervey Bay, an annual treat for country kids who never went to the seaside at any other time. I remembered the sunburn, the soot, the exhaustion and eyes full of coal dust, returning home well into the night. We wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
I thought of the trips home after I moved to Brisbane to study and work, catching the train in Brisbane on Friday afternoon and arriving home before lunch on Saturday, only to reboard the train after lunch on Sunday and stagger into work a little late on Monday morning. With a salary of $14 per fortnight I couldn’t afford a sleeper, so I’m afraid my work was not too brilliant on Monday!
But I put aside the memories of sooty seats, long slow journeys and painful sunburn, and watched my grandchildren discover the joy of a steam train ride. The sounds of the engine, the wheels on the tracks, the creaking wooden carriages were captivating to children used to smooth quiet motoring.
I am grateful for the experience. I am grateful there are people in our society who value the old ways, and maintain the steam trains to bring this opportunity for old ones to remember and young ones to discover. And I am grateful for modern transport.
