Puffing Billy At Belgrave
Puffing Billy is a heritage steam train that runs through the scenic forest of the Dandenong Ranges. The locomotive as well as the old railway have been restored to give passengers the chance to go back in time, to the early 1900s when steam trains connected Belgrave to Lakeside, Emerald and Gembrook towns in the state of Victoria.
Belgrave is Puffing Billy's starting point. Belgrave is a quiet town nestled in the mountains of Dandenong. It is about 40 kilometers from Melbourne's Central Business District. To get there, one can take the Metro train or ride the comfy aircon bus. Travel time is about one hour.
Puffing Billy is one of Victoria's top tourist attractions. The old carriages are always packed, be it summer, autumn, winter and spring. One may opt to start from Belgrave and disembark at any of the next stations. Or he may choose to travel to the last station and return to Belgrave. Any option he takes, it is guaranteed that his time is well spent and satisfaction is at the maximum level.
- Konted
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| Metro train bound for Belgrave leaves Flinders Street Station. Belgrave is about 40 kilometers away. |
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| Train stops at Blackburn Station. Lady officer asks passengers to disembark as there is a service disruption. Passengers are asked to take the replacement buses provided by Metrotrain. |
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| Replacement buses are provided whenever there is a train service disruption. |
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| Airconditioned bus bound for Belgrave and the nearby areas. |
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| View of the Dandenong Ranges |
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| Bus makes a brief stopover at Upper Ferntree Gully. |
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| Kind enough to tell Puffing Billy's exact location. |
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| Approaching the town proper of Belgrave |
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| Bus driver says: " Relax. I'll take u there." |
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| The bus terminal at Belgrave |
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| The bus terminal is right beside Belgrave Railway Station. |
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| Footpath to Puffing Billy |
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| Footpath is near a cliff. |
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| Signboard near the main road |
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| Entrance to Puffing Billy |
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| View of Puffing Billy about to depart |
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| Puffing Billy has a narrow gauge railway. |
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| Puffing Billy's ride and dine carriages. |
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| Ticket booth |
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| Puffing Billy's old platform. It opened in the early 1900s. |
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| One of several benches at the Belgrave station. |
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| Covered waiting area |
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| Picnic grounds and the quarters of volunteers. Volunteers help in the operation and maintenance of Puffing Billy. |
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| Top officer giving an informal briefing on Puffing Billy's day-to-day operations. |
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| Waiting for the next trip |
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| Train leaves on time. |
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| Puffing Billy arrives at Belgrave Station. |
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| An officer watches as passengers begin to disembark. |
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| Officer walks towards the carriages to assist and monitor. |
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| Passengers disembarking |
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| Train mechanic checks and double checks. |
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| More passengers disembarking |
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| Doors are left open after passengers alight. When train is moving, all doors are firmly locked. |
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| Back to back benches |
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| Rear portion of Puffing Billy |
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| Train officers compare notes and make post-trip evaluation. |
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| Puffing Billy is well maintained. |
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| Ambulant vendor offering his wares to kids. |
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| Train assistant prepares for the next trip. |
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| Puffing Billy is one of Victoria's top tourist attractions. |
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| One of Belgraves's principal roads. |
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| Belgrave's town center |
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| Cluster of restaurants within walking distance from Puffing Billy station. |
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| Coffee shop side by side with a flower shop. |
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| The bus ride to Blackburn Train Station. |
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| Train bound for the city proper |
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| Metro trains are almost always clean. |
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| Back to the city proper. |
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| Almost all Metro trains start and end at Flinders Street Station. |
