How Sweet it is When the Planets Align

When at Grafton, I had an inkling that the Grafton Shunt might be around between 1:00pm and 1:30pm.  But I was not sure if was going to be on this day.  Well we spoke to some workers and they advised the Shunt loco will be here soon.  So we positioned ourselves to capture the shunt moves.

This structure is where empty sugar wagons are loaded before heading south.

The local shunt train is arriving.

How is that for weathering inspiration?

The empty sugar wagons are not bad either

The empties are propelled down to the wagons already being loaded.

Some of the wagons are out the far end of the structure.  There were five wagons in the siding.

Everything is coupled up

Let's hit the juice!

The train is brought out of the siding.

Three loaded wagons were left on what I think is the old wharf branch and the train separated here.

The empties are then pushed back into the sugar loading siding.

The train is again joined up, and the empties are positioned so more loading can occur.

The loco comes back out to collect the loaded wagons from the siding.

Loco couples back up.

The driver hits the gas again.  Don't you just love that scene.

After dropping his three loaded wagons in the loop, he awaits for signal to proceed out onto the mainline and then run around his train to head back to the loco area.

The three loaded wagons and the signal to run through.

Here he comes.

Through the Platform.

Then out back onto the other end of the main.

The last sugar wagon.

The first sugar wagon.

Loco is about to couple back up to the loaded wagons.

He is now coupled up.

He's given the green light.

The third money shot of the day.

He is off to Grafton Yard.