For over four decades I have been a rail and bus photographer.
However, during this time I have aimed the lens at other subjects, be they different transportation, scenery, buildings and other bollocks.
Given these do not really fit the scope of my other sites, I felt compelled to set up a new site so as to inflict my other photographic garbage upon the world. While primarily Philippine and Australian content, there will be the occasional forays into Fiji and Hong Kong. Perhaps other locations should the current pandemic ever allow it.
So sit back and enjoy, or hate, even be indifferent. That choice is purely up to you.
G'day thrillseekers, it seems we have entered a whole new year since I last made a blog entry.
While I suspect most of us are wrapped to put 2020 behind us, initial indications are not showing much hope that 2021 will be a huge improvement. At least when it comes to travel to those locations I like too frequent.
That being said, I wish all my readers, friends, and twisted haters, a great year ahead and hope we all come out of this one far better.
Now that all that guff is out of the way, we can move on to my first entry of the year.
From the start, I think it is best I come clean, and admit that I know near nothing about non-commercial aviation. To be honest, what I know of commercial aviation would not fill a single page 'Golden Book'.
However, that did not stop my better half fulfilling a long held desire to visit the 'Historical Aircraft Restoration Society' in Albion Park. This is an outstanding museum and, if you haven't already, do yourself the favour of going.
Now please bear with me as I fumble my way through the captions.
VH-LRR - 147566 - Operational Originally purchased by the 'French Marine Escadrille' in 1959. She came to HARS in 1989 after being found in Tahiti and made operational for the trip to it's new home.
Grumman S-2G Tracker 851 (Restoration To Operation)
Built in 1966 for the USA Navy and used in the Vietnam War. First came to Australia in 1977 to replace one of nine Trackers that had been destroyed in a fire here.
1990: Sold to QANTAS as an apprentice training aid.
2006: Acquired by HARS.
Auster J5G Autocar - Operational British built and first flown in 1949.
1955: Delivered to the USAF as a militarised version of the type.
It went through a number of different military owners in the US before being placed in storage during 1977.
1991: The craft was placed in the care of HARS for restoration and delivery to Australia. 1994: Took her first flight in nearly 18 years.
1996: Took a 39.5 hour, incident free, flight to Sydney.
She is believed to be one of only two operational examples in the world, the other being in Switzerland, and here incredible full story can be found HERE.
Hard working volunteer Dave Pallas.
De Havilland DHA-3 Drover - VH-DHM - Operational
Built in 1951.
1981: Purchased back by Hawker De Havilland for an apprentice restoration project.
1986: Flew again following restoration.
2000: Placed in the operational care of HARS.
LET L-200A Morava - VH-EMV - Operational
The type was first flown in 1957.
This example was first registered in Czechoslovakia, where they were designed in 1955, being imported here in 1960.
In Australia she had a few operators, including ANSETT-ANA, which is the livery it is seen wearing here.
She came to HARS in 2008.
Above: A video walk through VH-OJA.
Boeing 747-438 - VH-OJA - Static Display
I wont lie, the five photos above show the primary reason for my stopping in at the museum on this day. Like so many others, I have a real love of these old birds, and their 'then' pending demise had me quite busy during the year.
Sadly, that demise has since become reality.
ABOVE: Video of VH-OEJ as she prepares to enter the history books as the last QANTAS 747 to depart Sydney.
ABOVE: Another video, this time showing VH-OEE, the second last QANTAS 747, as she taxis and takes off. Bonus Cathay Pacific 747-8.
VH-TAA - Convair 440 - Operational
This plane has a very long history that I am not planning to go into here. However, for the whole fascinating story, check out HERE.
Most interesting is it's final owner 'Rovos Air', a subsidiary of 'Rovos Rail' in South Africa, who now own a number of former Australian locomotives.
A3-42 Mirage - Static Display
Delivered in 1966 and retired in 1987.
It would go to Wagga Wagga as an apprentice training aid, until acquired by HARS in 2015.
The aircraft is apparently operational, but plans are to restore it to a taxi able condition.
A very enjoyable visit with our knowledgeable guide Bill Lane (on left). HARS volunteer Dave Pallas is also quite famous in model choo choo circles.
Thanks guys for such a terrific visit.
I cannot recommend a visit to HARS strongly enough. Lovely people, professionally run, extremely impressive collection.
Their opening hours over the festive season are:
From Saturday 19th December, and concluding on Australia Day (26th January), HARS will be open from 9:30am to 5pm every day except Christmas Day.
Please note that the last tour will depart no later than 3:30pm. After these dates, check their website for details.
Their website also has a massive amount of information on the planes above, along with the many other pieces in the collection that I have not covered.
While slowly pawing through the massive collection of Philippine photos, looking for certain topics to cover on this blog, I obviously come across many images that really can't be grouped into a topic.
When over there, I am rarely without a camera in my hand, so sometimes I just grab a random shot here and there, over a wide area of location and topic.
This is the first, of what will likely end up being many, random selections of Philippine views.
This lot come from our trip back in 2009. Quite hard to believe that was 11.5 years ago.
It sure knows how to rain in the Philippines. What can be a reasonably short downpour, can leave many locations flooded for a while.
Here we have a couple of examples of good Manila downpours. The above jeepney is sitting in the Jeepney bays at SM Fairview after a brief storm leaves the place under a couple of centimetres of water. While below there is a longer deluge, which quickly sees the street abandoned of the usual crowds, all of whom have sought shelter in the local malls.
Just in case you are wondering, the railway tracks below originally served the port in Manila.
A couple of Tagaytay jeepneys left over from my earlier Tagaytay articles.
Over the years, I have been very fortunate to have been permitted to visit a few places not normally accessible to the public, mostly due to friendships made in the various rail organisations and local railfan community.
Ship HO MAO (it's fourth name) is a bulk carrier that was built in 1985 at Hakodate in Japan. Believed to still be in use.
The SEIYO SPIRIT is a general cargo vessel built back in 1995. At time of typing this, she was still in service and currently in Sandakan, Malaysia.
This is one of the trucks used for hauling the new railcars from the port to the railway yard at Tutuban. While the railways did serve the port, the line fell out of use in the very early 2000s and had become unusable by this time.
The massive ship ASIAN KING, built in 1998 and designated a vehicles carrier, was the ship that brought the new railcars from South Korea.
One of a few second hand buses from Korea that were sitting on the wharf awaiting delivery to their new owners.
The famous (for both good and bad reasons) Philippine Kalesa is a common sight around the Ermita and Luneta Park areas. Always colourfully decorated, they are a great way to have a look around the local area. However, ensure you confirm the price a few times before getting on board and don't get conned into any of those 'special extra trip' offers. Oh, and triple confirm that the price if for the whole group, so it does not change mid-journey too per person.
While looking for information to place in this article, I was surprised that the Jeepney, which inherited the colourful look of the Kalesa, was once referred to as the "auto calesa" back in the 40s.
Nene partaking in one of the most boring jobs imaginable, going through piles and piles of rice separating rice husks from the more edible parts.
A job that no doubt takes an amazing amount of patience, something I lack greatly.
Back to Manila Port for a moment, where I took a photo of this unusual number plate. Again, while googling for this post, I managed to work out that it is from Palau, an island country in the western Pacific Ocean. Whatever the vehicle was, and sadly I didn't get a photo, it must have been imported on another ship at some stage.
This is a group I set up in 1999 to meet other railfans with an interest in Philippine railways. Over the years it has grown immensely, and now covers many areas of transportation there. However, railways remain our primary theme.
I usually have catch-ups with local friends during each of my visits.
A few more shots taken along the Tagaytay - Santa Rosa Road.
Silang, a municipality in the province of Cavite, was founded in 1917. It is passed through when travelling between Tagaytay and Santa Rosa. It is located on the eastern side of Cavite, which is how it got it's name, coming from the Tagalog word 'silanganan', which means, not surprisingly, 'eastern'.
An ancient old Isuzu TD series truck formerly used by the 'Philippine National Railways'. It is believed to have been acquired in October 1977 and was the last in the operators truck fleet that still numbered 25 vehicles in 1988. The area has been cleared out for a new elevated roadway, it has since gone to god.
My two nieces, and stars of the 'Semi-Retired Foamer Youtube Channel', partaking in the fun park rides at SM Fairview. This was always a fun family place, so it was quite disappointing to find that it had been removed in recent years.
Nothing compares to the feeling of being on approach to Manila Airport.
A popular pastime in the Philippines, like a few other countries around the world, is the cockfight. Great care is taken with their prize champions. Beautiful looking creatures, until they start screaming out at 4am, after some two hours sleep after a big night out. By 4.10am, my thoughts start turning to Chicken Adobo for that nights dinner, and the solution to 4am the next morning.
Travelling Manila in a jeepney is far better than any limo.
Well, that's todays random selection over and done with. Sorry there was no real theme to this one, however I had to do something with all this guff.
Till next time.
A big thanks to the following for their help:
Victor Agbulos, Gorio Belen, Dirk Paul Celoso, Mark Chua (PRHS), Bamba Florentino, Shang Gow, Joubert Tan
