Time flies, here we are into the second quarter of
2008 , and where has the start of the year gone?. Bit late to wish anyone I
missed a Happy New Year and now Easter is behind us the Christmas decorations
will be in the shops soon!!
We turn our clocks back on April 6th ready for
winter . Our home has a large bank at the back to the North full of native
trees, in summer it is beautiful , but winter sees the light cut off as the sun
dips and temperatures drop so its out with the woollies from about early May .
There are however advantages, facing south we have Otaki Racecourse
, set in beautiful surroundings and accessing our bank on good days
gives clear views of the racing in progress at the monthly horse racing
meets-all free.
Thank you to all members who have left
comments on the previous 7 blogs. Glad you are enjoying them and as per same to
LRU guests.
Following on from last weeks campaign of chaos on
British Rail we move forward this week to 1988. During the 1980's I was employed
at various companies in engineering and maintenance. In 1987 I applied for work
at the New Zealand Railway workshops at Woburn near Wellington as a
fitter/turner. The country was not in a good position and the pending Wall
Street crash was not far away. A vacancy was offered and duly showed up for the
interview, at the time my young family were based at Carterton a small town
90 kilometres north east of Wellington , separated by the Rimutaka Hill ,
or more a mountain range 1820 feet high. Unbeknown to me at the time, this
'hill' would get to know me or vice versa more than I could have
imagined. There are several good links on Google, just write in search
"Rimutaka's".
The job however fell through, my suitability
was fine but the company had made an error and no new fitters would be hired,
instead -since I was on the spot and needed work I was offered a job as bus
driver with Road Services, a division of the NZR. I already had my licence
having worked on vehicles in Wellington and Masterton . I accepted, and soon
became apparent with the long shift work and driver shortage at that time I
would earn a good wage, however the price was having to live away from home in
Wellington and only see my wife and five daughters , at weekends.
Having to pay for 'digs' was really not a great idea and often would have to
work weekends to cover when local train services were out. Driving home each day
after long shifts was not a good idea as the Rimutakas often were snow
bound in winter and public transport did not work in with my shift
hours.
Hence we eventually decided we would need to all
move to Wellington and were about to do this when events took on an unexpected
change .
Road Services ran nationwide services as well as
Suburban runs as I had been employed on. When one of their long distance drivers
fell seriously ill and unable to work anymore a replacement was needed quickly
and I was fortunately at the right place at the right time. The job meant a
transfer to Masterton Road Services depot just 16 miles north of Carterton and
with it came the relief we did not have to sell our home and I would
be with my family everynight.
For the next three years I was to find myself
driving over the Rimutakas each day or evening , sometimes up to four journeys
covering 500 kms in a ten hour period carrying passengers, freight and mail.
Each day was different and challenging with the various weather patterns in the
Rimutakas .
Passengers were often uneasy about going over the
ranges with huge drops on the North face but always gave compliments to my
driving ability and skill in a safe and comfortable
journey.
Next weeks blog I will recall some of the
humourous incidents that occurred during the my time driving the Road Services
Inter City runs.
This weeks paintings show firstly one of the
maritime paintings from the large series of Vestey Group Shipping, that been
Blue Star, Lamport and Holt and Booth Line. This vessel is the
Cyril of Booth Line shown on the Mersey in the early 1960's , oil on
canvas 12x24" and currently for sale , with prints available from LRU shop
soon. If you missed the kind intro John gave me when I joined you can see
more of these ships on www.bluestarline.org
The second painting shows a Ka class Steam engine
of New Zealand Railways Ka 945 now preserved at Otaki Station with a special
charter train heading north to Wanganui. The work was commissioned by the new
restaurant in the town called 'Traffic' shown to the right of the
painting. A classic case of old meets new. Oil on canvas panel
15x30"
Its been a busy week with no less than 7 paintings
leaving my studio for locations all around the country and world, but whilst
busy packing these works I was enjoying listening to one of my favourite groups
The Alan Parsons Project.
Amazing instrumentals, and powerful vocals and
lyrics have never really dated his albums and of such good
quality.
For me , his deep and sensitive music is something
I never tire of.
The Rimatuka Hill road, I know it, the last time I drove over it was in February 1973 on our way down from Tuai Waikaremoana) to Aviemore (North Otago), I'll put a letter on the forum about "The Hill"
Wa 945, I think I may have seen it down here a few years ago, there was a Ka in Oamaru I went down and taped/photographed, just can't be sure of its number now.
Syd.
