Red Rattler

Where   : Central Station, Sydney
When    : Thursday 11/10/07, 8-30 pm
Weapon : Sony Cybershot P72

My daughter is doing a BA in Graphic Design at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, so I am forever driving up and down.  Last night though, she popped back to Sydney for the weekend on the train. There's a concert on tonight ... "Good Charlotte" ... whoever they are ! Seems like a long way to come for some apple pie crusty bits, but I guess I'd go to Wagga for the weekend to see Blondie, Led Zeppelin, Martha Davis & the Motels, Roxy Music or Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band !

I took the camera into the station to capture the architecture, and the contrast between the new and old. However, I was captivated by this old train on Platform 1, because ...

... the colours got to me; the blood and gold; they reminded me of the robes over the armour of an old Crusader. It rattled my memory - and took me to the magnificent colours of the effigy of Robert, Duke of Normandy in Gloucester Cathedral.

Robert was the eldest son of William the Conqueror .. interestingly, this type of medieval effigy inspired the design of the tomb of T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia). 

This has the warrior in the crusader position, dressed in arms, legs crossed, right arm over the heart resting on the sword, indicating he had fought in the Holy Land.

Back to the train ... I was intrigued by its great condition, leather seats and woodwork ... and this romantic, defiant glow. It's not a real "red rattler" of course, the sort that was used on the city network here in Sydney even in the 1970s. I think this is an inter-city or outer suburban express train. I am not a real "loconut", so I stand to be corrected.

This old train was resting in the mainline station, in full colours, wheels well-greased, proud, defiant and shining. Ahhh .. what is it about old trains, cars and ships that makes us so nostalgic !