What was supposed to be a one-day ‘train’ trip from Ilford to Windeyer became two for an old ‘Red Rattler’ carriage.
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After complications with cranes bogged and a careful approach by expert train movers, the 21-tonne carriage took more than three hours to assemble at Ba Mack Homestead Farmstay on Friday.
Thursday saw the 18 by three metre carriage transported to the property.
At about 2.30pm on Friday there were some relieved faces on Dave , Julie and Trish Gardiner – the carriage’s new owners.
This is the family’s latest addition to their farmstay which has been running for just over a year. It is proving to be a success on top of the family’s primary source of income from merino wool.
“This is my way of bringing the city – where I grew up – to the country,” Mrs Gardiner said.
“I love the old ‘Red Rattlers’ and a lot of people like to stay in train carriages.”
The Gardiner family completed a farmstay cottage in August last year and bookings have warranted an expansion in the business.
Many families from the city don’t have pets these days and parents want their children to be able to pat and interact with them.
Mrs Gardiner said one of their biggest attractions though were the amount of pets.
“Many families from the city don’t have pets these days and parents want their children to be able to pat and interact with them,” she said.
When the weather is suitable horse riding is also popular among the guests.
Mr Gardiner said it was always his wife’s dream to have a train carriage at the farmstay and now that had been completed.
“We wanted to get the carriage in before winter really set,” he said.
“I think it could be a wet winter and not getting the carriage in now would have left us a fair way behind.”
The carriage’s internal fittings have remained in good tact but the external area will need a new coat of paint. The Gardiner’s sought advice from experts Australian Train Movers to help with the installation and the carriage was then lifted from a truck to its resting platform by Mudgee company Strait Up.