G'day folks,
            I'm a train fanatic from way back, Garratts, shays, Orrenstein and Koeppel, Heisler or Krauss, apart from the Hunslets and Kerr Stewarts, I remember them very fondly. For all you Shay worshippers, here's a children's song I wrote that fits the standard 12 bar blues. Feel free to fit it as you will.

The song celebrates the Wolgan Valley line that worked through the blue mountains near Sydney in the 1909- 1950's period. The line moved shale-oil and kerosene that was produced at Newnes. Still magnificent country, there's a tunnel that's become a glow-worm cave. An extinct line well worth exploring.

Mountain Shay. John Warner. 1996

Listen a while, 'cause I've things to say,
About a steam locomotive they call the shay,

Shay's coming round the bend,
Shay's coming round the bend,
She's a slow old loco,
Shay's coming round the bend.

Gleaming pistons thrust and pound,
But the wheels on the track grind slowly round,
Shay's coming round the bend etc.

Logs from the forest, coal from the mine,
She drags them slow round the mountain line,
Shay's coming round the bend etc.

It's a heavy old train she hauls behind,
The bogies grumble creak and grind.
Shay's coming round the bend.

Cliffs glow red as the day turns pale,
She's far away, hear the whistle wail,
Shay's comin round the bend.

The last verse refers to the towering, vertical cliff faces above Newnes which take on dramatic colour changes late in the day.
Australia has a mighty railway history in a magificent landscape.

                   Your good health folks,

                         Jack Halyard