A Whiff of Smoke & Steam

Isn’t it funny how a whiff of a certain thing will turn your mind to other times?

For me it is the smell of a steam engine. When we were young and used to go on steam train excursions we used to love that smell. Not because it is a particularly nice smell but it was all part of the experience of steam. You don’t just see a steam locomotive, you hear it ,you breathe it and sometimes even get soot in your eyes.

Even now if we are out somewhere and we smell the distinctive odour of burning coal we start looking for the source. I think that’s how we found the location of the Tasmanian Transport Museum, we smelled smoke and heard a whistle.

Of course steam locomotives aren’t the only things that are steam powered. One day on the Hobart waterfront we smelled smoke and off we went, just like we used to, in search of a steam engine. There are no train lines there but we did find a boat.

There are other steam powered things that we like too, carousels, calliopes and traction engines come to mind.

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Our days of riding on steam trains in the 70s, 80s and 90s are times we look back on fondly as some of the best times we ever had so for Naomi and I a whiff of steam always brings back pleasant memories and the anticipation of making new ones.