COVER PHOTO South Australian Railways Intitute Magazine June 1973 The cover photo of this magazine shows Mark Noble, son of Lionel Noble, Loco.Inspector, Peterborough, watching No. 351 Express Goods Train, driven by Engineman A.Verrall, crossing Hutton's Lagoon. Lionel, who took the photograph, has provided a few interesting facts about the lagoon as follows: Hutton's Lagoon--Ucolta Hutton's Lagoon received floodwaters from heavy rains early this year. Named by an early settler to the area, it is estimated to hold 500m.gallons of water which covers 400 acres and has only filled completely once, that being in the year 1889. The level of the water in 1947 and 1973 did not reach that of the year 1889. In 1950 floodwaters ran into the area but were below the other years already mentioned. The property is presently owned by Mr. E.Sambell, grazier, who lives nearby at Ucolta. Water was drawn for Broken Hill's use in the years 1902-3 for 18 months during the drought period. A 25,000-gallon overhead tank was situated at the 164 miles mark (N.G. mileage) and trains would stop and fill tanks for Broken Hill. The overhead tank, column and pump was installed in the late 1800s and only the cement bases where the overhead tank and pump once stood remains today. The pumphouse was situated over half a mile from the overhead tank which was fed through a cast iron pipe and on the eastern side of the lagoon. Mr. Sambell's auntie, who lived opposite the lagoon (the house still stands and is occupied by Mr. Sambell's sister Sylvia), its a child boarded trains at the overhead tank to travel to school at Oodla Wirra instead of walking to the 167-mile Railway cottages, now demolished, which was a normal stopping place for school children in those days. It is thought that the overhead tank was later removed in 1930. Before the present standard gauge deviation,which occupies a portion of the old narrow gauge formation, was built around the lagoon for train movements, trains travelled across the lagoon on a high bank as pictured. It is very hard to imagine that sailing regattas were held there years ago, and, according to Mr. Sambell. these regattas were quite an event. See Photo on this page.