Venerable 73s

7301 entered service on 5 October 1970. That makes this week the 45th birthday for 73s so they too must be in the 'venerable' category of locomotive. 'Classic' and 'vintage' are only a matter of five years away. Anyway, its a chance to put a few more shots into the ether so let's get at them.

The first few a scans from  slides taken in the 1970s so they are a bit blurry around the edges but they are worth including, like this one of 7319 on a transfer in the Newcastle area with a shunter's wagon and a CHG. 
 

This next one is from May 1975 and has a 73 trundling across the Peel River viaduct at Tamworth.

Heading out west, this could only be Dubbo with the sanding tower in the foreground.  Also worth noting the S truck. Dubbo still had a couple of these until a couple of years ago.

Roll forward to 1984 and the 40th and 41st editions of the class were stowed at Thirroul between overhead wiring train duties.

I hope the cold seeps through this photograph of 7316.  Its Goulburn in July 1984.  Amazed I got out of the car.

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Its warmer again. This time its back to Newcastle for 7335 on another transfer through Broadmeadow on 26 November 1986.

At nearly the same location four years later 7334 and 7337 head south.

 
I'll only post one '73s at Central' shot as I did an entire blog of them in 2011 (http://nswrailrambler.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/chasing-73s.html). This one is from the end of 1983.

Now to the end of their government service life - 7311 and 7313 rest at Port Kembla on 16 June 1990.

7334 served out its last part of Government life at Lithgow depot. Here it is in March 1995 wearing its unique livery.

So now its time for the birthday girl - 7301.  Here she is at Canterbury in 2002.

And here is a short video of her shunting a XPT set at Central in November 1992.

That's all for now.  
Ciao!, Don