Morriset, May 1969

In the May school holidays of 1969 we did a house swap with a family who lived in Morriset on the NSW central coast.  Unsurprisingly (not) for our family it had a prime view of the short north railway.

I don’t have dates for trip and not many photographs.  And I am not really sure that it was 1969, but it seems to make sense because I think we were trying out one of Dad’s great follies – a Ford Cortina which ended up having more clutches than the Queen Mother.

Anyway, back to the trains. I was ferreting through the sort of stuff that you get told deserves to be in a shed this afternoon and I found, amazingly, a list of the trains seen that week.  It was supposed to be a ‘family holiday’ but I think Dad had one eye looking out the window for the five days.

So here goes... it’s a bit Rain Man to just blog a list of trains from 45 years ago, so I'll just present the first weekend.  The list strikes me for the number of trains (40 in 9 hours on Saturday alone), plus the amount of steam still running on the line.  I’ll throw a few photos from the trip (at least I think they were) to spice things up… 

Friday arrived 5:30pm

5:30pm 40 class on air conditioned passenger set to Sydney

6:10pm 44 with FOs to Gosford

6:40pm 38 on a down Newcastle Express

6:45pm 4513 light engine to Gosford

7:05pm 60 class on goods to Newcastle

7:15pm 2 car diesel set, plus van to Gosford

7:30pm 60 class on a southbound goods

7:36pm 40 class with 9 heavies (passenger cars) to Newcastle

8:00pm Two 2 car diesels to Newcastle

8:15pm Double 44s on the down Brisbane Limited Express

8:25pm 44 on a south goods

8:45pm 44 on Brisbane Express to Brisbane – 3 LLVs, 7 heavies, 2 vans

9:00pm 44 on a southbound goods

9:10pm 43 class on a Mail headed north

9:15pm 44 on a northbound goods

9:20pm 44 and a 45 on a northbound goods

9:27pm 60 class light engine to Gosford

9:37pm 2 car diesel and van to Newcastle

9:50pm 48 on a southbound goods

10:10pm 44 on a north bound goods

10:15pm 38 class on a southbound goods

10:17pm Double 44s on a northbound goods

10:21pm 45 class on a goods to  Sydney

1:30pm 45/45/44 on a goods to Sydney. 

Saturday

6:20am 59 class on a south bound goods

6:25am 6023 and 6002 on a goods to Broadmeadow, crossed the up Brisbane Express

6:35am 6008 on a northbound goods

6:40am 2 car diesel to Gosford

7:05am 3820 on a passenger to Newcastle – 10 cars

7:15am 4016 on a northbound goods

7:40am 3822 on an up Newcastle Express

8:00am 2 car diesel to Gosford

8:30am 44 and a 45 on a northbound goods

8:40am 2 car diesel to Newcastle

9:20am Double 44s on a southbound goods

9:25am Northern Tablelands Express – 7 car DEB set

9:40am 44 on the North Coast Daylight

9:40am 4441 and 4428 on a southbound goods

10:05am 2 car diesel set to Newcastle

10:35am 6022 on a goods to Broadmeadow

10:40am 2 car diesel set to Gosford

10:55am Two 2 car diesel to Newcastle

11:15am 44 on a down Flyer to Newcastle

11:30am to 12:30pm 5901 shunting the down pickup to Newcastle

11:55am 4415 on southbound goods

Noon 4515 and 4301 on southbound goods

12:45pm 6029 on southbound goods

1:00pm 2 car diesel to Gosford

1:15pm 4495 up interstate goods

1:20pm 48121 and 48122 on northbound goods

1:30pm 4417 and 4472 on southbound goods

<took a break from train hunting for a few hours, obviously>

5:20pm 44 on a goods to Newcastle

5:35pm 4002 on the up North Coast Daylight

5:50pm 4016 on up Newcastle Flyer

6:40pm 2 car diesel and van to Newcastle

6:55pm 45 and a 40 to Gosford (train unknown)

7:05pm 60 class on southbound goods

7:45pm 40 class on down Flyer

8:00pm 60 class on southbound goods

8:15pm Double 44s on the down Brisbane Limited Express

8:20pm 60 class on anther southbound goods

8:25pm 44 on a south goods

8:35pm 44 on Brisbane Express

8:40pm 44 on a southbound goods

8:55pm 4305 on a southbound goods

9:00pm 60 class on a goods to Broadmeadow

9:02pm 44 and a 45 light engine southbound 

Sunday

7:50am 4010 on an up passenger

8:20am 4493 on an up Flyer

9:00am 4303 on a southbound goods

9:15am 44 and a 45 on a goods to Newcastle

<dragged away until nightfall >

7:15pm 43 and a 45 on a northbound goods

7:40pm Three 2 car diesels to Gosford (balancing?)

7:55pm 40 class on a Newcastle passenger

8:05pm 44 class on a Sydney bound passenger

8:15pm Double 44s on the down Brisbane Limited Express

8:50pm 44 on a passenger to Newcastle crossed by a 44 on a southbound goods

9:10pm 40 class on a Newcastle passenger

9:25pm 44 on a goods to Newcastle

9:35pm 48 class on a goods to Sydney

9:50pm 44 class on a goods to Sydney

Now for the photos... I think this 5901 on the Saturday pickup.

This is a photo taken later in the week - of 3813 returning to Gosford light engine. The photo was taken from the driveway of the place we were staying. Any trees between the house and the line may have been pruned by this time.

And here is a shot of a 43 going away on a northbound goods.  In the consist there appears what looks like a steam loco boiler...

I had better explain the colour versus black & white snaps - like many families we borrowed the 'family camera' from my grandparents which usually had colour slide film in it.  The Hanimex Instamatic (loaded with much cheaper Ilford black & white print film) did all the less important stuff - like family photos and diesels!

I am going off to type up the rest of the list - lots of 44s, 45s, 38s and Garratts. 

Ciao for now!
Don