Time for a light Mikado

Sixty years ago today, 5901, the first of 20 oil-burning steam locomotives purchased by the NSW Government Railways from the United States entered service.  

While these locomotives proved durable work-horses for their masters, they were perhaps the ugliest thing put on the rails in their home state.  And while they ranged across the south and west of the state at times, their spiritual home was the north.

So, in honour of 60 years of service, here's a few snaps of the 59s....

While there is no photograph of 5901 in the family collection, its immediate sibling was snapped at Newcastle after working a passenger service.

 Keeping on the short north, here's 5904 at Morriset on a pickup.

Polishing up 5911 and painting its boiler bands was a bit like putting lipstick on a pig.  Here it is on a tour to Port Kembla on (thankfully) a dull day.

Back on the central coast, and on a sunny day, 5912 gets ready to take a drink at Gosford.

Towards the end of steam, several locomotives received ignominious roles.  None more so than the roles given to 5908 and 5916 to provide steam for other purposes at Broadmeadow locomotive depot.  Ironically, being assigned these duties took each beyond the reach of the scrapper's torch and into the 21st century.  

Now its time to cover the two working survivors.  First 5910 in a tidy glint shot, working back through Mount St Thomas after a day tour to Kiama.

And then there is the venerable 5917, presently getting a little TLC before returning to duty for the Lachlan Valley Railway.  Here it is in Wollongong, 30 years ago, showing just how far occupational health and safety has come since then.

 Happy birthday, 59ers.

Bombo

Bombo is a lovely little railway crossing on the NSW south coast.  It is quiet, especially when the blasting stops at the local quarry. 

Until electrification was put through, it was a top location for viewing all the odds and sods that the south coast could throw up at you.  One of the more ubiquitous emanations of the coast was the two-car diesel, which formed the majority of local passenger services for the last two decades of the 20th century.

 

If 2 car diesels worked the majority of passenger services, then the 48s held the mantle of the stalwart of the goods (freight) services.

And if it wasn't one 48 on a goods, then it was likely to be two of them.  In the following case, it was two 48s heading north with a load of Bombo's finest export... ballast.

At the southern end of Bombo there was a terrific trestle bridge.  In 1986 one could catch  48128 racing north with a number of fuel tankers.

And for a very long time, if it wasn't a single 48 or double 48s, then it could only be... triple 48s, as shown here.

 And if it wasn't a single 2 car diesel, then it could only be two of them, coupled together.

And that was pretty much all you ever saw in the 1980s at Bombo.  Then, in the 1990s, things changed.  Coming over the hill one day the following sight was available... like two centipedes facing off, this day in 1994 brought 4845, 4834 and green 4836 arriving from the quarry, with 4818, 4916 and 4908 emerging from the south.

 

Safe-working activities completed, both trains departed.  It was the Alco with its two GM henchmen headed north.

All this light and colour disappeared in the early part of the 21st century.  The superannuated diesel sets were replaced by a new version which did not permit the opening of windows - a great disservice to passengers on this surf-lovers line.

And 48s have been largely replaced by larger mainline units, such as the 81 class.

Of course, the thing missing from those last two photographs is the wooden trestle bridge. Ah, the cost of progress!

Them XPTs don’t run around here no more

I have long looked for a chance to vent about XPTs. Try second rate, 1960s technology, ill-fitting to Australia’s climate, trackage and even political environment.  Don’t get me started…

Introduced in 1981, XPT train sets were even then just a cheap clone of the English HST – which was by that time very much yesterday’s model in the UK. God forbid, don’t look at what the other Europeans were up to at the time.  It leads to just one conclusion, Neville Wran apparently walked past the Chevy on the showroom floor and bought a Vauxhall Viva.  Still, for a populace less than a decade from riding behind 1892 technology, it must have seemed good at the time.

I suppose that there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the XPT.  It is designed to run best on flat, smooth track, in a coolish climate.  Suppose its just unfortunate that we don’t have much of that in Australia.  About 65 kilometres of it to be precise.

I also suppose I will outlive them, maybe, XPTs that is.  I am in good health, but these things look positively ruddy in bloom.  OK, they dribble oil incessantly, but they have proven to be virtually indestructible.  A bit like me really.

The many articles in the railway press foreshadowing their demise are surely written by eternal optimists.  Even accounting for the fact that most things wear out eventually, there is little evidence of authorities being committed to more than bandaging any breakage.   

There is certainly little evidence of wising to invest in long distance rail passenger transport, which these days resemble a mobile nursing home in this writer’s observations. 

Finally, to those optimists I say, ‘remember every other bit of rolling stock every bought by the NSW Government Railways’.  I mean, these people believe in total depreciation of assets.  Apart from the D58 class of locomotive, every item of rolling stock purchased for the NSW railways was completely superannuated when finally withdrawn.  Stick the XPT in with 44s, 42s, 32s and 19 class locomotives, and its reasonable to conclude that XPTs have not even reached their half life.

Sigh… lets get to some photographs.  I must first admit to not having too many photos of XPTs as I consider them to be the long distance equivalent of the Tangara.  So, instead of reeling off a dozen perfectly composed portraits of XPTS, lets celebrate the luck of those who no longer have to put up with the drone of an XP locomotive dragging a gaggle of superannuants in superannuated carriages… lets look at XPTs in places where they don’t run round here no more (apologies to the Long Ryders).
 

First up, a place where they never ran at all, in regular revenue service… the south coast line.  Here is an XPT approaching Wollongong on a publicity train in 1983.

If they rarely ran on the coast, they were less likely to run and run well on the steeply-graded Unanderra cross-country line.   For a while XPTs could be found at places like Farmborough Heights see next photo) whenever track-work on the Main South dictated a diversion.  These days, passengers get tipped into luxury coaches with the promise of spending quality time on the M5 instead. 

Next up? Yes, you can still see more venerable versions of XPTs at the following location near Campbelltown.  But you can’t see them going to Canberra, like this one was in the early 1980s.  And this is a personal favorite… it takes a special talent to position a seven car XPT behind five poles for a photograph.  Its what makes this blog so different to others.

This next yer’all jist plain can’t git to see no more… yes, it is in Tamworth. Photographed on 22 June 1988.

This one you can see to this day, but not as this train.  In July 1994 a XP is caught in angular profile on the up Riverina XPT at Goulburn.  I personally feel aggrieved that I am not able to say to another human (truthfully) ‘there goes the Riv’, but I suppose therapy will help me adjust.

Next up, an XPT at Central.  How is that special?  Well, this time it really is Central – not Sydney Terminal.  In the days before cross-harbour diesel trips were part of the track-work avoidance strategy, XP2006 cruises into platform 16 on 1 October 1994.

This next one? Well, its sort of no longer possible.  Here we have an XPT set about to head off to Sydney.  Can you see an XPT at this location? Yes, but they no longer leave from Spencer Street station, as this one did on 4 August 1994.  These days, one leaves from Southern Cross.

The next snap is really in the ‘what might have been’ category.  In 1995 the NSW Government was thinking about replacing the XPT, and was actually thinking about up-grading rail passenger transport! A tilt train was imported for demonstration purposes.  To provide necessary haulage capacity and to remove the need to turn the train regularly two XP cars scored a repaint into tilt train livery to perform these roles.  On 20 March 1995 the Tilt train and the relief XPT car sat for a while at Goulburn.

Now, I’ll admit that you can see this next one several times, every day of the year.  However, you will never see an XPT set in this location, this clean.  On 24 April 2006 a publicity event was held at Sydney Terminal to commemorate the new Countrylink livery.  These days, XP2004 and others carry great oily streaks along their car bodies.

And finally, a pretty poor quality snap from the early days of XPTs.  This is thought to be from 1981, at the newly-opened XPT Service Centre at Meeks Road.  Yes, you can still see XPTs there all the time, 31 years later.  However, you can’t see them at this specific spot as there is a huge shed covering the tracks.  So, unless you are invited into the inner sanctum of the XPT temple this scene is no longer available to you.

48101

Time for a tale of a 'class leader', of sorts... and one of my favourite 48s. Little old G-3420-16 entered service in February 1967 and was dispatched west.  It spent its formative years at Dubbo, which mean that it became a regular on the Coonamble Mail when passenger loadings warranted a locomotive hauled set.  

While it was still under warranty, 48101 was caught by the Senior Train Hunter heading north through Eumungerie.

If you want to read more about the railway life, times and history of Eumungerie, then my other blog is for you.  Reading about wheat trains? Love to, thanks!

Anyway, back to 48101.  Like all 48s, 101 got to the spiritual home of all little alcos, the South Coast line.  By the time of its third decade of existence it was trundling workers' trains throughout the Illawarra.  On a gloomy 1985 day it was to be found at North Wollongong, with an afternoon passenger services.

Unlike most 48s, 48101 managed to escape.  Two years later it was to be found in the Hunter.  On a sunnier August 1987 day it was resting at Broadmeadow, in the shadow of its more powerful cousin, 4512.

I next found the beastie at Rozelle yard, on 16 June 1993.  By this time it had received a 'red terror' repaint, though on this day it appeared that it had also been lightly dusted in icing sugar.

Eighteen months later, 48101 was discovered passing a quiet Christmas back on the coast - here it is at Port Kembla on Boxing Day 1994.

The all red livery succumbed eventually to an all blue version towards the end of that decade.  On 11 April 2001 some lovely dappled autumnal light flickered across this newish livery as it worked through Canterbury towards Enfield.

In August later that same year 101 joined 4819 on a spoil train on the Sydney underground.  A family yum cha was interrupted to dash across Belmore Park that day.

48101 has been spied many times over the past decade by this fan - Moss Vale in March 2004, the Short North in May 2007 and regularly at Clyde over the past two years.  Still, I will leave the final glimpse to the Senior Train Hunter - who found 48101 back in its childhood district on 21 October 2010 at Peak Hill loading grain with 48164 and interloper X36.

I trust you have enjoyed this review of 48101 - truly an unsung little work horse.

Junior's efforts

The Junior Train Hunter (JTH) passed a chronological land mark this week, so to commemorate this event i thought I would invite him into the Rambler blog as a guest photographer.  

He has picked most of these as being among his favourite photographs, which is evidence of his rather quirky range of interests.  So, please, sit back and enjoy 10 of his finest.

We'll start with this 2005 Australian classic.  The only thing missing is a half-stripped HQ Holden, to go with the BBQ, Hills hoist, inventive backyard fence and Tangara.

Number 2 is from Marrickville in January 2005, showing veteran Alco 4483 and even older GM27 wandering by with a trip train, both carrying virtually-new Southern Shorthaul Railroad's yellow livery.

Just down the line at Canterbury, the driver of JL404 (nee 44209) opens the throttle to give JTH's photograph that extra element.

 

In June 2005 the trip back to Sydney from Thirlmere behind 4201 and 4803 after a Rail Transport Museum event produced this rather ethereal scene.

Junior has always been rather lucky... and none more so than the day he wandered down to Koolewong station to have these strange Western Australian K class visitors rumble through. The camber of the rail through the curve adds to the angular look of the locos.

In Christmas week 2005 2214 stropped just under Unanderra pedestrian overbridge, whilst coupled to 2208 on and AFG grain train.

Into 2006 and the luck continues. Being in just the right place at the right time, JTH catches a quad coalie being led by 8230 crossing double ELs at a rain Canterbury. 

 

Back down into the Illawarra to a scene no longer available to most - the once-wide open spaces of Port Kembla Inner Harbour for quad 82s.  The blues in this photograph just scream typical South Coast weather.

 In mid-2006 the JTH made it to California. He got to Tehachapi, Vegas and Disneyland, and Cajon Pass for these two BNSF C44Ws on a container freight.

In July 2008 when he was supposedly studying for his HSC we spent a weekend at Parkes. One of the highlights was the hospitality provided by the locals, including a SCT driver who took the JTH out to 7PG1 prior to its early evening departure.

 

There is enough left in the bank for another couple of blogs by Junior, so if he behaves himself he will be invited back.  Will leave now with this posting of a bonus photograph... a rather inventive time lapse effort at Koolewong in 2009.

Salute to the last Nanny

I have had two very nice days so far this June long weekend in Sydney, each capped off with a jaunt from Sydney Terminal to Clyde and return, courtesy of the NSWGR's last remaining nanny, 3526.  

Like any 95 year-old it struggled a little with its footing in the rain today, needing assistance from a more junior colleague from the 36 class stables. However on both days its performed sterling service. Here's a shot from yesterday, when the weather was slightly better.

When 3526 was a much younger locomotive, it trod the rails of the north of the state.  So it was only really 1967, when it was withdrawn from service to operate on tours for the Rail Transport Museum (RTM), that 3526 came into view of the family's cameras.

Probably the earliest photograph we have of this locomotive was shortly after its allocation to the RTM, when it worked a tour to the NSW southern highlands.  Here it stands, taking a drink at Picton in 1967.

Some months later, 3526 scored a 'heritage' style livery, returning to a royal blue hue reminiscent of its 1930s Caves Express days.  It was in this livery one rainy Sunday in Wollongong.

The next time it made an appearance on the South Coast was to collect 4203 as a consort before climbing the Ilawarra escarpment on its way to Joppa Junction.

There were to be a couple of years interregnum before 3526 made it into the family slide box once more.  But this time was special, because we chased a train using a train.  Having missed out on tickets for the RTM's tour to Newcastle on 4 April 1970, the family followed the nanny to that city by regular train.  

I don't remember much about the trip to Newcastle, but we were obviously in Sydney to see the loco head north in its newer royal blue livery (with thinner lining).

And we were in Newcastle to see the nanny set off for its return trip.

While this was all very good and nice, the one thing I remember as a very impressionable 6 year old, was the very, very fast trip on the following passenger train - at least from Newcastle to Gosford.  It was hauled by a 40 class - I think 4017 from family folk lore - and it was the fastest trip I ever got on a train in NSW until an XPT ride in the mid-1980s.  This 40 class left nothing in the tank.  

Four decades later, it is still one of the most exhilarating rides I have ever experienced.  And it was all done in a clapped out Alco hauling a 10 car train into the fading sunset.  And thankfully, the Senior Train Hunter was game enough to stick his head out the window.

But back to 3526.  Its next appearance was a non-appearance.  It was scheduled to haul a tour train to the South Coast on 11 January 1971.  When a diesel arrived with the train, the passengers brought a story of a loco failure at Waterfall.  The Senior Train Hunter set off in the Cortina to capture the loco in its disgrace.

Eleven months later there were happier times.  In front of a crowded Farmborough Heights, 42103 pilots 3526 up the hill.

Its rather nice to reflect that nearly 40 years later, both are still plying NSW's rails.  While both locos have made it, there was a very long time when 3526 didn't look like a museum piece.  

In 1975 it steamed out to Thirlmere and then stopped - until its return service in 2004.  Since then 3526 has been at the centre of most steam-related events in NSW.

In 2006 it ran shuttles in commemoration of the centenary of Sydney Terminal.

In April 2009 3526 ran shuttles as part of the Maitland Steam Festival.

As part of its current role to provide short distance passenger services, 3526 gets to run a fair bit backwards (tender first, that is).  In fact, its probably done more miles in reverse since 2004 than it did in 50 years of NSWGR service.  In honour of this, here's a photograph of 3526 setting off to Newcastle from its home base in the 2011 Maitland Steam Festival.

 

So that brings me full circle - to yesterday.  Here's a half-hearted attempt at an art-shot.  It is a reflection of 3526 in the window of a glass-fronted building near Burwood, as the loco trails 3642 out to Clyde.

Its a great shame that another member of the 35 class was not saved from the scrapper's torch, as the only thing better than one nanny is two!