Another test

After about three hours of tussling with various video ripping freeware, I think I may have succeeded in capturing a few test videos from the vault.

Bear in mind that these were initially recorded onto a mini tape, converted to VHS tape, played quite a few times, then ripped onto DVD.  And now ripped off the DVD in little grabs. And then loading into Youtube (my first ever) - another way to lose resolution, if there was anything there in the first place.

I thought I would start by showing the photo of the train in question - it is 44240 leading 44226 (I think) and 4497 (I think - it could be 4495) through Gloucester on 11 February 1993.

 And now, if you click this link, you should be able to see the train run past.... 

Track 2
 
Given this has taken me nearly 4 hours I am not sure that Rail Rambler will be a regular video blog, but it does give a few options to show just how noisy and decrepit trains were in past decades.

It was 50 years ago today... almost

Actually, 50 years ago tomorrow, 6 July 1964, the first mainline diesel was allocated to the Illawarra.  It was 4846 and it was the harbinger of a generation of diesel locomotives until the arrival of the overhead wiring in the mid-1980s. 

In honour of that event I thought I would post a few shots of what 48s did most and best - local passenger workings. And I thought I should use only photos taken over the back of my grandparents' back fence, as part of one of my current series of blog posts.

Somewhat ironically I don't seem to have many shots of 48s on FO sets, although they were ubiquitous for the first decade of diesel hauled passenger services. Here's one, headed towards Wollongong.

Here is your classic three-quarter angle shot, into the afternoon sun, with 4888 leading a north-bound workers' train.
  

And another type of passenger, this time with 4802 leading a rake of heavy cars.  This service was probably bound for Sydney given the carriages.

Another one off to Sydney - 4827 this time.  Getting monotonous? This was the 1970s/1980s on the Coast!

And in the other direction - 4853 with a lengthy and eclectic collection of carriages off to the Gong.

And this could be a trailing shot of the same train. There is at least one 48 up front.

Just for a change, here's double headed 48s!

I hope this isn't boring anyone yet! Here's a change - a dilapidated 4835 in charge of a southbound service.

Sometimes only the angles change... 4897 heading across the bridge with the Sunday morning all stations service.

As electrification approached, the trains just got daggier.  Whatever still ran OK was used on the local services.

It wasn't enough.  De-powered suburban electric sets were pressed into service, hauled by - surprise surprise - 48s.  This 48 - 4813 or 4818 - even had a pole growing out of the front of it!

Ev en after electrification arrived, 48s ploughed on... to finish off here is 48115 and 48124 headed south under the wires. The carriage just outnumber the locos.

 So, that's enough for now... until next time, ciao!

Hawkemount

My first record was a seven inch recording of steam engines ascending Hawkemount, which means that I never had much of a chance.

Hawkemount is located between Dora Creek and Awaba, on the NSWGR's mainline, otherwise known as the Short North.   It is a brutal and lengthy grade, the sort of stretch of permanent way that limits loadings on this State's rail infrastructure.

I was too young to camp out at Hawkemount in those final days of steam, though I was lucky enough to be taken there for a few hours one family holiday.  My mother and sister must have been the luckiest women in NSW that day.  However they were a bit unlucky, as nothing came by during our sojourn.

Enough of these reminiscences,  time for some photos.  Lets start with a green 3813 in a black and white photo...

Film was also wasted on diesels, thankfully... here's a 44 headed down the hill with a short wheatie.

Now for some colourful steam... here, 6022 trundles a collection of 4 wheelers along the mainline.

The epitome of steam power... 3822 in full flight on an evening Flyer

3820 leads a quiet life these days at Thirlmere.  Hopefully one day it can be put back to work like it is seen here.

Now, here is a big photo of a big train... 6001 leads another Garratt to Newcastle.

Synomous with the short north were 59s.  Here 5902 leads a Garratt around the bend.

Once 35s had been withdrawn, 36 class locos became more frequent visitors to Hawkemount.

And finally, to the digs which provided comfort and amenity to many - Hotel Hawkemount. Looks inviting!

Ciao for now!

In Central, tonight!

When I was a kid Central on the Friday of  a long weekend was a very special place, full of trains made up by locos and carriages got from every corner of the system. Tonight you could swing the proverbial cat along most platforms, as the following photograph shows...

Central is still a special place, or it is tonight.  Out of the gloom its possible to find a purple P, a green pig and LVR's mikado.  Enjoy!

Looks like a good long weekend will be had!

Through runnin'

According to my incomplete and inaccurate memory, 32 years ago this week ‘through running' of Southern Aurora and the Spirit of Progress commenced, with X54 and 42219 doing the honours northward on the first trip...  7 June 1982 to be precise.  Can't miss this milestone without a little commemoration.

Through running simply meant that each system's locomotives weren't swapped at Albury, but worked the entire journey on these two named trains. For just over four years until these trains were 'amalgamated' in August 1986, Sydneysiders like myself could find exotic blue Victorian locos at Central.  Of course, most of the times I bothered to get to platform 1 in time to see either train, there were only ever brown boxes on the front end.

Anyway, one day in 1982 just after through running started, I did capture 44225 and X51 coming off Southern Aurora.

A little while later X46 arrived on the up Spirit of Progress.

 

Ciao for now!

 

Weird stuff from Wollongong

Time to return to North Wollongong and this time a look at freights - or goods trains for us oldies. 

I am going to start and end with the ordinary - what the Coast was known for - 48s.  In the middle its time to take a look at a few out of the ordinary consists. As usual, the quality of some of the slides is less than desirable but the content is too compelling to pass over.

So, starting with the usual... triple 48s on a steelie from the late 1960s. 4881 led 4862 and another on what would have been a very slow trip to Waterfall.

A faster trip was more likely to be had behind a flying 48120 on the afternoon milko, off to Darling Harbour during the 1970s.

Its time to delve into the unusual, starting with 4540 heading a diverted interstate freight - again from the 1970s.

The Illawarra was Alco heaven in the 60s and 70s.  Trialling of locos undergoing overhaul at Delec brought strangers, like this immaculate 4206 in the early 1960s. The K wagon is a nice touch and dates the photo to an earlier period.

Next is a hurredily shot 4511.  Don't really blame the photographer for this one.  After watching 48s trawl up and down the line for months a growlier Alco engine may have gone unnoticed until the last moment.

Thankfully the photographer was more alert on this occasion.  Yet another Alco engine but this time it was a Canadian import. 

Time to complete the first generation Alco collection. This time 4303 and 4485 sandwich 42103 on a down goods.

And just when it couldn't get any weirder, it did. Through the gloom you may be able to see a WAGR L class trialling on an up goods around 1967.  Of course, 40 years and several liveries later, this loco probably plied the same rails, routinely.

Enough - time to return to the normal.  In 1993 4807, 4829 and 4821 head south on a ballast.  Maybe not the finest way to end, but 48s were always going to need to be the first and the last word in such a blog post.

Ciao!

Rail posters at Central.

Hi, this is just a quick heads up to anyone going through Central station this Easter. On the main concourse near platforms 1 to 4 there is a small green exhibition paying tribute to rail posters. Well worth checking out; here's a few snaps to give you an idea of what its about...

The exhibition implicitly and explicitly makes a case for recognising Reg Winsor as one of the best rail administrators this country ever produced.