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Johnny's Pages
Old S.A.R. Shunter's Memories
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LAST TRAIN FROM GLENCOE TO MOUNT GAMBIER
1st July 1957
Another trip down
memory lane.
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Narrow Gauge Line opened: 22nd August 1904
Narrow Gauge Line closed: 1st July 1957
Last train: No 228 and 115,
Engine: "Y" class engine 98.
Engineman: "Johnny Green"
Fireman: "Bob Sweetman"
Guard: Ron M Mann.
Mount Gambier.
Wandilo. (Junction for Naracoorte & Glencoe)
Medhurst. (siding) 3 miles
Malla. (siding) 2 miles
Kirrip. (siding) 1½ miles
Glencoe. 1½ miles (station end of line) |
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GLENCOE
LINE
Glencoe
is situated some 24 klms North West from Mt Gambier.
Glencoe never had an attended station as such, but a
tin shed on the ground.
A Narrow gauge train would work from Mt Gambier to
Glencoe once a week on a Monday morning.
There was a turntable and on Monday mornings the
Wandilo rail gang would travel the length to Glencoe
on their casey to inspect the whole track before the
passing of the train. The rail perway gang would
stay at Glencoe till train arrived as they had to
help the engine crew to turn the engine as the
turntable was hard to use with engine on it and
needed more than the engine crew to do this.
Loading out of Glencoe was timber, cheese and local
goods. The Glencoe narrow gauge track was
pulled up in 1957 when Wandilo became broad gauge.
The first train from Mt Gambier to Glencoe was on
Monday 22 August 1904 and had to proceed cautiously
as the ballasting was not completed. It carried the
predictable politically correct passengers and at
various points there was flag waving and broadly
smiling children. When train came to a stop there
was cheering, toasts and speeches. After the last
hurrah, the passengers got on board and at 4:15pm
they departed and arrived at Mt Gambier at 4:45pm,
an epic 1½ hour journey. It was however far more
than that. It was the key to the viability of the
small farms. because the ability to get their cash
crops to market was all but essential to survival. |
This
was first train from Mt Gambier to Glencoe for the
official opening Monday 22
August 1904 and had to proceed cautiously as the ballasting
was not completed. It carried the predictable politically
correct passengers and at various points there was flag
waving and broadly smiling children. When train came to a
stop there was cheering, toasts and speeches. After the last
hooray, the passengers got on board and at 4:15pm they
departed Glencoe and arrived back at Mt Gambier at 5:45pm, a 1½
hour journey.
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Next pictures taken by: M Guerin of Glencoe 1957.
... click
on the small picture to view a larger picture ...
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Johnny Green and Bob Sweetman July 1957.
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Getting ready to leave Glencoe for last time to Mount
Gambier.
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"Y98" preparing for last departure
from Glencoe.
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... click
on the small picture to view a larger picture ...
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Last train No 115 departing Glencoe
for Mount Gambier July 1957.
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Picture
at same spot 2006
49 years later.
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Guards brake van with all Glencoe's school children getting last ride
to Kirrip. 1st July 1957
The trip was Glencoe, Kirrip, Malla, Medhurst, Wandilo, thence Mt Gambier.
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Grass and Oaten hay sold to drought areas from
Glencoe West, about 1950.
Is most hay that was sent at one time.
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... click
on the small picture to view a larger picture ...
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Google earth showing old Glencoe NG line.
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Google earth showing where Glencoe yard was. |
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Glencoe
2004 The turntable pin in the Barbeque area, is about
only piece of Glencoe station left.
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