Johnny's Pages
Old S.A.R. Shunter's Memories
      



 




MEMORABLE  JAMESTOWN  DAYS

ON  SOUTH  AUSTRALIAN  RAILWAYS  NARROW  GAUGE

IN  THE  1960's

Jamestown was a very busy reducing station for the Belalie North bank right up till the 3' 6" Narrow Gauge track was closed down from Broken Hill to Port Pirie after the 9th January 1970 and was replaced with the new Sydney - Perth Standard Gauge 4' 8½".

This was the death knell of a fantastic era in South Australian Railway's history in this Mid North of South Australia, still to this day. Now all only pleasant memories left for those who knew, and worked on this narrow gauge track.

I regard myself very fortunate to have been stationed at Jamestown from April 1963, till May 1970 as a station porter. Jamestown was round the clock working and a lot of shunting, mostly at night. I witnessed the narrow gauge come to its final end, and the ushering in of the new and totally different rail era, the new Standard Gauge. It was, a very sad, sad, sad day, and was not a pleasant feeling to see the old 3' 6" narrow gauge ripped up for those of us who loved the old S.A.R. It was like a close family member had died. Now all that's left is only these old pictures and some great Garratt and T class steam sounds to haunt me from the past on my computer.

Here I can at least, share some of my old ghostly images of when I was stationed at Jamestown in the 1960's, to come back for a moment or two to pleasantly haunt us of those absolute magic moments of that now long gone South Australian Railway era at JAMESTOWN.

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First a couple of old pictures I've come across.
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Jamestown yard in those much early days. (pics by unknown)
Yes, a good bit before my time I might add, and I'm 65. (as at 2006)



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Map showing Jamestown on the Peterborough Narrow Gauge Division till 9th January 1970.
All UP trains from Port Pirie to Peterborough had even numbers. (e.g.  274)
All DOWN trains from Peterborough from Port Pirie had uneven numbers. (e.g.  275)




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Jamestown Station September 1965

This was my workplace and home from April 1963 to Jan 1970, as the Station Master (Jack Kelly) had his own private residence in Jamestown township itself. I was so overjoyed when we shifted to Jamestown and found out I/we had to live in the Station Master's residence, it was like old times back when my father was a Station Master when I was a youngster at various stations he worked as Station Master and we lived in SM's residence. It is also called living on the job and I loved it.

Where you see the Jamestown station sign, the window below was the start of the SM's (Station Master's) residence. That room and next one this way were bedrooms, then side gate. The SM's residence had 3 big bedrooms, a lounge room with side entrance front door on other side of station and a lean-to type sleep-out this side and a lean-to bathroom other side with a wood fire chip heater to heat water for bath water and a galvanised bathtub and hand sink. The kitchen (can see chimney in above b&w picture with a lean to weather cover from main building to kitchen) was a stone building separate from the main building with a sink for washing dishes and a firewood heated stove/oven for cooking purposes.  Wood was plentiful as we had to cut up old narrow gauge railway sleepers for firewood. Every room had a fireplace. 

The toilet (can see on back fence near gateway) was "pull the chain" with a dog spike for a handle and serviced by a septic tank (was only mod con) just outside the back fence, and a wash-house (laundry) both these were also separate from the main building. Water for the SM's house was from the big overhead water tank close by that supplied the steam engines with water. There was also a well 12 feet deep by about 6 feet wide circular brick lined fresh water well, fed from roof with old crank pump for drinking water. (was very cold water all year round)  It was a very comfortable home with very small back yard. A wood heap near laundry to chop wood and a little bit of garden. Not a lot of work to be done around the place. This was train heaven.

Next to SM's residence was the main Station Office, (see picture below) then a walk through station passage, then Station Master's office, large room for luggage and parcels barrow (was once a refreshment room in its hey day), then a store room near other end, a ladies waiting room, with ladies toilets inside and the Gents outside toilets round the far end of the station.

Alongside of the station was a subway for pedestrians, as the Jamestown railway yard was nearly in the center of Jamestown, and the railway yard cut the town in half. The main Adelaide - Orroroo - Peterborough road crossing  was at the West (Caltowie) end of the rail yards. Also another crossing was at the eastern end of railway yards.

The fouling peg between the UP and DOWN main lines was right at the main road crossing itself. With a train sitting right on the edge of the crossing to fit in to cross an UP train (to Peterborough), it use to be quite daunting to road users seeing the engines (especially at night) sitting right on the edge of the main road crossing. No crossing gongs in those days. Everyone just had to be careful. In my 7 years there only one crossing accident when a down train twin diesels with 1700 tons was sitting at the Xing waiting to cross the up Brill Railcar railcar coming from Port Pirie at 10.05pm. The railcar was coming up through the small cutting and hit the road car square on dead centre and the car was pushed and slid along tracks with wheels both sides of the rails for some distance. Actually being hit dead centre saved them from any serious injuries as no one hurt much mostly just badly shaken thankfully. If the car had been just 1 foot further onto the crossing they be crunched between Railcar and the twin diesels.



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Jamestown Station 1966 S.A.R Narrow Gauge

Picture on left can be seen the weigh bridge, crane, goods shed, and half way between railway crossing and station you can see the per-way gang shed where their "Casey Jones" quad and trolley were kept that serviced the Jamestown track area. There were 7 employees in the per-way gang. A head ganger and 6 packers. In the background on other side of station is the main Adelaide - Orroroo road and Jamestown Bowling Club.


 

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Yard from SM's residence March 1968


Jamestown Silos & weighbridge 1964

Here can be seen the old wheat sheds and iced cool car sent to Broken hill Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 
Picture taken from roof of the station house. My bird cages and Peach tree, the fruit was first class too.



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Jamestown Station office, and parcel area 1965. 
(Terry Faulkner parcel clerk)

Office here having seen better days, and was in need of a good paint job. 

Picture left
: Part phone seen on far wall right of picture was the Peterborough "Train Control" phone. 
Alongside the phone can be seen the Train order clip where the original train order copies were kept. Train orders were written out in triplicate using two pieces of double faced carbon paper, the top original copy we kept on file, the second copy was for the engine crew, and third copy for the Guard.

On this train order it states to the Engineman and Guard of 108 goods, engine 860 which is heading to Peterborough to take the Main line at Yongala and cross 185 passenger Railcar car number 104 which will be, or, will take the Passing siding at Yongala. Note also this train order I wrote out was issued at 4:41am and it was about an hour to travel to Yongala. So that got 108 goods into Yongala around 5:45am which if the passenger railcar was on time that day, it was delayed at bit.  A train controller's nightmare delaying a passenger train too much. 

Here on this train order it states to the Engineman and Guard of 554 roadside goods, engine 402 (Garratt) sitting at Jamestown which is heading to Peterborough to take the Passing Siding at Yongala and to cross 107 Goods (an ore train to Port Pirie) engine 860 (830 class Diesel) which will be, or, will take the Main line at Yongala. The fact 554 is taking the Passing siding on this order, one could well bet 107 goods would get a run through Yongala without stopping.



Remember the electric staff is what controls the section, not the train order. The train orders on Electric Staff Territory is instructions for a cross at an unattended station, and other train working instructions. (worked well) Yongala and Caltowie were both unattended stations, after they were closed down and made unattended stations in early 1960's. 

SPECIAL NOTE:  These exact same type of Train Orders were also used on Train Order Territory. That is, where only the Train Order itself govern all train movements.  
Electric Staffs were excellent where there was a lot of frequent train working going on, like steam days.  But on tracks where very few trains were used, then only a Train Order was used. On Train Order territory when issuing and repeating back a Train Order, all numbers and stations had the spelt out, where as a train order on Electric staff territory was only repeated, no spelling needed, unless Train Order working was instituted, this was very rare occurrence, well on the Peterborough - Pirie line anyway. 

The room the other side of that Train Control phone was our lounge room. Cannot get closer to the job than that. Bearly 30 seconds and I was on the job. 

Phone on left wall was a "party line" phone, then also to the left can be seen two electric staff instruments sitting on what looks like boxes. The furtherest one was the "Jamestown - Belalie North" electric staff instrument. Later the "Jamestown - Belalie North" section, became "Jamestown - Yongala" section when Belalie North was closed down. 

Alongside the Belalie North staff instrument was the "Jamestown - Caltowie" section electric staff instrument. Only one staff could be withdrawn from the staff instrument at any one time, and then, only with permission from the Train Controller at Peterborough. These duralium staffs were placed into a cane hoop (see hoops hanging on side of instrument box) and were handed to the engine crew for the safe working in each section. Electric staffs were used in conjunction with Train Orders as well.  

When a staff instrument got low on staffs, when more trains went in one direction, an electrical fitter did what was called a "staff balance" by unlocking the instrument and taking out the extra staffs, record them in staff register book and then take them to the other staff section instrument and put them in. The electrical fitter was only person ever allowed to unlock a staff instrument, and another employee had to double check staff numbers as they went in and then sign in staff register book that they were all present and correct.  This all in the name of train working safety. Was a very good system, as the driver then knew once he had the correct staff for the section he then had the right of way to that section. No "head on" calamities. Put him in the clear.

On afternoon and night shifts in winter we use to  cut a narrow gauge sleeper in half (cross ways) and put them up the chimney alongside each other in office open fireplace, that would keep the office warm the whole late afternoon and night shift on very cold and freezing frosty nights. The office would be so warm that when we would get 2 or 3 trains in yard at once, it  was darn hard to get engine crews back onto their trains. Could not blame them as we had plenty of "Jack Frosts" at Jamestown. Yongala was just up the road towards Peterborough, and was known to be the coldest place in South Australia. 

We had light snow just out of Jamestown towards Belalie North twice in the 7 years while I was there, once as seen in the picture below. Was pretty sight.

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Here is picture taken out towards Belalie North.
The day after the Americans landed on the moon.
Yes my car was a 1956 Ford V8 Customline, they made nice cars back then.
Petrol was very cheap in comparison of today.



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Jamestown yard layout till 1964
After 1964 yard was lengthened.




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Jamestown Yard looking West towards Caltowie 1964.

Here can be seen at the other end of railway yard, the railways dams for water once used for steam engines, also wheat being loaded from silo. The silos had not long built then. Can still see the start of the old bagged wheat sheds to left of picture. This picture was taken top of Belalie North "Home" signal.



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Belalie North end of Jamestown yard interlocked switches and signal levers.

Here we are looking at a "cheese knob" switch, pinned and set for the DOWN main line with 2 signal levers which are shown here pulled off ready for an arrival of a train from Belalie North. The track these switches are set for has a brownish look, it is actually rust. When the trains come into Jamestown from Belalie North the grade control valves are in HP position, and when a train came in you could see at times molten globules dripping from the cast iron brake blocks, was that much heat generated coming down the steep Belalie Bank. On sunny days when train came in and had to stop to re-adjust the grade valves, you could see a lot of silver glitter flecks of steel flying around everywhere. Reason this down track has that rusty look about it, as it was the steel particles going rusty. Most railwaymen's eyes over the years when we look at the sky you can see specks everywhere, this is scarring on the eyeball from those little slivers of steel off the old cast iron brake blocks.

The next track over was called the UP main line, where a switch stand is showing that it is a main line. 
The signal lever on the left is for the "Distant" permissive signal which was some half a mile away up the track. (see next picture further down) and the next lever alongside was the "Home" absolute signal. 

To pull these lower quadrant signals off, first you had to make sure the switches were set and pinned for the down main line, then you had to put your foot on left signal wheel to help take the slack out of the long wire, then pull the lever quickly to pull the distant signal off.  The "Distant" permissive signal was pulled first, then the "Home" absolute signal.

Originally when I first came to Jamestown in 1963 all switches throughout the yard were cheese knobs. (back breakers) a little later all the main line cheese knob switches were changed over to Switchstands with kerosene lamps on top of them, and coloured display panels by day, this was far easier to see if switches were correctly set from a distance day or night. 

It was unusual with this switch, as all main line switches were converted to Switchstands, but for some unexplainable reason this cheese knob switch was still used here on these "down main" facing switches till closure of the Narrow gauge. Cheese knob switches were still used throughout the rest of the yard.



The "distant permissive" signal coming into Jamestown from Belalie North.


The "distant permissive" signal 

Top of the "distant permissive" signal 

The signal light was only about a third of the way up the mast, was too hairy (scary) having to climb to top as it was so high with a kerosene can to fill signals and clean wicks twice a week. The "home absolute" was bad enough. With the signal arm itself high up was much easier to see above the background from further back up the hill as the train came around the curve.

If you look carefully in larger picture you can just see a white speak above 3rd telephone pole that is the Absolute home signal. Now you see why it was so high up as well with a white background. This is a 1 in 60 grade. All ore wagons had grade control valves fitted to assist with helping to keep control the speed of the train while coming down from Belalie North, so plenty of warning was needed.

A train to have a brake failure down here from Belalie North would be a big tragic mess. Reason why the down main switches were always set for down main as to protect any train that may be sitting on the up main. Any shunt movements with up trains had to in clear at least 10 minutes before expected arrival of a down train.



Grade Control valves on wagons were used from Belalie North to Port Pirie.

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Click picture to see the enlarged picture with grade valve information.

On the Peterborough Narrow Gauge Division of the South Australia Railways we used Grade Control Valves which were fitted to most bogie wagons. Also there was a lot of four wheeled wagons, these were not fitted with these Grade control valves. Four wheeled vehicles which were always marshalled at rear of train behind the automatic couplings and going down the Belalie North steep grade the amount of four wheel wagons on any train was governed by how many bogie wagons were fitted with these Grade Control Valves.

When a train arrived at Belalie North from Peterborough The guard and fireman would walk along the train and set these grade control valves to the HP position (handle pointing up see picture above) on all these bogie wagons mostly ore wagons from Broken Hill, with silver, lead and zinc concentrates for the smelters at Port Pirie. When the train descended this steep Belalie grade, the first train brake application was made the train brakes would apply, but as soon as the train brakes were released, 7lb psi of air would be retained, so all the brakes were slightly on all the time coming down the hill, this was to assist the driver to recharge the air and so he does not run out of air and end up with a runaway train. From Belalie North to Port Pirie it was all down hill, with exception of a couple of places.

When a freight train arrived at Jamestown from Belalie North, the train would always stop and the guard and station staff would then turn all the Grade Control Valve handles into the horizontal or IP position. In the horizontal position it took extra time for brakes to release completely, again to give engineman time to recharge the braking system. 10 minutes was allowed for this job to be done. The GCV's would stay like this all the way to Port Pirie. 

Here is an event that actually happened. Nothing to do with GCV's but to show just how very important air tests on trains were, and still are today. 

This happened a couple of months before I came to Jamestown in 1963. A "T" class steam engine with a full load from Peterborough over Belalie North stopped at Jamestown on the down main to do the Grade Control Valves. After the GCV's were done the driver decided he better take on some water, as Gladstone was next watering hole. The station porter closed the air taps on the engine tender and the ore wagon and uncoupled the air hose. A normal procedure would be to let some air go on the train loading, so brakes are at least slightly applied to prevent the loading from running away, also apply a couple of hand brakes, though was rarely done as the actual bottom end of the station yard itself was a relatively flat area.

The engine was piloted over onto the up main to the water column to take on water. Normally 99½% of the time there are always small air leaks on wagons on nearly every train, and after a short while the brakes would then automatically leak on and apply by themselves, but this loading held its air perfectly. The engine was bought back and the air hoses was coupled up and the engine tender's air cock opened, but the air cock on the train's loading was forgotten. Probable answer, but is no excuse, was because there was usually always a big hurry to get a train out the yard as quick as possible because of crosses further down the track. Train Control would at times could put a lot of pressure on station staff to meet their tight crosses, as the controllers too had to explain to the Superintendent or above, the why's, and what for's in delays to trains. There is a lot more to train working than meets the eye.

The driver whistles to the guard to say we are ready to go, he's got the correct staff and the guard waves the flag to give right of way. Now a chain of events is about to happen very soon. The train pulls out the yard okay and no hint of any problems, over the main road crossing at end of yard, now picking up speed down the slight hill leading up into Jamestown, and gets to track speed at the bottom of the incline and engine gathers speed to get up and over Slattery's hill. Still no hint of anything amiss. Over the hill and then it was head all downhill for some 5 miles into Caltowie yard not as steep as Belalie of course. The driver starts to apply the brakes and suddenly the full realization hits home. Hell,,,, no train brake air, the only air brake is the engine's brake and the engine's brakes going down hill with a full load is no match for the loading's momentum.

The Fireman starts to panic and wants to jump off, but driver says, "hang in there, and stay with the train". The engineman starts whistling madly to the Guard to attract his attention and hopefully to get him to pull the air in his Brake Van. This would have saved the day and the big trouble they got into afterwards. Well the Guard hangs out his GB to see what all the whistling is about and sees the driver waving madly and he just waves back, thinking they are just larking around. With that, the driver says to his Fireman, "Look, stay with the engine, I'll climb back over the tender onto the ore trucks and start winding some hand brakes on, we got to try and stop this before Caltowie". To try and climb down between the rear of the engine tender, and the ore wagon to open the air cock would have been very near suicidal to even try, as the air cocks on the ore wagons were well under the ore wagon a little way, not like the modern ones today at the very end of wagon.

So while the driver was frantically winding a hand brake on, then hop over to next wagon to next handbrake the Fireman sees a farmer plowing his paddock right alongside the track and screams out and waves madly to him "We cannot stop", "We cannot stop" What the farmer could have done is a mystery to me. Well, normally it was a cross at Caltowie with the Railcar this day, but a little luck would have it, the railcar was running late and the cross was now at next station siding on towards Pirie.

The Station Master was standing on station platform with the electric staff and train order with a green flag for a "run through" to cross the car down the track. As the train went past him with the fireman frantically screaming out, "We cannot stop", "We cannot stop" The S.M. wonders what's going on and next thing he sees the driver hanging on the side of a ore wagon still furiously winding hand brakes on and the driver yells out to the SM as he went past, "Tell the Guard to pull the air", "Tell the Guard to pull the air"  

As the GB approached the S.M. the guard was leaning out ready to grab the Train Order, and the SM yells, "PULL THE AIR QUICK, the driver says he cannot stop the train". With that, the guard instantly pulls the air and the train finally comes to a stop half way out the other end of the Caltowie yard.  So all ended well, except the "T" class engine was a bit worse for wear, as the drive rods were a mess from having engine in reverse at times trying to help slow the train. 

So, now one can see what CAN happen if ever you uncouple a train, just make 100% sure you do an air test before departure, meaning the guard stands at his Guards Brake and gets the driver to apply brakes, and then to release them to be sure the air brakes are working right up to his GB. Standing instructions anyway were that on every train where the train has been uncouple, a least a continuity air test MUST be done.  The guard and driver did not do this before departure, so, the Guard was put back portering, the Fireman put back as a cleaner, and Driver put back as a fireman for a period of time.  A considerable loss of pay especially in those days as railway pay was not the best.



Jamestown Yard looking towards Belalie North

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1964.


1969
 
(new standard gauge track to left)

The roads from left to right were, Turntable road, Cattle road, Sheep road, DOWN main, UP main, 3rd road, 4th road, the straight (you can see several wagons on it), and wheat siding, which continued on up over the top road crossing into the Vacuum oil Company for rail fuel tankers. 

Turntable, water tower, water column and ash pit. Also can be seen in picture is a silver bogie iced cool car  wagon with X's, (one drop door)  Y's, (2 drop doors) and a YY all 4 wheel trucks next to it. This iced cool car wagon was loaded with tetra paks of milk for Broken Hill, bought by road from the Clare Golden North Dairies some 74 klms south of Jamestown. The milk would be loaded Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and picked up on 274 goods around 1:30pm to Peterborough, thence onto Broken Hill. 

Jamestown yard was unusual in as much it had an UP, and a DOWN main line which were both interlocked with the switches and lower quadrant signals at each end of the yard, (see next picture) and it was a pushbike job from one end of the yard to the other to set-up the switches and signals for trains to enter the yard. By the way signals could not be pulled off at both ends at same time. Only one train at a time could be admitted at a time.

The track nearest the sheep vans was the DOWN main, the next line over where water column and ash pit is, was the UP main. The next line over was the 3rd road for reducing loading off trains for the Belalie North bank. In this picture I would say the 3rd road had just been cleared out earlier in the morning as usually there was nearly always reduced loading on it, mostly empty ore wagons and/or pyrites empties. Nearly all up trains reduced loading at Jamestown. Periodically a light engine and guards van would come from Peterborough and would clear out any excess loading. Once the twin diesels came fully online, rarely was loading reduce.



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Jamestown Yard entrance looking east towards Belalie North end of yard.

The road crossing is the Adelaide to Orroroo - Peterborough highway. Picture was taken from top of Caltowie "Home" signal. Note the rodding to both these switchstand switches as both these switches were interlocked with signal levers near road crossing. (like a miniature open air signal cabin) The switches you see are set at present for "Down main" for a train to leave Jamestown yard for Caltowie later on.  The Signal levers (also had an annex key that locked the signal levers in the stop position to get the derail off for the 3rd  or 4th roads) for the Caltowie entrance signals. We would have to set the road (switches) first, then go back to crossing to pull the "Distant" signal  off first, then the "Home" signal. Then a train from Caltowie would come straight into the yard. (the railway term for signal, was "stick")

If sticks were off, (45 deg) then the Garratts and T's would come straight into yard and pull up to water column and start taking on water. Once the 830 class diesels appeared, quite often the up trains would get a "run through" (green flag by day and green hand light by night) exchange the electric staff on the fly, then it was full bore through and out the yard for the run up to the Belalie bank.  On a "run through" you better be sure the switches are set correctly at the Belalie North end of yard, or there would be a pair of smashed up interlocked switches as the freight train could not stop in time if found not set correctly. Bust a pair of these switches one was in serious trouble usually was "a caution" placed on your record, so one always double checked all the time.



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From top of wheat silo looking west towards Caltowie

Building at bottom of picture is top of Jamestown freight shed.  An "X" a four wheel wagon can be seen in the subway dead end, just off the shed road. In this dead end was also used for the railway "Baby Health car" when it visited Jamestown. At end of that dead end was the pedestrian path that goes through a subway under the yard rail tracks. You can just see the path that leads to the subway. The vacant block otherside of pathway use to have run down per-way houses from early days, but were all bulldozed down and removed when the Housing trust built new prefab homes in Jamestown in the 50's well before I came there. 

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From top of "Home" entrance signal looking towards Caltowie 1964

Note the railway dams and pump house near trees, there were two dams that were once used for supplying water for the steam engines. Once the Murray River pipeline water came to Jamestown these dams were made redundant. When the Standard Gauge earthworks came along these dams were filled in and the Standard gauge track was built right through the very middle of them. In the distance the hill to right of tree was called Slattery's hill on other side was all downhill into Caltowie.
NOTE:   Amount of water held in each dam.
Jamestown No 1 dam:  17' 2"  =  8,385,000 gallons.
Jamestown No 2 dam:  17' 0"  =  3,720,000 gallons.   
                                    *20' 11"    5,614,000 gallons.  *Above 17 ft the capacity includes water in the channel between dams.

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Here you can see "Home" entrance signal in this derailment in 1969.

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In this shot note the two dams are filled in and the Standard Gauge earth works. 1969.

Derailment story......
On the Peterborough Narrow Gauge Division, all trains the automatic couplings were up next to engine and all hook loading was behind the Auto couplings with use of an adapter. See adapters further down.

So only ore bogie wagons were up front and all other hook rollingstock was on rear of all trains. This always meant shunting with huge strings up hill out around curves. Pushing back with big strings downhill into the station yard could be a very hairy experience if engineman and shunter were not being very attentive, meaning, right on the ball exactly.

This day the station porter decided to shunt from the rear of the train. I always preferred to pull the big strings from front (was quicker, but as I said was much more hairy with big tonnage) Anyway, the Garratt was run around and an adapter used to couple to GB to pick up 5 loaded Hoppers in No3 road that had been reduced from off a previous up train. The consist was Engine, GB, empty Pyrites "Y" (4) wheel empties, at this point no problem, till they picked up the loaded hoppers off No 3 and reversed out over the crossing and down the Caltowie hill and the engineman made a VERY bad mistake.

He used the engine brake, and not the train brake, and of course with all those empty (5.7 ton) wagons in the middle with Garratt engine with full brakes on and with 5 loaded hoppers pushing, (no brakes applied) the "Y's" just rose up off the track spilling the Y trucks both sides of the track.

As I said could easily happen to anyone not thinking. BTW that Garratt in picture was from next down train to help re-rail it all. The "Y's" that could not be easily re-railed were pushed over and retrieved later. Did not take long to clear the track. No track damage.



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Fireman on Garratt 409 taking water on down main behind 275.
NOTE: 
409 is now a static display at the National Rail Museum at Port Adelaide.
Click  HERE  to see her at National Rail Museum.

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Normally the Garratt was detached took loco and returned light engine to Peterborough.

In steam days till about 1964 (before 830 diesels started to take over) ore trains would work into Jamestown double headed as a "T" and Garratt. The "T" was always leading and would stop short of stock siding - turntable and detach the "T" towards turntable. Once the Garratt left for Port Pirie, the "T" would be turned, take loco (water etc) and if no up train to attach it to from Pt Pirie, it would return light engine to Peterborough.  Often we would remove the Garratt and the "T" would pull the loading onto Port Pirie. The Garratt returned light engine, often having to leave reduced loading on the 3rd road.  Jamestown was a reducing station for Belalie Bank, reason it was a busy place for train working.




This day was a very special day
NOTE: 
402 at right is now a static display at the Zig Zag Railway. Lithgow, N.S.W.
All 400 class Garratts were cut up with exception of 402 and 409
.

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Beyer Garratts 400 class

Here Garratt 402 (now light engine) sitting on DOWN main was taken off a previous down train 275 and a "T" class engine took the train onto Port Pirie. Garratt 401 on train 274 sitting on UP main has just come from Port Pirie heading onto Peterborough and has just finished taking water.

A story about what happened with these Garratts after this shot was taken, is next.


The first coupling and working of two Bayer Garratts was at Jamestown.

I often wondered why two Garratts could not be coupled and worked together, and this bought about it actually happening. At Jamestown we use to detach a Garratt from a down train that had helped a "T" class (the "T" always headed first) to pull loading over the Belalie Bank into Jamestown and the Garratt would after detaching return light engine back to Peterborough. All UP trains had preference over any light engines, and they would have to wait till the UP freight cleared the Jamestown - Yongala section. When the Garratts were sitting there side by side and I often wondered why they could not be coupled together, as I could see no visual reason as to why not. 

This particular day in the late 60's we had taken a Garratt off 275 Down train, the "T" class took the train onto Port Pirie on its own. The Garratt took water on down main as 274 UP train (from Pirie) its arrival was not that far away, so normally had to stay at Jamestown till 274 cleared the Jamestown - Yongala section. 274 arrived and took water and both Garratts were sitting side by side, as in picture above. There was another DOWN (extra) train on its way over from Yongala still some 45 minutes away, so 274 and the light engine had to wait for the cross. Normally the Garratt on down main would have been shifted over onto the 3rd road to clear the down main. I was talking to the drivers of both engines about coupling the two Garratts together and was told that two Garratts cannot be coupled together, something to do with the cow catchers and air hoses, they said. So I asked, "has this ever been actually tried out before", the answer was, "not to their knowledge". 

After some more discussion finally I convinced the light engine driver and crew of 274 maybe we could at least give this a try, as we had plenty of time till the extra down train's arrival, even they had to admit they could not see why not. The engineman of the light engine said, "okay, we will give it a go and see if it can be done".  So we coupled the engines together and immediately one could see it looked okay. The driver of the light engine pulled forward to stretch the couplings to see and sure enough it was fine, then reversed back hard to squeeze the couplings up tight and "Bingo" still no problem. Only slight difference was that the air hoses rested nicely on the cow catchers, no problem.

I then asked both crews if I speak to Train Control and if I can get permission would you take the train out and was told by crews permission from the Loco Forman was needed, not the Train Controller, so I jumped on my old trusty railway pushbike headed back to the station like there was no tomorrow, spoke to Train Control about this and he said "You cannot couple two Garratts together" Well, I said, "we have got both engines already coupled together now". Oh, he said, "well hang on, I'll ring the Loco Forman". I heard him telling him what I said and his immediate reaction was "You cannot couple two Garratts together" I interrupted and said, "but we have them already coupled together right now, and both crews say they are quite happy about this". The loco Forman then said, "get the drivers to speak to me will you" At which on the pushbike like a rocket back up to the engines and both engineman walked actually quite quickly to the station and spoke to the Loco Foreman, and the Loco Foreman then said, "Okay, if your both happy about this, then is okay to bring them back working together".

Well, the drivers and I were all excited about this happening, (a first) and after the down train came in and changed the electric staff over and took the Yongala staff up and gave it to the leading engineman. The most spectacular sight was soon to beheld, Twin Garratts roaring out the Jamestown yard straight off the pit heading up the notorious Belalie bank, that was the fastest I ever saw an UP train leave the yard with not one, but, two GARRATTS heading out the Jamestown yard, with the guard was hanging onto his hat for dear life and was actually laughing as his guard's van whizzed past. Man that was one incredible sight and SOUND, and only I got pictures of it, though only on a "mickey mouse" camera, but a picture anyway.

Explanation maybe why this twin GARRATT working never happened before

When the 400 class Garratts were first in service in 1953 they had hook couplings and side chains and could not be coupled together because of the cow catchers and air hoses, later around 1962 the Garratts were converted over to automatic couplings as was all the ore bogie wagons. For some reason, no one had ever tried to couple and work two Garratts together. Probably because before Belalie North station was closed down, a Garratt when detached at Belalie North would then return to Peterborough light engine, so their was no need to ever double head from Belalie North downhill back to Peterborough. 

In the mid 60's that section Yongala - Belalie North was now Yongala - Jamestown, now a 1 hour section instead of two sections of near 30 minutes. This at times left a "T" or Garratt engine sitting at Jamestown after pulling a full load over Belalie North.  Also mid 60's the 830 class diesels were doing most of the work till the standard gauge was being built and then the 830's were slowly being withdrawn from off the narrow gauge and the Beyer Garratts were now being bought back into play doing the full work again till the very end of the narrow gauge over a year away in 1970. Often we had three 830's work out of Jamestown back over Belalie to Peterborough, so there was never any reducing done then. Engine changes with the 830 diesels still took place with most down trains at Jamestown or Caltowie, occasionally Gladstone. Twins that worked over Belalie were taken off and placed on the Up train to take the  loading back over Belalie North.


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Garratt Action:  402 leading and 401 ready to depart Jamestown for Peterborough in 1968.

Here is first time ever, twin Garratts were put together and worked out of Jamestown back to Peterborough. This was done a few times afterwards, but only out of Jamestown. So this picture above is first time double heading SAR Garratts were used. 

Only other time twin Garratts (400 and 401) worked together was on the last through trip by Garratts from Port Pirie to Peterborough travelling in reverse on 554 on 9th January 1970, when the narrow gauge track was finally closed down forever.

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Twin Garratts heading out of Jamestown to Belalie North.


Oh!....... what a sight to behold and what a sound that was, the roar was just fantastic. Can still hear it.
Now gone forever, except on my computer to re-live those wonderful steam Garratt sounds.



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Bayer Garratt leaving Jamestown with full load up the Belalie North bank.

Note the very high Home signal with a white background board to make the signal clearer from a longer distance. Both the Belalie North "home absolute" and "distant permissive" signals were very high, so train crews could easily see them, as the Belalie Bank was very steep and plenty of warning was needed to stop a train coming down the Belalie North bank. The grade was 1 in 60 virtually off the Jamestown ash pit and water column.



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Another Garratt working in reverse on 274
Like a volcano and sounded like one.
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274 goods heading out from Jamestown.
Beyer Garratt getting stuck into it, 
heading up the Belalie North bank. Plenty of smoke.

CLICK to hear engine sounds and go back to 1960's.
South Australian Railways Narrow gauge Bayer Garratt 4-8-2 + 2-8-4

Play sound file:  1.4megs
Bayer Garratt sound
 

Turn your sound well up for a realistic memory sound.
as these were,,, very noisy engines under heavy load.




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Y class engine 97 on Jamestown turntable and at station October 1967
.

This engine in the 1960's was only seen on historical runs. The main fleet was Beyer Garratts (400 class) "T" class and 830 diesel engines. The "Y's" were the small workhorse of older days. This engine is only Y to survive and is now in the Port Dock Museum. This engine ran more than 832,000 miles, was used in and around the Peterborough Loco sheds, even at close of the narrow gauge in 1970.



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T251 here has just taken off a down train to Port Pirie to now return light engine to Peterborough.

Note: hook coupling, as most "T's" had hook on front and an automatic coupling on rear. Jamestown had a turntable that could only turn engines up to a "T" class, Garratts were far too long and in any case Garratts could work either direction at same speed. Most times the "T's" headed Garratts to assist with getting loading over the Belalie Bank into Jamestown, either the "T" (most times) or the Garratt was taken off and returned to Peterborough light engine, or, was at times attached to next up train from Pt Pirie to take any extra previously reduced loading back over the Belalie Bank into Peterborough.

To turn engine it had to be balanced or no turn.
Sorry no LARGER picture
              Sorry no LARGER picture
T 253 on Jamestown turntable Saturday 31st May 1969.  ( picture: Cliff Olds )

Sorry no LARGER picture

Jamestown, Saturday 31st May 1969.   The ARHS ran a tour to Gladstone hauled by 526, then T 253 to Jamestown and return.   I  (Cliff Olds)  worked as S.M. Georgetown in the morning and had booked for the narrow gauge leg only because of that.   It was a cold and very wet day, despite the sunshine on the turntable shots.     ( picture: Cliff Olds )

CLICK to hear engine sounds and go back to 1964.
South Australian Railways Narrow gauge "T" class leading a Bayer Garratt
Play sound file: 
4.2
megs
T class & Bayer Garratt sound
 

The magnificent sound of a double headed train with a
"T" class leading a Bayer Garratt heading out of the station yard at full throttle.
Turn your sound well up for a realistic memory sound.

Sorry no LARGER picture
Picture of a T class and Beyer Garratt working together.  
( picture: unknown )





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75 class Railcar is seen here on a Saturday morning returning from Pt Pirie.

Saturdays the railcar would leave Peterborough and arrive through Jamestown at 6:10am proceed to Port Pirie and return back through Jamestown around 11am. But Monday to Friday would see the Railcar through Jamestown at 6:10am and would return back through Jamestown at 10pm that evening. Excellent passenger service, also road bus departed station at 5:30am for Riverton, thence to Adelaide by train ex Terowie.
It was a real challenge to keep 482 through freight train ahead of the railcar departing not later than 9pm through Jamestown as the trip from Jamestown to Yongala was about an hour, would just clear the section in time for the railcar. So if we could not keep 482 ahead, then, it stayed here with 513 wayside freight and the railcar crossed 513 and passed 482 and for whoever was on duty it was one hell of a very busy night splitting these trains, plus parcels in and out all on your own. Also at 10:10pm the road bus from Riverton via Clare (picked up passengers from off the Adelaide - Terowie line) would arrive at Jamestown with all the trains as well. At times it was a near nightmare, so was a good incentive to do your utmost to keep the trains on schedule, plus to keep the Train Controller very happy.



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Here on another Saturday Morning at 11am is the old and the latest. 
Railcar &  830 class diesel.

This 830 was the new kid on the block, was taken off 275 down goods for Port Pirie and this engine returned to Peterborough light engine once the railcar had cleared Yongala. 
This was bit unusual, must have needed the power back in Peterborough urgently as 274 up goods to Peterborough. Last train on Saturday's usually came through Jamestown around 2 to 3pm. 



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Motor Inspection Car, or in railway terms, an MIC. December 1968.

The MIC was used by the railway heads to travel the track, also was used for the fortnightly Pay car. Note the turntable disk under MIC.  In early days I heard the MIC referred to as "The Dort car" do not know why.



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Here shows how hook couplings were coupled to automatic couplings.

Now you see why all hook loading was behind auto couplings. Also it was a real juggling job to get hook drag pin out and back in again, as at times the drag pin would get burred over and a pickaxe from off the engine was needed, which was usually a walk of some equal 60 wagons plus up to the engine, get the pickaxe from front of engine and return, meanwhile the clock is ticking against you all the time. So at times you were running. 
Also while fitting the adapter you had to be careful that the engine driver has not released the train air brakes and the roller bearing wagons do not start to gently roll back onto you as you had your back to the auto coupling.

This was scary stuff as a few employees had been caught this way, one I knew was killed. Roller bearing wagons were very hard to hear when starting to roll, especially loaded with ore, no creaking sounds. Realise too, this was all done mostly during the night with only a kerosene hand signal lamp as the only form of lighting. Was great fun, worse part was you would usually have the "Train Controller" on the phone wanting you to hurry up to get that train out quick to make a cross elsewhere.  So was fun for one and all. A crook hook drag pin could very well make, or break your shift from relatively easy night, to a real absolute near nightmare. On stations like Jamestown you were literally on your own, with some help at times from the guard. You needed to be well organised for the whole shift, and yes most important, leave nothing to chance.



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First 830's to appear on narrow gauge around 1964.

First twin Diesels to appear on Narrow gauge seen here taken off 275 (down) and will work 274 (up) back to Peterborough. Part of the 274's GB can be seen in picture on the up main. In this picture a Garratt would have worked from Port Pirie to Jamestown to the cross and the Garratt would have been changed over from 274 to 275 and then worked back to Pirie as the twin 830's would have been needed back at Peterborough for next train to work over Belalie North, till other 830's came online.  Not often twin 830 diesels worked right through to Port Pirie, we still use to do engine changes with 830's at Jamestown, Caltowie or Gladstone depending where the cross was to take place. (because twins were needed for loading over the Belalie bank)



All taken from atop the "Home" signal Belalie North end 1967.   
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274 twin 830 class diesels getting a "run through" the yard on Up main on a late Saturday afternoon,
and passes under me heading up the Belalie North bank with empty ore (autos) and cattle wagons (hook).
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(centre picture) Here can see the signal levers and cheese-knob and railway pushbike in grass.

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Here you can just see the "Distant" signal, also the track to the Vacuum Oil depot. Sheep yards in foreground and Cattle yards over the roadway. The good old Guards Brake on rear. Great view from top of "Home" signal.



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Three 830's pulling 274 out of Jamestown towards Belalie North, then onto Peterborough in October 1968.

This day they were taking spare carriages back to Peterborough from a Port Pirie Smelters Picnic train the day before. The Port Pirie smelters picnic was a yearly big excursion.
Interesting note here: The sheep ramp as you can see here is a side loader ramp and a dirt dead end. All hook loading and sheep and cattle vans were all had hook couplings with side chains and all hook loading was always marshalled behind the automatic couplings. So this meant we were always shunting with huge strings and trying to place these sheep vans to the side loading sheep ramp sorely tested the most patient enginemen, especially those when shunting with the Bayer Garratts. If you overshot the sheep vans too much the vans could possibly go up the dirt mound and then topple over onto the main line. (big trouble then) To my knowledge this never happened, although I did see once (not me by the way) a four wheel sheep van half way up the mound, with a slight lean towards main line, now that was a close call in my view. Also realise, most shunting was done at night as the two roadside trains, 513 down at about 8:30pm, and 554 up at 2am, so all night shunting was done with kerosene hand signal lamps, (red and green shades) that had its terrifying times if the wick blew out, but that went with the interesting job, it was never boring. Quite testing at times, sure was.

NOTE:  Often three 830 diesels worked through or out of Jamestown back to Peterborough. Not often did twin 830's would work through to Port Pirie. They would work out of Peterborough as twins to get the 1,750 tons loading over Belalie North into Jamestown, then one 830 could take the 1750 ton train onto Port Pirie. These twins would only work mostly to the cross of the UP goods from Port Pirie to get any excess loading back over Belalie North. No need to reduce at Jamestown anymore. 

As example. 275 DOWN train to Port Pirie would work out of Peterborough with twin 830's and work to the cross of 274 UP from Port Pirie. The cross could be at Gladstone, Caltowie or Jamestown, although most times the cross took place at Caltowie. The Port Pirie train most times would be a single 830 and when it met the 275 DOWN with twin 830's, the twin 830's would be changed over with 274 and returned to Peterborough, the single 830 returned to Port Pirie on 275. It wasn't long this move was found to be not according to SAR rule book at an unattended station, as technically the UP and DOWN trains showed on a Train Order to have crossed themselves (Caltowie being an unattended station) This move was okay at Gladstone and Jamestown as these were attended stations (no train orders needed for the cross) it then got complicated where the rear 830 on the DOWN had to be placed behind the engine on the UP. This then showed officially that both leading engines crossed each other according to the issued Train Order.

This is then what would happen at Caltowie. It depended which train arrived first of course, but basically the twins would be detached and placed on next track, (main line or passing siding) then the single 830 would back onto the twin 830's. The crews would then detach the lead DOWN engine and the other crew would attach the (now middle) 830, then change over engines, the Port Pirie crew on the DOWN and Peterborough crew on the now UP twins. The now UP twin 830's would be put back onto the UP train and the single 830 put back on the DOWN train, then a continuity air test and both trains now ready to do a legal Rule Book cross according to the issued Train Order and both crews return to their own depots. The single 830 to Port Pirie and twins to Peterborough. Most crews preferred the cross to take place at Jamestown or Gladstone as the station staff then helped with this engine manoeuvre.

At times odd twins did work right through to Port Pirie, this was not often. When this did happen the next DOWN train from Peterborough with twin 830's crossed the UP with twins out from Port Pirie, one 830 was removed from DOWN train and then placed on the UP train with the twins, thus resulting in three 830's working back to Peterborough. (See picture above of three 830's heading out of Jamestown towards Peterborough).