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Johnny's Pages
Old S.A.R. Shunter's Memories
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MOUNT GAMBIER BROAD GAUGE ENGINES
IN THE 1970's and 80's
Another trip
down memory lane.
S.A.R. Piping Shrike.
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small picture to view a larger picture ... |
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The
reproduction of these B and W photos were taken with
an old Kodak Instamatic 126 camera in 1974.
The results were not the
best for copying
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621 "Duke of Edinburgh" at Mt Gambier. 1974
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Coaling
621 at Mt Gambier loco. 1974
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| "621"
class engine getting up steam in Mt Gambier loco, take note
the railfan camera enthusiast running for his life, when
the steam went off, as the sound was quite horrendous
and enough to scare the pants off anyone. Nice sight hey.
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Yours
truly (Johnny) with engineman Bert Smith (oil can in hand)
taken in 1974 standing next to "621's" driving
wheels to show you how big these driving wheels were. I was
supervising shunter then and just 33 years old in that
picture. How fast time flys. |
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Gambier Loco. 1974 |
"621"
ready to leave Mt Gambier. 1974 |
Pretty
sight. 1974
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621
loco in full steam just out of Mount
Gambier heading towards Wandillo.
Those were the days, the soot, the
smoke, the whistle, and the clackety, clack of the wheels on rail
joints.
Ah...,
Yes, the romance of steam..... I absolutely LOVED it all.
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S.A.R.
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is the "520" streamlined engine in its day,
this particular engine has been preserved and was used on the Mount Barker - Victor Harbour
Broad Gauge line, which was run by a
Railway Historical Society on Special occasions. Nice
looking engine..... Is rumoured doubtful ever to seen
in operation again. Sad. |
Note
the old badge (piping shrike) S . A . R ( South Australian
Railways )
The "520" class loco, engine 520 at the Mount Gambier
Station May 1984.
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"520"
class loco at Mount Gambier station.....
This engine
is Coal fired.
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Historical excursion with VicRail that
day, waiting for a Victorian Steamer to arrive to take
Victorian excursion train out to Snuggery (towards
Millicent) and return. |
520
sits in Millicent Dead-end waiting for a Victorian steamer
from Heywood on historical run to Millicent.
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| These
two pictures are of the drivers side of the inside of the cab
of the "520" class loco.
Not much of a view looking out of the forward window.
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520 during a visit to the Mount during the 1970's.
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Johnny Supervising Shunter with 520 at loco. |
520 next to super siding using Pivot grab to coal engine |
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Sorry,
because el'cheapo camera and type of print paper of those
earlier days, these 4 larger pictures are a bit fuzzy
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520 at Bertha Street fire brigade watering 520. |
520 arriving at Mount Gambier Station |
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... click on the
small picture to view a larger picture ...
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| Engine
520 with full head of steam, taken near Saddleworth in the
Mid North of South Australia about 1984 on a historical run,
before the engine was handed over to "Steam
Ranger". |
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"520"
class Loco 526 was retired after this picture, I think
this was her last run.
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NOTE!.. I was told by several engineman that between Red
Hill and Port Pirie in the Mid North of South Australia,
they occasionally pushed these "520" class engines
up to the 100 mph on the speedo clock.
Of course this was not S. A. Railway policy to do this
speed, but these engines did NOT have speed recorders in
those good old days. The track where this use to take place
was one of the best pieces of Broad gauge 5' 3" track
in the S.A.R. and the track was capable of sustaining
these sorts of speeds, unofficially of course. Normally I
"think" the maximum track speed was 80 mph.
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... click on the
small picture to view a larger picture ...
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Bluebird
252 "Blue Wren" in Millicent dead end July 1983, ready for piloting to loco out in New marshalling yard.
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Bluebird
261 railcar just left Mount Gambier Station and
coming over White Avenue approaching the Mount Gambier
Junction cabin bound for Adelaide around 1990 on a quite
often foggy spring morning.
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Built at Islington workshops between 1954 and 1959 by the South Australian Railways as Bluebird railcars.
A lot of times there
would be 3 cars coupled together, two powered cars, and a
non-powered car which was for first and second class
seating.
Bluebirds were named; Blue Wren, Brolga, Corella, Curlew,
Goshawk, Kestrel, Kookaburra, Lowan, Pelican, Penguin, and
Quail.
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... click on the
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These
"900" class locos were mainly used on the Adelaide
- Melbourne expresses. Were also used on the Blue Lake
express to Mount Gambier, also filled in as a shunt engine
for about 3 hours at Mount Gambier. The cab was huge in these engines.
These were
my favourite diesel engines, One of
these engines has survived as a static display at the NRM the 900 "Lady Norrie".
These were the best sounding diesels under power I have ever
heard, a loud cackle sound.
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... click on the
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From
left, two types of Victorian "T" class
diesel locos. The first one in the colours of the old
Victorian Railways, the second engine in a new Vline
livery, as the Victorian Railways changed their
railway name to Vline. The other maroon "930" class engine was still
in the old livery.
This picture was taken in the "new marshalling yard" at Mount Gambier.
The 930 was 547 roadside goods just in from Mile End,
usually arriving anytime from 7am to 9am and those
twin Victorian engines would be stabled on short
transfer with the ZLP (guards brake) attached ready to
attach to their train later that evening.
Note:
On all night Victorian jets there were guard's brake (ZIP's)
vans at each end of the train, reason for that was
once the train got to Heywood there was no loop
towards Hamilton, only towards Portland, so they would
push the train towards Hamilton at Heywood, then run
the engines around, do a continuity and away, this
saved time by not having to reverse the Guards brake
van around to rear of train.
We (shunters) would make up the evening Vicy jet on
transfer and when Vicy crew booked on and prepared
their engine(s) all they had to do was push back onto
their train, couple the air hoses, and do a complete
air brake test, then they were off on their way back
into Victoria. It was like clockwork, well organised
so as very little delay to any trains.
I miss that continually trying to make everything come
together with no delays, was like a chess game trying
to checkmate in the least amount of moves. Shunting
not only kept you fit, running and jumping on and off
rollingstock all the time, (not good on the joints
these retirement days) it was also a mental brain
thing to always be continually figuring out how to do
the shunting as quick and as short as possible.
When trains arrived late to then get them out on time,
plus kept the train controller's happy. I always loved
that challenged, could not wait to get back to work
each day for that day's challenge, well it was for me,
one reason I like shunting all those years, and 14
years later away from it, I still miss it.
THE CHALLENGE EVERY DAY. Of
course life has many challenges every day, till the
day one pushes up daisies, but shunting in those busy
railway days, just added THAT extra spice to the daily
challenge.
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... click on the
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| These
two Victorian "T" classes in the old Victorian
Railways colours. |
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Twin
Victorian T's July 1983 in the old Victorian Railways colours |
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Two
Victorian "T" class engines,
in 2 different shapes
and colours |
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Vic
T362 just arrived on C road
old station yard from Heywood June 1983 |
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Here
"T" just arrived June 1983 with string of South
Australian cattle vans in old station yard.
830 shunt engine sits on B road waiting for Victorian engine to be
release off train for stabling out at loco.
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... click on the
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930
and S class with AN Brake van on loco repair road. August
1988
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A.N.
930 class at rear and S class S307 stabled August 1988
They were never worked like this at least in Mt Gambier.
These were just stabled that way.
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... click on the
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From
left to right:- A.N. "930" class loco,
a VLINE "X" class and at rear "G" class.
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The Vline "G" class was a very powerful and was
one nice
sounding engine in these days. I've searched everywhere, and
for some reason I have not taken any pictures of the
"G" class loco on its own, (that is unusual) so
this is the only one I have got. Well better than nothing I
guess. Must have had too much work on, as it was always go,
go, go, in those days, totally flat chat to get spare time
for shots of the "G's". Plus they came in early of
a morning and went out of an evening. This shot would
have been taken in summer as winter it would be near dark at
6pm.
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... click on the
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Vic
Y class with Dynometer car. November 1983. (Shunter Brian
Murdock)
Vic
Y class with Dynometer car siting on C road waiting for
staff. (Signalman on platform
Brian Hann)
932 pulling rake of wagons from new yard during a long shunt
movement in the new yard.
This happened a lot and would block Wehl St and Bertha
Streets. November 1983
Not a popular movement with the peasants caught on the
crossings.
Vic
"Y" 165 on C road and ANR 932 pulling a string
from Marshalling and stopped at Station cabin platform.
November
1983
One thing shunting with the 930's we had heaps of grunt and
stopping power.
Although main line engines, these 930's were a good shunt
engine in the right hands.
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... click on the
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Vic
"X" and "T" just arrived from Heywood in
old station yard.
The boxcars would be for Apcel at Snuggery for loading paper
products. Tanker behind engines for Tantanoola load
Dolomite.
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830
class reverse shunting Passenger cars. (Engineman Andy
Martin) October 1983
In background is the carpenters, plumbers and painters
workshops.
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ANR
500 class shunt engine. (Right: shunter Brian Murdock)
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500 class with shunter
Ziggy Lucas.
Engineman George Askew
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500 class in AN
colours.
DWFs in the loco
roundhouse for repairs.
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... click on the
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830
class 833 shunting Old yard July 1983
These 830 class engines was used for smaller roadside
trains, and also as shunt engine at Mount Gambier.
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"830"
class loco in her newly A.N. painted green.
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830
class on goods shed platform.
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830 class shunting the
bank old marshalling goods yard.
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... click on the
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Daytime
Victorian roadside "T"
leaving Mount Gambier for Portland October 1983, going over
Ferrers Street crossing.
New repaint job from VR blue to VLine colours.
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To
anyone would know the names of the train crew that worked this last
train out the Mount to Tailem Bend.
Please email me: Use the Home Page "email
me" be much appreciated.
GM43
and 852 ready to haul last train out of Mount Gambier's old
yard to Keswick 12th April 1995. Mount Gambier station
in background
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GM43
and 852 going past Mount Gambier Junction cabin (White Ave)
hauling last train out of Mount Gambier to Keswick 12th
April 1995.
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GM43
and 852 heading off with last string of empty container
wagons... Going.... Going....
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Last
wagon wagon with wheel sets.
Now that train done... Gone...
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This Broad Gauge line was then cut off at Wolseley after
passage of this train.
This has since left the Wolseley -
Mount Gambier - Heywood line isolated from the standard
gauge system
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