National Railway Museum in SA

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Was Excellent:cool:
Late 1800's to Early Diesels,,
Just to wet your appetite,,
this thing was bloody enormous!:eek::eek::eek:

[Rurover]

Pedro,

When I was a young bugger, my two friends and their father would pick me up in their old Hupmobile (a bit like a Model T Ford) each Tuesday night just before 7pm, and we'd drive to the nearby Unley Park Railway station.

After a few minutes the Overland express would come thundering up the track, hauled by one of these magnificent 500 class locos.
It's be going flat out along the straight stretch from Goodwood to Mitcham, getting up speed and momentum to tackle the very steep grade through the Adelaide Hills. (One in 35 I'm told...one of the steepest mainline track grades in the world).

It was an awesome sight (and sound and smell) and I've been hooked on steam ever since!

Alan

[Pedro_The_Swift]

anybody know anything about this?

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Must have been impressive in full flight ;)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/03/92.jpg

[Pedro_The_Swift]

More?

[Tombie]

The one at Peterborough is well worth a look too...

[Ausfree]

anybody know anything about this?

Not an expert, but that loco is featured in my book "Locomotives of Australia" page 176. It is one of the 520 class introduced by SA railways in 1943. They are a massive engine capable of speeds up to 112km/h. with a 510 tonne load. These loco's weighed 204.5 tonnes.
They regularly operated between Adelaide and Port Pirie. and Terowie and Tailem Bend and also worked over all but the lightest lines in the state.

As their boilers gave out, they were gradually withdrawn from service, this occured in 1961. They were replace by diesels.

My book is 20 years old, but it states that number 520 remains operational for enthusiasts and 523 is at ARHS Mile End Museum.:D

[AndyG]

anybody know anything about this?

No, but thanks, looks like it should be in a Mad Max movie.
Now on the to do list

[drivesafe]

anybody know anything about this?

Hi Pedro, the South Australia Railways had an American engineer who was responsible for the building a lot of American "copy" locomotives.

The word copy is unfair because the SAR locomotives were very credible engineering feats in their own right, but the genesis of many of the SAR locomotives were inspired by USA locos.

For example, that "Shark Nose" loco is VERY similar in appearance to a Pennsylvania Railroad's T1 ( see the link bellow )

PRR T1 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRR_T1)


The SAR diesel-electric was inspired by ALCO's PA1. This loco, when painted in Santa Fa's "War Bonnet" colours is still considered the best looking diesel locomotive ever made.

BTW ALCO stands for the American Locomotive Company

ALCO PA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCO_PA)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Thanks Tim,,
that PRR T1 link is an interesting read,,
I can undertand how you get "wheelslip" off the line, but "at speed" ?!?:o:o

[Pedro_The_Swift]

It doesnt take much to turn a great diesel shape to one ugly piece of metal,,
Take The Lady Novie for example,,

this thing is just butt ugly in the flesh.

[drivesafe]

WAY back in the 70s, Trains Magazine in the USA, did a cover story about the SAR locos and their origins in the USA.

Not sure if too many people would have old copies of the mag but from memory, it was a good story.

[V8Ian]

anybody know anything about this?
Whyte notation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whyte_notation)
http://www.auran.com/trainz/database/520.html
https://www.railpage.com.au/gallery?image=26256

[jsp]

I haven't been down there for about 5 years, great place with lots to see, love some of the old rail cars too! And sometimes they run the old hens down the line.

Its definitely worth going a few blocks down the road to the aviation museum on an open day also as the engine runs are great.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

great link Ian,,;)
how about this for a piece of Aussie Poetry,,:cool:

"...waking the young from a dream, scattering like glass
the old men's sleep; laying
a black trail over the still bloom of the orchards,
the trains go North with guns..."

[Pedro_The_Swift]

It doesnt take much to turn a great diesel shape to one ugly piece of metal,,
Take The Lady Novie for example,,

this thing is just butt ugly in the flesh.

now I can upload Pics--

[mark_coffey]

theres no accounting for some peoples taste! the 900 class is a beautiful piece of machinery and I clearly remember the sound of them double heading the freight trains past home as a kid, you just don't hear English electric diesels in SA any more

[Chops]

No, but thanks, looks like it should be in a Mad Max movie.
Now on the to do list

And on mine now too :D

[drivesafe]

I forgot I had this photo.

This is the view from drivers cab of a 900 class and that is a 930 class ( similar to an NSWGR 44 class ) coming out of the yard.

From memory, this is Snowtown, and it was circa 1973.

Sorry about the quality, the picture is from a slide and unfortunately, I didn't look after my slides.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/04/1030.jpg

[mark_coffey]

that's Snowtown, where and when I was born!

[Rurover]

If you want some more photos and interesting stories about SA Railways, suggest you follow this link. Johnny's Pages - Old S.A.R. Shunter (http://www.johnnyspages.com/)

The guy who put these fascinating pages together (John Masson) is still alive and living in Mount Gambier.
He reckoned being a shunter was just about the best job in the world, and has lots of great stores to tell about life on the railways... the machines, and the people.

Alan

[Pickles2]

Rurover. What an AWESOME site that is.
Just spent over 30 mins checking "some" of it out.
If ya're into steam, then ya gotta look at it.
Thanks, Pickles.

[Ausfree]

X2^^^^ Great site indeed!!!:D

[Rurover]

Thanks guys, thought you'd enjoy Johnny's website.

Did you click on this link to hear the sound of a Garratt taking off?

http://www.johnnyspages.com/johns_rail_history_files/garratt_starts_off.mp3

Alan

[drivesafe]

That was a ripper Alan.

Thanks very much, I didn't come across that in those links.

Does it say where that was recorded. It was a load of 4 wheel trucks so I am guessing it was up Newcastle/Hunter Valley.

[Ausfree]

Ah, the Garrat, my absolute favourite Aussie steam engine!!!:D Looking forward to seeing (and hearing) the 6029, now it has been rebuilt.

[Pickles2]

There is a Garrat at the Queenscliff Railway being restored,...looks to me like a lot of work to be done, but they say not much!
Pickles.

[Rurover]

That was a ripper Alan.

Thanks very much, I didn't come across that in those links.

Does it say where that was recorded. It was a load of 4 wheel trucks so I am guessing it was up Newcastle/Hunter Valley.

This particular Garratt was running on the old narrow gauge lines that used to be worked in the Mid North of SA, so I guess it would have been recorded at Jamestown or perhaps Peterborough.

Here's the link to the page where (scroll down) John Masson describes his experience at driving a Garratt on that line. http://www.johnnyspages.com/johns_rail_history.htm

Well worth reading as it really captures the incredible thrill he felt when at the controls of this magnificent machine. The SFX file is at the bottom of that article.

Alan

[CaptainJack]

Interesting thread. Im originally from SA (Been in QLD for 10 years now).

Never much interested in trains, however my Dad when he immigrated to Aus in 1950 was an fitter and turner, and got a job working in the Adelaide train yards.

He specialized in bolier making, and his job was to repair and repack boilers.

Back then they used asbestos as insulation, which eventually became is downfall some 35 years later.

Next time in down in SA i might pay the museum a visit.

[Rurover]

Interesting thread. Im originally from SA (Been in QLD for 10 years now).

Never much interested in trains, however my Dad when he immigrated to Aus in 1950 was an fitter and turner, and got a job working in the Adelaide train yards.

Next time in down in SA i might pay the museum a visit.

Jack,

Certainly worthwhile spending some time in the museum.
If you get a chance, I recommend you also drive past the old Islington Railway workshops before they get taken over completely by retail development.
I presume that's where your late dad worked.
The main brick buildings still stand and are being preserved by the National Trust, but they'll soon be surrounded by "big box" retailers.

This video gives a great potted history of the Workshops....
SA Life - Islington Railway Workshops (http://www.salife7.com.au/adelaide/places/historical/islington-railway-workshops)

Alan

[CaptainJack]

Jack,

Certainly worthwhile spending some time in the museum.
If you get a chance, I recommend you also drive past the old Islington Railway workshops before they get taken over completely by retail development.
I presume that's where your late dad worked.
The main brick buildings still stand and are being preserved by the National Trust, but they'll soon be surrounded by "big box" retailers.

This video gives a great potted history of the Workshops....
SA Life - Islington Railway Workshops (http://www.salife7.com.au/adelaide/places/historical/islington-railway-workshops)

Alan

Thanks Alan,
Yes Islington is where my dad worked.
Ive seen it a few times when i lived in Adelaide.
Will have a look and a visit to the museum when im next down in Adelaide
Cheers