Thread: Steam still on track.

Originally Posted by Ausfree

Mate, I remember the Garrets hauling coal around Newcastle and the sound of two Garrets in tandem under full steam hauling coal up the hill from Fassifern through the cutting at Cardiff is a sight and sound I will never forget. This was through the 1960's into the early seventies when diesel loco's replaced them!!!

While I was qualified to fire everything up to a 36 class, I hated steam.

They were hard work and they were filthy.

BUT, one of the most disappointing trips I ever did was my qualification trial for a Garret.

The usual trip north was two 46 Electric out of Enfield and the an engine charge at Gosford for a Garret.

I worked the two 46s north with an inspector so I could qualify on the Garret only two find two 43 class back to back on the engine road at Gosford.

The Garret had failed in Broadmeadows yard and I never got another chance to work one.

The only time I regretted not having to work on a steam loco.

British Rail are still running steam in the summer on the Cambrian Coast line in Wales....

I have in my area Puffing Billy, so regularly get a steam train fix. Had as a ankle biter done several trips on Puffing Billy. Soot in the eyes is one memory I have of those trips.As a youngster mum used to take me down to Upper Fern tree gully to the Steam sheds there to watch the steam trains. That was, I`m guessing about 65-66. Dad had a antique kerosene powered bench saw that he used to cut up all the old sleepers for Puffing Billy society. There seems to be a few private steam trains in Vic now. Which is a good thing.
Cheers Hall

I've been involved with the Talyllyn Railway for fifty years.
They have close links with Puffing Billy.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Great picture John. They always look fantastic, but they were ****e to work on.

Last steam operations finished in 1973 in NSW, what year did steam finish in QLD?

February 1969. A DD17 was the last steam loco to work in Qld. There are now several restored steam locos and a number of restored carriages owned by QR performing excursion and tour work. There are also some private groups that have working steam locos. Rosewood, Gympie, and Warwick have steam groups with working locos.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

February 1969. A DD17 was the last steam loco to work in Qld.

Thanks Brian and yep, over the last few years I’ve been lucky enough to get some video of steam working in QLD.

I’ve always been a fan of the NSW railways, but more I see of QLD railways, the more interesting it seems to be.

Brian, did they ever have bank engine operations any where in QLD?

They had them all over the place in NSW and still have bank engine working on the Liverpool Range.

I think westbound trains from Brisbane worked as double headers to Toowoomba, I'm not prepared to swear to it.

Originally Posted by Ausfree

Mate, I remember the Garrets hauling coal around Newcastle and the sound of two Garrets in tandem under full steam hauling coal up the hill from Fassifern through the cutting at Cardiff is a sight and sound I will never forget. This was through the 1960's into the early seventies when diesel loco's replaced them!!!

We've got some ex South African Garrets working on the Welsh Highland Railway. 1' 11⅝" gauge.