Thread: Alco 48 class loco pics

In my misspent youth I worked in the grounds of Bloomfield Hospital at Orange. We were just at the top of the bank coming from East Fork and one of the other apprentices could tell what the makeup of the locos was from the sound, "that will be two 80's and a 48...."
Used to travel to block release TAFE in Newcastle Mondays on the two car diesel to Lithgow, change to an interurban electric and change at Strathfield for the Flyer usually hauled by a couple of 44s.
Coming home it was the flyer from Newcastle, gin around in Sydney for a few hours then catch the Western Mail home to arrive in Orange at about 4:30, ususaaly hauled by 46 class to Lithgow and a couple of 44s to Orange. Was expected to attend work on Friday as I had a sleeper berth. Always woke up in Lithgow as they attached the diesels and the TAMs got bloody cold going over the mountains. Can sleep anywhere now though....

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by Bushie

Neither was I

"Steamer" in this context was what they used to call the inter-urbans pulled by 48s. (Generally Central to Wollongong)



Martyn

Back in 1965 when I started work, I used to catch the steam train from Central to Richmond every afternoon. We'd get off at Blacktown to change to an electric train to St Marys (where I lived).

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I did live at Oceana Pde Austinmer in 1961-62 and had a great view of the coal trains always pulled by steam in those days.

There WAS something about steam!

We must have been almost neighbours back then. I lived at 3 York Rd in Bellambi during those years - and went to the convent school opposite the Rex Hotel in Thirroul (spelling ?). My father worked at Coal Cliff. Trains used to run along the back fence.

Before that, we lived in the big old white two storey mansion at Stanwell Park. The trains ran along the back fence of that place too.

Have only ever been back there once since for a look - and got well and truly lost.

Some great memories coming out here,if you want to hear some good Deltics,gooogle..cold starting delta locos",theres some classic stuff on that,if I thought I missed out on the good years before,you guys have proved it now!,Ican't face another narrow guage muffled box' with a gay sounding horn....Drivesafe...we need to talk!!!,time to get my passport!!Maybe we should organise a video night/chinwag on all things rail??,keep em' coming,I'll try and post my 48 cab ride video this week,also footage of the train rounding Bethungra spiral.
Gregg

I'm just wondering if there would be any interest in a

"Loco" Forum---
(and how about Plum Loco as its title)

I know a guy that could help--

Originally Posted by BMKal

We must have been almost neighbours back then. <snip>

I went to Austinmer Public as I was only a little kid. When you think about it, what can be better than looking down at steam locos from your bedroom when you're young!

Hi again Gregg, I wish I had invested in “Movie” camera when I first started on the railways. I would have had loads of footage that is just not possible now.

When I was at Delec ( Enfield ) in the early 70s, my regular mate was an ex Hornsby driver and in the 70s there were still two loco crews at Hornsby.

In those days, 6 nights a week a 48 ran a shunting trip that started in Hornsby and shunted sidings all the way down the North Shore to St Leonards. On week night they ran round the train and return to Hornsby.

On Saturday Night / Sunday morning, after finishing the shunting at St Leonards about 5 am, the train then continued down the line, over the Harbour bridge, through the underground and up though the suburban platforms at Central and on to Enfield Yard.

Because my mate was qualified for the North Shore, once or twice a month, when a Hornsby crew was booked off, we got the Saturday night job.

We also did a couple of works trains down the Shore and one of these was hauled by a 422. I managed to get some pics from the cab of the 422, looking at a 44 coming up the other line, with the coat hanger in the background.

Again, if only I had a “Movie” camera!

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

you'd sound strange too if you looked like this---

AHHH! The Napier Deltic. What a magical creation!!! What sort of FREAK would design something like this. I love it. The animation is great Pedro, I've seen animations of the Walschaerts valve gear in motion on a steam locomotive and it shows you exactly how it works as this does for the Deltic. I find this engine facinating.
Regards Robbo.