National Railway Museum in SA

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

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

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.

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

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

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

[ame]http://www.johnnyspages.com/johns_rail_history_files/garratt_starts_off.mp3[/ame]

Alan

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.

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

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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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

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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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.

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

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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

Alan