Thanks so very much for this.We had very much the same in August 1968 here in the UK when steam operations stopped. Many of our standard class locos, introduced in 1951, were scrapped after only 7 years in traffic, what a complete waste of the payers money. Thanks again.
Excellent narration, evocatively written and beautifully filmed ! As the description aptly states...."a superb video". Closes with a testimony to "the real men of steam" to whom this country owes so much. Thank you for preserving this important history. 👌
Back in the late 60's I was an apprentice Coach Painter at the Chullora workshops and I , along with 2 other apprentices, was selected as part of the team that re painted the beautiful old 3801. What a magnificent Locomotive it was when it was repainted Green and had the yellow "Cats whiskers" stripes running from the nose and along the length of the fire box. Happy to say that she now spends her days in Thirlmere Rail Museum.
excellent presentation, brings back memories of my early years in the NSW railways, the last five years of steam operation on the short north, the lost Endfield Depot, should have been retained as a museum.
One of the best video I have seen would like to purchase that I worked there at Enfield best years of my life as I was a steam man got to fire an drive live the dream
Excellent old vision and terrific memories of when I was a schoolboy and my Dad was an ASM mostly at Wyong but sometimes around Hawkesbury and through to Fassifern. My brothers and I used to take him a hot crib and would help out on those signal levers. Dad was made a Life Member of the ARU post humously. That little "tank engine" would usually haul the 2 carriage set from Fassifern to Toronto (now disused) nd on to Newcastle Terminus. Couple of local pronunciations... Wangi Wangi Power Station = Won-Jee (soft G) and Lisarow = Lizza-roe. Went to high school near Gosford so very familiar with Wyong to Gosford. School train was usually a 35 or 36 class loco.
My Father Geoff Geerin was based at Enfield (Delec) . I remember my father god bless his sole use to take me to work with him several time. One time where on a 48 shunting at Enfield we had time to waste as the next freight train wasn’t due in for a while and he took me to the last round house to see all the old steam engines there was a lot of different types there and 3801 was there too 58 ,59 ,60 ,30 ,32 and a whole lot more and there was one little 0-4-0 there if I remember dad said it was the shed loco use to shunt the big engine . Those where the good old days before all this HOS stuff .
Fortunately we now a form of Newcastle Flyer again. Rail Heritage is running 3801 unassisted Sydney to Newcastle. One stop for water at Hawkesbury River. And some fast running round Wyong too.
Simon...3801 set a record for the Flyer run in 1964 and cetainly ogd some steam happening either side of Wyong. Total time was one or two minutes over two hours to old Newcastle terminus. Was a record until the XPT broke it in mid 70's.
When you think about 3803 and other steam engines shut up in storage she'd doing nothing, it makes you wish it can be restored to operating condition like sister locomotive 3801, could you imagine 3801 and 3803 working together?😊
Steam was destroyed by Philip Shirley a pommy brought over to run the railway he arrived with a tin of blue paint we could have got years of service out of steam
I love steam, watching the huge East African 59 class Garratts. Steam is just too inefficient and labour intensive. Huge freight trains with 4-5 or 6 Diesel locos would almost impossible with steam.
Ironically enough, the need to switch to cleaner power may just mean steam makes a comeback in areas which don't want to pay for electric infrastructure roll outs. Modern oil burners use less fuel and lower emissions then diesel loco's and can safely run on bio-fuels. Of course the odds of this happening are still remote, but a man can dream.
I like the fact that the most ancient locos, the 19 class, survived the longest.
I rode SAR rail daily. Great ride, on time and very good looking stable of steam loco's too.
Thanks so very much for this.We had very much the same in August 1968 here in the UK when steam operations stopped. Many of our standard class locos, introduced in 1951, were scrapped after only 7 years in traffic, what a complete waste of the payers money.
Thanks again.
Excellent narration, evocatively written and beautifully filmed ! As the description aptly states...."a superb video". Closes with a testimony to "the real men of steam" to whom this country owes so much. Thank you for preserving this important history. 👌
Glorious black and white filming.
Beethoven's 5th Symphony how lovely with steam
The golden age of steam on Australia as an Aussie my self i am proud
Back in the late 60's I was an apprentice Coach Painter at the Chullora workshops and I , along with 2 other apprentices, was selected as part of the team that re painted the beautiful old 3801. What a magnificent Locomotive it was when it was repainted Green and had the yellow "Cats whiskers" stripes running from the nose and along the length of the fire box. Happy to say that she now spends her days in Thirlmere Rail Museum.
Thank you so much for keeping these documentaries alive and available
My father worked in the 'box at Campbelltown in the 60's &70's used to love watching the steamers working
Thanks for the memories yes I worked at Enfield yes I worked the flyer and most of the trains shown on the video one of the best I have seen
Awesome Australian Steam Railways Documentary Movie. Thanks Mate. X
excellent presentation, brings back memories of my early years in the NSW railways, the last five years of steam operation on the short north, the lost Endfield Depot, should have been retained as a museum.
Well done, what beautiful vision. Thank you.
One of the best video I have seen would like to purchase that I worked there at Enfield best years of my life as I was a steam man got to fire an drive live the dream
Excellent old vision and terrific memories of when I was a schoolboy and my Dad was an ASM mostly at Wyong but sometimes around Hawkesbury and through to Fassifern. My brothers and I used to take him a hot crib and would help out on those signal levers.
Dad was made a Life Member of the ARU post humously.
That little "tank engine" would usually haul the 2 carriage set from Fassifern to Toronto (now disused) nd on to Newcastle Terminus.
Couple of local pronunciations... Wangi Wangi Power Station = Won-Jee (soft G) and Lisarow = Lizza-roe.
Went to high school near Gosford so very familiar with Wyong to Gosford. School train was usually a 35 or 36 class loco.
My Father Geoff Geerin was based at Enfield (Delec) . I remember my father god bless his sole use to take me to work with him several time. One time where on a 48 shunting at Enfield we had time to waste as the next freight train wasn’t due in for a while and he took me to the last round house to see all the old steam engines there was a lot of different types there and 3801 was there too 58 ,59 ,60 ,30 ,32 and a whole lot more and there was one little 0-4-0 there if I remember dad said it was the shed loco use to shunt the big engine . Those where the good old days before all this HOS stuff .
Wonderful footage. Thankyou.
Excellent: a splendid collection.
Fortunately we now a form of Newcastle Flyer again. Rail Heritage is running 3801 unassisted Sydney to Newcastle. One stop for water at Hawkesbury River. And some fast running round Wyong too.
Simon...3801 set a record for the Flyer run in 1964 and cetainly ogd some steam happening either side of Wyong. Total time was one or two minutes over two hours to old Newcastle terminus. Was a record until the XPT broke it in mid 70's.
Touching, and made great effect of the second movement in Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor. Almost made me cry.
the ending and epitaph got me ...😢..like attending the funeral of one part of my life's happier memories.😟
It’s a shame 3802 was not preserved as her in black would of been interesting compared the lime green of 3801
awesome footage
Agree that the majesty of Beethoven matches the grandeur of those days.
Speeds in excess of 70mph wow that is cool 😎
Thumbs up. Maitland N.S.W.
When you think about 3803 and other steam engines shut up in storage she'd doing nothing, it makes you wish it can be restored to operating condition like sister locomotive 3801, could you imagine 3801 and 3803 working together?😊
Steam was destroyed by Philip Shirley a pommy brought over to run the railway he arrived with a tin of blue paint we could have got years of service out of steam
I love steam, watching the huge East African 59 class Garratts. Steam is just too inefficient and labour intensive. Huge freight trains with 4-5 or 6 Diesel locos would almost impossible with steam.
Hi Robert: steam loving Pom here. Steam had to go, we all know that, perhaps not so suddenly, but its job was done.
Ironically enough, the need to switch to cleaner power may just mean steam makes a comeback in areas which don't want to pay for electric infrastructure roll outs. Modern oil burners use less fuel and lower emissions then diesel loco's and can safely run on bio-fuels.
Of course the odds of this happening are still remote, but a man can dream.