What a wonderful video. I never knew that both the prime minister, Robert Menzies, and his opposition counterpart, Arthur Caldwell, were on the first train. It shows how significant the occasion was and also how far we have moved from the bipartisanship of politics of that era to the detriment of our country.
By the time the "Southern Aurora" was launched America's railroads were effectively eliminating their passenger services wherever possible. The equipment, manufactured by the Budd Company in Philadelphia, was shipped in unassembled parts to Australia, where it was assembled by Coming in Victoria.
St James Rail's 60th anniversary 'Southern Aurora' special departs Sydney on Saturday night, 23 April 2022. Timetable is on the ARTC website under 'customer information' then 'notices' then 'train alteration advices (TAAs').
Austrlias most modern and most luxourious train in the 60s. It had a dining car and clubcar that the similar Overland did not have, but it got clubcars in 1970.The Araura never ran at 80 MPH or 130 KM/H, the tracks permited 70 or 115 KM/H and the locos are geared for only a bit more. Track speed in NSW was/still is 80-100 KM/H in many places on the Melb-Syd line due to the curves and the grades can slow things more or kill acceleration after the curve/s.
The lead loco into Melbourne, S 314 was on a Northbound freight train and was wrecked after the Southern Aurora hauled by S 316 ran through the Violet Town loop because the driver on the Aurora had a heart attack. Both locomotives were written off. It is claimed that X 37 and X 38 were built from parts, but that was only creative accounting. The Victorian Railways couldn't get money to buy two replacement locomotives, but they had money to repair locomotive, wagons and passenger cars, so they may bought them under the guise of basically building two engines from parts of S 314 and S 316.
@@johnhumphreys3246 the Victorian Railways were “self insurers,” they couldn’t get money for new locos, but they could get money for repairs & maintenance of their rolling stock. It was creative accounting, it was always claimed that X 37 & X 38 were built from parts from the two S class locomotives, but that was just creative accounting. Those replacement locos were not paid for by insurance. I have no idea about the carriages written off, but I’d say the Victorian Railways as self insurers were responsible for them.
Great film. Thanks. Now happily running again in 2021 as the Aurora Australis doing tours around NSW.
What a wonderful video. I never knew that both the prime minister, Robert Menzies, and his opposition counterpart, Arthur Caldwell, were on the first train. It shows how significant the occasion was and also how far we have moved from the bipartisanship of politics of that era to the detriment of our country.
I saw the last time the Southern Aurora left Spencer St in 1986
By the time the "Southern Aurora" was launched America's railroads were effectively eliminating their passenger services wherever possible. The equipment, manufactured by the Budd Company in Philadelphia, was shipped in unassembled parts to Australia, where it was assembled by Coming in Victoria.
I remember going on this train as a child in 1966...
Cheers rdrogel, thanks for the history of the S314,Gezza.
Sadly, S314 was later wrecked at Violet Town in 1969.
St James Rail's 60th anniversary 'Southern Aurora' special departs Sydney on Saturday night, 23 April 2022. Timetable is on the ARTC website under 'customer information' then 'notices' then 'train alteration advices (TAAs').
Austrlias most modern and most luxourious train in the 60s. It had a dining car and clubcar that the similar Overland did not have, but it got clubcars in 1970.The Araura never ran at 80 MPH or 130 KM/H, the tracks permited 70 or 115 KM/H and the locos are geared for only a bit more. Track speed in NSW was/still is 80-100 KM/H in many places on the Melb-Syd line due to the curves and the grades can slow things more or kill acceleration after the curve/s.
G'day Coupn8, i cant' recall, if i come across it i will let you know? sorry i have completely forgotten.
Cheers Gezza
Nice pick up coupn8,cheers Gezza
The lead loco into Melbourne, S 314 was on a Northbound freight train and was wrecked after the Southern Aurora hauled by S 316 ran through the Violet Town loop because the driver on the Aurora had a heart attack. Both locomotives were written off. It is claimed that X 37 and X 38 were built from parts, but that was only creative accounting. The Victorian Railways couldn't get money to buy two replacement locomotives, but they had money to repair locomotive, wagons and passenger cars, so they may bought them under the guise of basically building two engines from parts of S 314 and S 316.
The replacements X class locos, were new units paid by the insurance received for 5he 2 wrecked S Class locos.
@@johnhumphreys3246 the Victorian Railways were “self insurers,” they couldn’t get money for new locos, but they could get money for repairs & maintenance of their rolling stock.
It was creative accounting, it was always claimed that X 37 & X 38 were built from parts from the two S class locomotives, but that was just creative accounting.
Those replacement locos were not paid for by insurance.
I have no idea about the carriages written off, but I’d say the Victorian Railways as self insurers were responsible for them.
And nothing will save the Governor General for being British.
Yes. Very stupid. Nothing to do with this excellent film.
Yawn. And yet here you are.
The Governor General's wife Jacqueline died later that year in Government House at 48. I reckon she looks a fair bit older than that in this film
The fcuk?
The fcuk?
And then it crashed and killed a whole lot of people in Violet Town - the worst train disaster in Australian history.
Ahem.. not actually the worst. Granville NSW 83 killed, Sunshine Vic 44 killed, Violet Town Vic 9 killed.
At Violet Town, 8 passengers died. The ninth person was the Southern Auroras driver who was already dead from a heart attack at the time of the crash.
Very interesting historical film! I see Arthur Calwell in the film one of the ugliest buggers of all time!🙂🚆🚃🚃🛤️