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The last Nurail pass trip I undertook was in July
1979. This trip wasn't as train orientated as I had recently married and we were
using this as an opportunity to catch up with friends.
Sunday July 22 1979
1845 Spencer St- Central 1845 Spirit of
Progress
X51 to Albury 12 cars C/O Albury 8013 ( brand new)
& 4414, had left Melbourne 18' late owing to late docking of the train and
arrived at Central 20' late.
42215 & 4470 on Sthn Aurora.
Wednesday July 25
1979
We booked on that afternoon's IP to Peterborough
(SA) and amused ourselves in the meantime by travelling to Wollongong and back
on the original 'slow boat to China!' 48148 & 5 cars both ways. Whilst it
was a slow trip my wife thought it was very scenic.
1515 Central- Peterborough
4601 4602 13 cars left on time c/o Lithgow 8003
& 8009( off Parkes). Noted 4705 & 4538 on Gds at Orange.
Thursday July 26 1979
Still on time into the 'Hill'. C/O to GM24. Noted
CL14,GM25 & 601 on a gds at Thackaringa and 602,606 & 604on an Ore train
at Mingary Arr PB 1335.
1606 Peterborough- Central GM3 & GM4 13 Cars
Dep 38' late at 1642 GM39 & GM7 on Gds at Ulcolta and 604,606 & 602 on
return ore working at Yunta. C/O to 8012 at the 'Hill'.
Still late, the elderly 4 motor GMs lost time and
we left Broken Hill 76' late.
Friday July 27 1979
Added 8009 at Parkes, now 61' late. Crossed 8006
& 4501 at Manildra and 4450 & 4510 at Borenore. C/o Lithgow to 4616
& 4608. 4538 was on a wiring train at Wentworth Falls.
arrived Central 30' late at 1620.
Saturday July 28 1979
1840 Gold Coast Motorail to Murwillumbah 4424
& 4414 13 cars & 2 Motorail 44228 & 44212 on Brisbane
Limited
Sunday July 29 1979
The locos were changed at Grafton to 4448 &
4409. 4434 & 4502 were on a gds at Casino. In true ALCo fashion we
arrived 5' early at 1120.
Tuesday July 31 1979
After a couple of days in wet Brisbane we left on
the Brisbane Limited with 4410 & 4405 13 Cars
Noted at Yeerongpilly and surrounds were
44204,7314,48144,4419,7313,1476,4520,4481,4495,
4805,4483,4846,1275,1412 & 44218
4403 & 4496 were on a gds at Kyogle while 44212
& 4435 were on the Motorail at Casino.
Wednesday August 2
1979
The trip to Tamworth in a 7 car DEB set was without
doubt the most unpleasant trip we had ever undertaken, in fact Melanie felt
quite ill at the end of it. Being over the wheels did not help and we couldn't
fill our coffee cups more than one third without it sloshing over the
side!
DEB sets were undoubtedly the 'bete noir' of NSW,
signs should have been attached ' travel at own risk!'
Locos sighted:
4480 & 4447 Hornsby
4425 & 4421 Narara
847 Cardiff
4513 Thornton
4521 & 4473 Singleton
4415 & 4433 Blandford
4510 Ardglen
4535 4537 & 4718 Willow Tree
4803 & 4860 Quirindi
Thursday August 3
1979
A much more civilised way to travel, in the comfort
of a BAM sleeper on the North Mail from Tenterfield with 4535 FS BS BAM MHO with
BAM ACS SCN SCN ex Moree on at Werris Creek
Friday August 4 1979
C/o loco to 4615 at Gosford, on time arrival at
Central at 0628.
Brand new 8014 was noted on the Intercapital
Daylight.
Saturday August 5
1979
2010 Spirit of Progress Central- Spencer St 4493
& 4406 10 cars. C/O Albury X54
Noted 42211 & 42104 on Aurora
On time arrival at Spencer St
Shortly after,we moved to Perth and trips back East
on Business saw more 80s & 81s on passenger trains, then the arrival of the
XPTs and subsequent demise of loco hauled trains. I guess having scored as many
44s on crack trains was looked upon as an Indian summer. Already 8014 had been
delivered and the 81s were just around the corner.
I am an unabashed ALCo enthusiast, they offered
something different to todays modern motive power.
Regards
Noel Forster
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