[Ausloco] Looking Back Easter 1976

["noel m forster" <noelmel@wantree.com.au>]

The rail pass was also available in South Australia in the 70s and I spent Easter 1976 travelling around that state.

Friday April 16 1976

After a busy day driving trams at the Ballarat Tramway ( Good Friday was always one of the busiest days of the year), I fell into my sleeping berth in Allambi which was part of a 16 car consist hauled by X46 & X45 leaving Ballarat at 2303.

Saturday April 17 1976

Locos were changed at Serviceton to 701 & 961 both recently overhauled and looking resplendent in the old SAR colours ( and like good reliable ALCos are still plying the rails today albeit on a narrower gauge). An on time arrival at the wonderful Adelaide station before the casino took over.

I spent the day on the trams and travelling to such places as Christies Downs and Semaphore.

I joined up with two S A railfans I knew who were heading out to Serviceton that night on the Overland.
Once again 961 & 701 at the head of 18 cars. In the consist were 28BW, 5BW, 23BW & 38BW which were being worked back to Victoria after being used on the second Division on 'Black Thursday'.
Out on time at 1910.

Sunday April 18 1976

Arrival at the thriving metropolis of Serviceton was at 0059 and after checking out the motive power for the Victorian leg (S300 & S305) we headed for the SMs ( or equivalent) office and its warm fire.
702 & 958 headed 280 Fast Goods c/o X37 & S301.

S307 & S304 arrived on 69 Overland -12 cars including Car 752 ety c/o 701 & 961 Departing 0300 arriving in Adelaide at 0849.
We wandered out to Mile End loco and noted the following:
508,939,902,903,506,516,521,526,934,965,947,962,960,942
951,953,952,858,931,932,936,844,842,845,808,955,957,933
938,945,935,905,517,523,941,509,513,524,504,500,501,964,
840,901,930,946,904-- not many of these locos are still around today.

Ventured to Port Pirie on the East West express behind 907.
Crossed 956 & 846 on 540 gds with a load =147.909 was on the West-East express at Snowtown. Arrived at 1629.

GM35 & GM27 were ready to depart on a combined Trans/IP 

Monday April 19 1976

Port Pirie and surrounds ( I met well known Victorian photographer and videographer, Yuri Sos here for the first time) displayed a wide range of locos- GM37,CL6,CL15,510,
GM12,603,703,864,859,CL4,GM38,963,843,522,CL17,GM46,
GM30 (Ghan to Marree) CL11,GM1,GM10,CL4,862,GM24,
937,GM13,GM19,GM36,CL16,CL1,705,602,532,529,905,518,
527.

CB2 failed on the Whyalla run and was towed in by GM6 while the East West had 937.

CL13 arrived on a combined Trans/IP (21 cars). I headed off to Broken Hill on the IP behind 602 departing 15' late at 1355. At Peterborough Cars 500 & SCD 1 were added for the Broken Hill leg.

We arrived at Broken Hill at 1952 and 4465,4496 & 4905(!) took over, I presume the 49 was being worked back to Parkes, no one could explain its presence on the train.

Tuesday April 20 1976

DP102 headed out on the Comet while the loco revealed 4489,704,601,602,4482,705,600,861 & 4913.

4474 arrived on the IP and changed over with 601 departing at 0935. Peterborough was reached at 1327 and I left the train to catch the Bluebirds back to Adelaide. 281,103 & 254 departed 10 late after a fitter was summoned to attend to 254.
Crossed 947 on a Pass at Hallett and we arrived in Adelaide at 1810.

Work tomorrow so I headed back to Ballarat on the Overland behind 931 & 952 and 17 cars departing at 1910.

Wednesday April 21 1976

S301 S307 took over at Serviceton and passengers were greeted at 0650 at Ballarat by the stench of T384 on a train load of pigs sitting in 4 road!

South Australia from a railfan's point of view has certainly changed a lot in 24 years but fortunately there is still the variety of motive power around ( with GMs, 600s, 700s, 830s etc).

Regards

Noel M Forster




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