[Ausloco] Looking Back Jan 1977

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

On my way to South Africa I had purchased a 14 day 'all lines' ticket around Western Australia and the following will give you an insight of what Western Australia used to be like in the 'good old days'.

Sunday January 9 1977

2000 Southern Aurora Spencer St- Sydney
S317 14 Cars 2 Motorail Dep 2003 ( the Station Assistant was holding up the red flag instead of the green!)
C/O Albury to 44204 & 44209. Arr Central 0900

Monday January 10 1977

42202 & 42214 were on the Spirit of progress, 44240 & 44237 on the Brisbane limited While the Gold Coast Motorail scored 4426 & 4449.
While waiting for the IP I amused myself by travelling to Campbelltown on the Goulburn day train behind 4411.

The IP consisted of 13 through cars and RBH & SFS for Broken Hill hauled by 4631 & 4627. I had the misfortune of Berth 17 in the ARJ which ensured a rough ride.
Dep 1515 
Arr Lithgow 1739 C/O 4499 (off Parkes) & 4485
Dep 1753
traffic quiet with 4474 at Sodwalls and 4716 at Georges Plains.

tuesday January 11 1977

4905 was on a goods at Menindie and we arrived at Broken Hill at 0946.
C/O 705 and departed at 0946 (CST) arriving at Port Pirie at 1533, traffic non-existent.
an extra 14 Cars were added giving a consist of 29 cars with GM 47 & 27 at the business end departing at 1645

Wednesday January 12 1977

Arr Cook at 0817 departing at 0842 GM4 was in residence
Crossed CL15 & CL3 at Deakin on 69 bogies and GM6 & 37 on the eastbound IP at Rawlinna also CL10 on a gds at Kitchener to arrive at Kalgoorlie at 2110.

Thursday January 13 1977

Arrived in Perth 40' late at 0740.
Perth Suburban trains consisted of elderly ADG & ADX railcars built in the 50s and ADK cars built by Comeng in the late 60s. There were occasional loco hauled trains, mainly in the peak, more often than not hauled by the ubitquitous X class Crossley V8 engined locos. these locos in terms of smoke would make an ALCo seem quite sedate. 
This was found riding behind X1016 from Midland which caused a blue fog on the adjacent Great Eastern Hwy.
I then rode behind Xb1017 to Armadale.

Friday January 14 1977

One cannot go everywhere by rail as Westrail also operates an extensive country bus service and I ventured out on the long ( 11 hrs 30) trip to Esperance.
Noted AA1517 at Dumbleyung and XA1412 & Xa1415 at Newdegate.

Saturday January 15 1977
on the standard gauge at Esperance were K205 & H1 while Xa1412 & Xa1415 were now at Lake Grace.
Arrived back at 1930 and noted GM19 & GM40 on the IP.

Sunday January 16 1977

I scored a cab ride out to Forrestfield on the empty IP with GM24 & GM 28 and for the West Australian readers, the following will bring back memories:
Stabled at Forrestfield yards were k203 K206 L257 L252 L269 L268 L267 L266 K209 L261J101 K204 K208 H5 L251 L262 KA211 L264 L271 H4 (Standard Gauge)
F43 F41 Y1103 XA1404 XB1032 A1507 M1851 X1013 R1902 MA1862 M1852 X1019 X1003 C1701 XB1024 X1016 XB1004 X1026 Y1112 F40 X1005 MA1861 RA1910 RA1906 MA1863 A1502 A1513 X1011 A1503 B1605 F46 AB1534 TA1815 XA1406 D1562 XB1018 B1601 Y1117 Z1151 B1604 B1603 B1602 XA1409 ( Narrow Gauge) Very few of these locos exist today.
Westrail were going through experimental stages of deciding which colour scheme to paint the locos in, finally settling on the terrible orange and blue but at this stage there were locos in all different colour schemes, green, blue, red and pink undercoat. 41, 266,1004,1112 and 1513 were painted in the latter!

That evening I ventured to Albany on the overnight Albany Progress behind Xa1404 & Xb 1032 - what bliss on a warm summer's evening listening to these machines burbling their away up the Avon Valley with a 14 vehicle train in tow.
Meanwhile back in Perth GM28 had failed so the IP was hauled by L269.

To be continued.




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