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[Ausloco] looking Back Jan 1977
Monday January 17 1977
The Xs came off at Narrogin and were replaced by GM AB1532 and arrived in Albany at 0743.
Back to Perth on the road coach service. DA1575 was on a goods at Cranbrook, A1511 at Tambellup, X1007, Xa1403 and Xb 1022 were at Katanning, Da1572 was at Wagin while Da 1576 was at Brookton and Ab 1531 at Beverley. The road coach was full and an extra coach met us at York at 1612 ( 412!).
Tuesday January 18 1977
Perth-Armadale return X 1005
Midland-Perth A1508
My notes say, a wet day ( unusual for Perth in January)
Wednesday January 19 1977
Off to Albany again on the road coach on the direct route via Kojonup and back on the Albany Progress.
This comprised XA1411 & 1415 ( 1415 was covered in black oil down one side- the orange paint was not discernible) and 19 vehicles 6 of which were for passengers. I was sharing a sleeper with a loco engineer with the NSW PTC and he could not believe the plumes of black smoke from the Xs as we climbed Kendenup bank out of Mt Barker
Thursday January 20 1977
Arrived at Perth 5'early at 0655
More road coach travel, this time to Geraldton. Unfortunately the route we travelled on yielded not a railway line in sight.
Geraldton loco revealed Y1115, Y1111, X1028, RA 1913 & AA1518
Friday January 21 1977
Back to Perth, this time following the old Midland Railway Co line. X1025 had arrived in Geraldton, A1513 ( still in pink undercoat) was at Three Springs and XA1411 & XA1415 ( from Albany) were now on a goods at Moora.
Rode behind X1026 from Perth Terminal - Perth .
Saturday January 22 1977
Travelled on the Australind to Bunbury with pink X1012.
A1508 was at Pinjarra and RA1916 at Brunswick Jn.
Bunbury loco revealed TA1812,X1003,F40,F46,X1001,F43,XB1022,Y1118,RA1909,
RA1908,RA1906,RA1916,AA1516,X1031,XB1018 and XB1017.
The return trip was behind green ( and black oil stained) X1003
That evening I headed to Kalgoorlie on the combined IP/ TransAustralian which comprised GM29 GM23 VDM HGM ER BRJ BRJ CDF DF AFC ARM ARJ ARL ARJ ARL HM ARE BRE BRG BRJ CDF DF AFB ARL ARJ ARL HRBG RM RM RM - 28 Vehicles
Dep 2106
Sunday January 23 1977
Arrived in Kalgoorlie at 0642. I ventured out to West Kalgoorlie where L274 260 251 255 258 266 259 263 & 264, K210, KA212 & 213 were seen
During the day ANR locos sighted were GM13, 24, 3, 9, 35, 33 and CL16
Back to Perth on the 1415 Prospector XA1413 was at Merredin with J104 while we crossed GM10 & 14 on the IP at Midland arriving at Perth Terminal at 2210.
Monday January 24 1977
A very hot day ( 42)
Perth- Queens Park Xb1020
Queens Park - Perth X 1026
Midland- Perth XA1407 ( presumably because of the hot weather this loco shut down at every station stop which made us wonder whether we would ever get to Perth) It was replaced for the run to Armadale by XA1404.
Tuesday January 25 1977
0930 Australind to Bunbury X1011 & 6 cars
RA 1908 was at Yarloop while RA 1912 & XB 1022 were at Brunswick Jn
Y1108 Y1113 F40 Y1118 RA 1909 X1026 X1031 X1001 and A1501 were at Bunbury and surrounds.
Wednesday Janaury 26 1977
travelled on the road coach service on the scenic road to Albany
F40 & F45 were at Picton Jn, A1501 at Donnybrook, Ta1813 & F42 at Bridgetown ( Bridgetown was such a large yard, it warranted its own shunting loco, now everything goes by road) R1905 was at Pemberton.
Back to Perth on the Albany Progress behind DA 1575 and 21 vehicles. AB 1533 was at Elleker, AA1517 at Narrikup and AA1519 at Tambellup.
Thursday January 27 1977
Arrived in Perth at 0657
Perth - Queens Park X1002
Queens Park- Perth X1019
Perth Terminal- Kalgoorlie on the 0900 Prospector
GM 15 & 26 on IP
Very quiet traffic wise and on arrival at Kalgoorlie I found out why. I had planned to return to Perth on the TransAustralian but it was blocked behind a freight train derailment at Zanthus. The temp at Kalgoorlie that day was 44 and a heat buckle caused the derailment.
I had to get back to Perth as my all lines pass expired at midnight.
I put my case to the Westrail staff at Kal who told me to get out to West Kalgoorlie and I would be able to ride on a freight back to Perth, this was L254 & 259 on 48/2200 tons. We left at 2011, sleeping on mail bags is no fun but it provided a means to an end
Friday January 28 1977
I was put off at Midland at 0715 and I spent the day riding on suburbans:
Perth - Queens Park Xa1404
QueensPark-Perth X1005
Midland-Perth X1002
Perth-Armadale X1003
Armadale-Perth X1005 on the Australind
The next day I headed off to Johannesburg on SAA flight 243 and spent an enjoyable 6 months chasing steam.
I have been residing in WA since October 1979 and regretfully I have seen the demise of the railway system as we know it. There is very little freight and what freight there is is bulk commodities only. There may be a change with the impending sale of Westrail but things will never be the same as they were in the seventies.
Regards
Noel M Forster
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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