Re: 422's plus Diesel Speedo memories

["Robert Bushby" <romanabt@tassie.net.au>]

Aus loco discussion mailing list

A bit of reminising -

Some of the older fellas amongst us might remember stories about how 40
class diesels were the only locos that could run the Newcastle Flyers
(sorry - Expresses) to time, like 38's, whilst some other classes with
speedo's struggled with the 70 limit.

The speedos on the 40's weren't always that good, when they worked, and
importantly, even when working, they didn't have tapes. I've even seen them
missing from the cabs all together on Broadmeadows based units when taken
out for repairs. Maybe some of the stories were a little more legendary than
true, but a 40 in full flight on a late running Flyer could actually make up
time with a keen crew between Gosford an Broady.

Don't know what the rules were back then (memories fading!), but no speedo I
know of ever stopped a train then - I rode in the cab of a 44 with a sick
speedo on the Brisbane Limited once, and it was very interesting watching a
very experienced master (salaried driver) run the train to time on the
difficult Brisbane to Grafton section with a single unit (#2 end) with a
full summer holiday load. That was a cab ride I will long remember (from
about 32 years ago). The crews south of Grafton got a second 44 to help.

Wonder if some of those classroom trained drivers of today will ever learn
how to do that without the old masters to teach them (and a speedo).

Rob Bushby
Queenstown, Tas.


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