Fact 18 / 100 – Early Locomotives

Six retired NSWGR locomotives were used to haul construction and supply trains. The NSWGR had six surplus Q class suburban locomotives. These locos were introduced in 1880 as 4-4-0 tank locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock & Co of Manchester, England. In 1910 their side water tanks were removed and a standard six wheel tender was fitted. Before entering service with the Commonwealth all locomotives were fitted with automatic couplers. The locomotives were re-coded as D class.

The locos proved quite unreliable due mainly to their age and the extreme conditions they encountered and when the G class were introduced they were relegated to shunt duties and were mostly withdrawn from service in the 1920’s.  

In mid-1914 twelve G Class locomotives were delivered. These latter locos had frequent boiler failures, and as the lengths to the railheads increased, they were worked to their limits. To reduce locomotive down time, intermediate loco depots were established for emergency repair work.

Lack of good quality water that affected locomotive boilers was a problem from the first days of the Trans-Australian Railway.

There is more information regarding steam locomotives in another segment later in the series.

Source:  Locomotives and Railcars of the Commonwealth Railways – National Railway Museum

Officially lost the plot............Fact 16, 18?  Now for 17 !


Fact 17 / 100 – The Cost

The final cost of the 1,682 km long railway was £6,667,360 compared with Dean’s figure of approximately £4million. Considering the large rise in the cost of materials and labour that occurred during the war, and the additional works involved, such as some ballasting and heavier rail, to have completed the works for the final cost was a remarkable achievement.

*To put that into today’s dollar terms £6,667,360 in 1917 is worth, allowing for a general average rate of inflation, approximately $616,584,200 today. To put that into perspective the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway cost $1.2 billion. The 1,420 kilometre railway included 6 major bridges, hundreds of minor bridges and culverts, 145,000 tonnes of rail and 2 million sleepers.  Admittedly railway infrastructure today is greatly different compared to 1917 when the Trans was basically laid manually by hand on bare ground and the terrain was mainly flat.


*  Author’s note – It is difficult to draw comparisons but the comparison is basically designed to reinforce the fact that the project was monumental for such a young nation.



Source: Engineers Australia and Reserve Bank of Australia  

Fact 18 / 100 – Early Locomotives


In mid-1914 twelve G Class locomotives were delivered. These latter locos had frequent boiler failures, and as the lengths to the railheads increased, they were worked to their limits. To reduce locomotive down time, intermediate loco depots were established for emergency repair work.

For the inaugural passenger train (described as an "Inspection" train) there were numerous failures of tender axle boxes ("hot boxes".) This may have been the first train trying to run at passenger speeds and some locomotives were new (G26 had been in service about a week, although delivered earlier).

But the number of tender hot boxes contributing to the 445 minute late arrival in Kalgoorlie was out of all proportion to normal experience elsewhere.

I think two things contributed to this.

The CR increased the tender water capacity from 3650 gallons to 4850 gallons, which increased the weight of the tender by more than five tonnes. There was an increase in coal load allowed by abou 2.5 tonnes. So the CR tenders weighed nearly eight tonnes more than the NSW original.

Photos show that G1 to G4, built by Clyde, had no compensation between the tender axles. I haven't been able to find out if this bogie design was also used on the Baldwin G class, but it is possible.

The NSWGR adopted compensation at least by their 1913 order of superheated T class, which formed the basis of the CR K class. So the K class came with compensted axles on the tender bogies.

But a lack of compensation would reduce the ability to share the load between bogie axles on the presumably still uneven track, and combined with a heavier tender than the original design and not helped by the generally warmer weather in the desert, tender axleboxes failed left and right.

At one intermediate station, 93 minutes were lost taking a tender from a presumably cold locomotive and putting it on the train engine.

G16 was taken off in a planned exchange at Zanthus, but the locomotive replacing it failed in mid section, so G16 was serviced and sent west to take the train on to Kalgoorlie, which it did.

One hopes the first passenger carrying trains fared better.

Peter

Just a note to say Mt Lofty at least was not delivered to the Commonwealth Railways till some time in the 1960's actually 1964 as there are photos of it at Islington workshops stored still in the green and yellow 1936 style paint. Also the Onkaparinga sleeping car at the NRM at Port Adelaide has the original Overland chrome signs from Mt Lofty on it now. These were removed with permission before it went to CR by some representatives of the original ARHS/ Railway Museum later the Mile End Railway Museum.

Macedon made it to CR in 1950. This car was used as a sleeping car for truck drivers at one stage and later as a sleeping car on the Maree train, I have been on board this car at Port Augusta when it was in maroon and silver.

Perhaps I missed the post but just in case it hasn't be mentioned; there is a video around of the original CR track laying machine as well as sleepers being transported by camels. It was part of one of the well known Australian videos sold when train videos became popular years ago.

Just a note to say Mt Lofty at least was not delivered to the Commonwealth Railways till some time in the 1960's actually 1964 as there are photos of it at Islington workshops stored still in the green and yellow 1936 style paint. Also the Onkaparinga sleeping car at the NRM at Port Adelaide has the original Overland chrome signs from Mt Lofty on it now. These were removed with permission before it went to CR by some representatives of the original ARHS/ Railway Museum later the Mile End Railway Museum.

Macedon made it to CR in 1950. This car was used as a sleeping car for truck drivers at one stage and later as a sleeping car on the Maree train, I have been on board this car at Port Augusta when it was in maroon and silver.

It is all a bit odd...

Mt Lofty was withdrawn in 1940 and not used again by the SAR

The number 73 was allocated to it around 1950 along with 74 and 75 to Macedon and Hopkins.

One assumes that Macedon being named after a Victorian mountain belonged to the VR while Mt Lofty belonged to the SAR.

So the VR sold their vehiles in 1950 but the SAR hung on to Mt Lofty unused for another ten years.

Then of course the CR didn't realise it had a number (73) and gave it a new number 328 in 1977 when they finally thought of a use for it. There was a lot of that when the CAR closed and NG vehicles got new SG numbers, a few of which were never used or at least never applied (399 for example).

John Beckhaus has a photo of it, still green at PA in 1964.

But in 1964, most Overland E sleepers still had their chrome train names...

Peter

Budd RDC CB 2 at Port Augusta a couple of weeks ago.

She is looking a bit tired at the moment. Hopefully after some repairs and a good clean inside and out she will be ready for display in October.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1890426844528915&set=gm.769119246603408&type=3&theater

Fact 72 /100 will cover the Budd Cars in more detail.............

Just a note to say Mt Lofty at least was not delivered to the Commonwealth Railways till some time in the 1960's actually 1964 as there are photos of it at Islington workshops stored still in the green and yellow 1936 style paint. Also the Onkaparinga sleeping car at the NRM at Port Adelaide has the original Overland chrome signs from Mt Lofty on it now. These were removed with permission before it went to CR by some representatives of the original ARHS/ Railway Museum later the Mile End Railway Museum.

Macedon made it to CR in 1950. This car was used as a sleeping car for truck drivers at one stage and later as a sleeping car on the Maree train, I have been on board this car at Port Augusta when it was in maroon and silver.

It is all a bit odd...

Mt Lofty was withdrawn in 1940 and not used again by the SAR

The number 73 was allocated to it around 1950 along with 74 and 75 to Macedon and Hopkins.

One assumes that Macedon being named after a Victorian mountain belonged to the VR while Mt Lofty belonged to the SAR.

So the VR sold their vehiles in 1950 but the SAR hung on to Mt Lofty unused for another ten years.

Then of course the CR didn't realise it had a number (73) and gave it a new number 328 in 1977 when they finally thought of a use for it. There was a lot of that when the CAR closed and NG vehicles got new SG numbers, a few of which were never used or at least never applied (399 for example).

John Beckhaus has a photo of it, still green at PA in 1964.

But in 1964, most Overland E sleepers still had their chrome train names...

Peter

It was stored at Islington for God only knows how long but in a old photo book by the then Mile End Railway Museum there is a photo of Mt Lofty coming out of Islington workshops behind a 900 class diesel and the date was sometime in 1964 from memory. This was for the car to be delivered to CR. I do not know the actual date of the photo though! But Comrails website list's it as being sold to CR on the dates below!

25/8/1964 Sold to Commonwealth Railways.
30/9/1964 Dispatched to Pt Pirie and then sent to Port Augusta to be stored!

Fact 19 / 100 – Rails are linked and the first Passenger Train

The two tracklaying teams linked the final rails together at a point near Ooldea at 1.45pm on Wednesday the 17^th October 1917. The rails were linked at a point 691.068 kms from Port Augusta and 1,011.011 kms from Kalgoorlie.

Included in the 1,692 km railway was, and still is, the world’s longest straight stretch of railway line. At a point 13 kms east of Nurina (WA) the line extends eastward for 478 kms to a point between Ooldea and Watson in South Australia without a single curve.

The first passenger train left Port Augusta for Kalgoorlie at 9.32pm on Monday the 22^nd of October 1917 hauled by locomotive G21.

More on the journey itself in Fact 20………….

Source: Riders of the Steel Highways – Monte Luke

Budd RDC CB 2 at Port Augusta a couple of weeks ago.

She is looking a bit tired at the moment. Hopefully after some repairs and a good clean inside and out she will be ready for display in October.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1890426844528915&set=gm.769119246603408&type=3&theater

Fact 72 /100 will cover the Budd Cars in more detail.............

Below is a link to a promotional Budd RDC movie from the USA from 1952.

Really is a reminder of days gone by.........



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDQeVUnZ0JI


PS  I do like the music.!!!

It was stored at Islington for God only knows how long but in a old photo book by the then Mile End Railway Museum there is a photo of Mt Lofty coming out of Islington workshops behind a 900 class diesel and the date was sometime in 1964 from memory. This was for the car to be delivered to CR. I do not know the actual date of the photo though! But Comrails website list's it as being sold to CR on the dates below!

25/8/1964 Sold to Commonwealth Railways.
30/9/1964 Dispatched to Pt Pirie and then sent to Port Augusta to be stored!

The Comrails list of CR passenger cars by number lists

"73    see 328" which is Mt Lofty.

So as I indicated, the CR expected to get it in 1950 along with 74 and 75.

Perhaps the SAR changed their mind on the sale in 1950 but relised they might as well sell it by 1964.

I'm not arguing that it didn't get transferred in 1964, just that someone in Port Augusta expected it in 1950.

If it were a 900 class, that rules out 1950 since the 900s were only introduced in 1951.

There are a lot of little mysteries about the CR, paasenger car numbering being one of them.

At least one former NHRE was numbered HRE 356 on one side and HRD 365 on the other and it already had a much lower SG number allocated to it anyway.

Peter

Yes SAR had similar on their books as well, probably the only thing I can think of about the actual sale would be CR might have been interested in it in 1950 but SAR was asking a too higher price for it and by 1964 they realized it was a bit of white elephant and decided to cut their losses and sell it no matter what the price to CR. Just to get it off the property. Just an assumtion on my part but probably pretty close to the truth. While it sat at Islington it would be in the way of moving other things and the car would be deteriorating externally anyway as from memory it was stored outdoors between two buildings which offered some protection from the elements, but not that much. It would be good to find out why The lag in selling came about though!

Fact 20 / 100 – The First Passenger Trains and locomotive power

Although G21 had the honour of hauling the first passenger train to leave Port Augusta for Kalgoorlie it only lasted until Pimba where a hot axle box forced its retirement. It was replaced by G12. By the time the train pulled into Kalgoorlie there had been a total of 11 engine changes!
In order the locos were G21,12,24,23,22,26,25,19,16,18 and 16 once more.

The driver of the first train was Mr Timothy Edward Crotty and Mr J Pollard was the guard. Other drivers included Mr George Hogan, Gilbourne, Castling, Lewis and Morgan.

It was hoped that 4 engines could complete the journey to Kalgoorlie with changes at Tarcoola, Cook and Rawlinna although early on this was rarely the case. From the early 1920’s through until 1933 this became standard practice as engine maintenance improved.  

Eventually one engine took the train to Cook and was replaced by another for the remainder of the journey to Kalgoorlie. At the time the 539 mile run (Cook to Kalgoorlie) was hailed as the longest run undertaken by coal burning steam locomotives in the world.  

Source: Locomotives and Railcars of the Commonwealth Railways – National Railway Museum
Source: Riders of the Steel Highways – Monte Luke

Just a note to say Mt Lofty at least was not delivered to the Commonwealth Railways till some time in the 1960's actually 1964 as there are photos of it at Islington workshops stored still in the green and yellow 1936 style paint. Also the Onkaparinga sleeping car at the NRM at Port Adelaide has the original Overland chrome signs from Mt Lofty on it now. These were removed with permission before it went to CR by some representatives of the original ARHS/ Railway Museum later the Mile End Railway Museum.

Macedon made it to CR in 1950. This car was used as a sleeping car for truck drivers at one stage and later as a sleeping car on the Maree train, I have been on board this car at Port Augusta when it was in maroon and silver.

It is all a bit odd...

Mt Lofty was withdrawn in 1940 and not used again by the SAR

The number 73 was allocated to it around 1950 along with 74 and 75 to Macedon and Hopkins.

One assumes that Macedon being named after a Victorian mountain belonged to the VR while Mt Lofty belonged to the SAR.

So the VR sold their vehiles in 1950 but the SAR hung on to Mt Lofty unused for another ten years.

Then of course the CR didn't realise it had a number (73) and gave it a new number 328 in 1977 when they finally thought of a use for it. There was a lot of that when the CAR closed and NG vehicles got new SG numbers, a few of which were never used or at least never applied (399 for example).

John Beckhaus has a photo of it, still green at PA in 1964.

But in 1964, most Overland E sleepers still had their chrome train names...

Peter

Regarding the two cars 73 and 74. They were rebuilt as mobile supermarkets for the Tea & Sugar and were classified OPB 74 and OPB 328.

Fact 20 / 100 – The First Passenger Trains and locomotive power

Although G21 had the honour of hauling the first passenger train to leave Port Augusta for Kalgoorlie it only lasted until Pimba where a hot axle box forced its retirement. It was replaced by G12. By the time the train pulled into Kalgoorlie there had been a total of 11 engine changes!
In order the locos were G21,12,24,23,22,26,25,19,16,18 and 16 once more.

Source: Locomotives and Railcars of the Commonwealth Railways – National Railway Museum
Source: Riders of the Steel Highways – Monte Luke

In the case of G21, it was one or more tender axleboxes that caused its retirement at Pimba. 39 minutes had been lost by Woocalla, 10 minutes more by Wirrappa and 4 minutes more due to a stop between Wirrappa and Pimba.

And not just locomotive changes...

At Wyalring, 321 miles from Port Augusta, G22 swapped tenders with an unidentified locomotive (which we assume was not in steam, or surely they would have changed locomotives. This took 93 minutes (not a bad time all things considered) which was one of the longest single delays.

The other major delay that added up to the total seven hours and twenty two minutes delay was G 18 failing 106 miles west of Zanthus. G16, which had been taken off that train in Zanthus, had to be serviced, coaled and watered and sent forward to rescue the train. Given the distance involved, 142 minutes were lost waiting for G16 to come from Zanthus.

As well as complete failures, the tender axlebox overheating involved a lot of slow running to avoid further damage.

Peter

Regarding the two cars 73 and 74. They were rebuilt as mobile supermarkets for the Tea & Sugar and were classified OPB 74 and OPB 328.

Macedon (74) has been restored as a lounge car at Castlemaine in Victoria.

The vehicle I quoted earlier as having confused numbers was HRE 199
It was converted to narrow gauge as NHRE 199 keeping its standard gauge number.
When it came back to SG, it wasn't realised that it already had an SG number so it was renumbered 356.
Unfortunately it was numbered 365 on one side and 356 on the other. As a result 365 wasn't issued and 199 was occupying three numbers at the same time.

Peter

Fact 20 / 100 – The First Passenger Trains and locomotive power

Although G21 had the honour of hauling the first passenger train to leave Port Augusta for Kalgoorlie it only lasted until Pimba where a hot axle box forced its retirement. It was replaced by G12. By the time the train pulled into Kalgoorlie there had been a total of 11 engine changes!
In order the locos were G21,12,24,23,22,26,25,19,16,18 and 16 once more.

Source: Locomotives and Railcars of the Commonwealth Railways – National Railway Museum
Source: Riders of the Steel Highways – Monte Luke

In the case of G21, it was one or more tender axleboxes that caused its retirement at Pimba. 39 minutes had been lost by Woocalla, 10 minutes more by Wirrappa and 4 minutes more due to a stop between Wirrappa and Pimba.

And not just locomotive changes...

At Wyalring, 321 miles from Port Augusta, G22 swapped tenders with an unidentified locomotive (which we assume was not in steam, or surely they would have changed locomotives. This took 93 minutes (not a bad time all things considered) which was one of the longest single delays.

The other major delay that added up to the total seven hours and twenty two minutes delay was G 18 failing 106 miles west of Zanthus. G16, which had been taken off that train in Zanthus, had to be serviced, coaled and watered and sent forward to rescue the train. Given the distance involved, 142 minutes were lost waiting for G16 to come from Zanthus.

As well as complete failures, the tender axlebox overheating involved a lot of slow running to avoid further damage.

Peter

Just a few teething problems Peter. Nothing that couldn't be fixed over the next 10 years or so! Luckily there were engines available at other locations to keep the train moving. It is testament to their (the CR) ingenuity that eventually the locomotives could run such long distances.

Eventually newer locomotives, better maintenance and higher quality water supplies would improve performance dramatically. I guess they had to start somewhere and with the wartime austerity measures in place and a terrain that had never been encountered previously it is to their credit that the railway survive and eventually flourished.

Fact 20 / 100 – The First Passenger Trains and locomotive power

Although G21 had the honour of hauling the first passenger train to leave Port Augusta for Kalgoorlie it only lasted until Pimba where a hot axle box forced its retirement. It was replaced by G12. By the time the train pulled into Kalgoorlie there had been a total of 11 engine changes!
In order the locos were G21,12,24,23,22,26,25,19,16,18 and 16 once more.

Source: Locomotives and Railcars of the Commonwealth Railways – National Railway Museum
Source: Riders of the Steel Highways – Monte Luke

In the case of G21, it was one or more tender axleboxes that caused its retirement at Pimba. 39 minutes had been lost by Woocalla, 10 minutes more by Wirrappa and 4 minutes more due to a stop between Wirrappa and Pimba.

And not just locomotive changes...

At Wyalring, 321 miles from Port Augusta, G22 swapped tenders with an unidentified locomotive (which we assume was not in steam, or surely they would have changed locomotives. This took 93 minutes (not a bad time all things considered) which was one of the longest single delays.

The other major delay that added up to the total seven hours and twenty two minutes delay was G 18 failing 106 miles west of Zanthus. G16, which had been taken off that train in Zanthus, had to be serviced, coaled and watered and sent forward to rescue the train. Given the distance involved, 142 minutes were lost waiting for G16 to come from Zanthus.

As well as complete failures, the tender axlebox overheating involved a lot of slow running to avoid further damage.

Peter

Wyalring = Wynbring (321 miles).
An intriguing aspect re the first through train is that 106 miles west of Zanthus is between Curtin and Golden Ridge at 1,027 miles. 1,027 miles is only 22 miles east of Parkeston.
The delays make interesting reading compared with those encountered these days on some systems 'in civilisation'.

The other major delay that added up to the total seven hours and twenty two minutes delay was G 18 failing 106 miles west of Zanthus. G16, which had been taken off that train in Zanthus, had to be serviced, coaled and watered and sent forward to rescue the train. Given the distance involved, 142 minutes were lost waiting for G16 to come from Zanthus.

Peter

Wyalring = Wynbring (321 miles).
An intriguing aspect re the first through train is that 106 miles west of Zanthus is between Curtin and Golden Ridge at 1,027 miles. 1,027 miles is only 22 miles east of Parkeston.
The delays make interesting reading compared with those encountered these days on some systems 'in civilisation'.

YM,

Thanks for the correction.
I very nearly put a question mark in parentheses after the name.
The document in question is:
http://comrails.com/library/downloads/CR_tar_first_train_running_sheet.pdf

This has been transcribed by one person after the event but the handwriting is difficult.
I only got Wirrappa right because I knew the name.

Having checked the locations it appears that the train made it only to Coonana (then described as 106 mile (from Kalgoorlie) siding, thus only 24 miles from Zanthus. G18 must have been in real trouble.

I'm not trying to be overly critical of the operators of the time. But as an engineer, I'd like to get to the cause of the problem of tender axleboxes.

I'm in the middle of an equally annoying probem at work now.

Peter

The other major delay that added up to the total seven hours and twenty two minutes delay was G 18 failing 106 miles west of Zanthus. G16, which had been taken off that train in Zanthus, had to be serviced, coaled and watered and sent forward to rescue the train. Given the distance involved, 142 minutes were lost waiting for G16 to come from Zanthus.

Peter

Wyalring = Wynbring (321 miles).
An intriguing aspect re the first through train is that 106 miles west of Zanthus is between Curtin and Golden Ridge at 1,027 miles. 1,027 miles is only 22 miles east of Parkeston.
The delays make interesting reading compared with those encountered these days on some systems 'in civilisation'.

YM,

Thanks for the correction.
I very nearly put a question mark in parentheses after the name.
The document in question is:
http://comrails.com/library/downloads/CR_tar_first_train_running_sheet.pdf

This has been transcribed by one person after the event but the handwriting is difficult.
I only got Wirrappa right because I knew the name.

Having checked the locations it appears that the train made it only to Coonana (then described as 106 mile (from Kalgoorlie) siding, thus only 24 miles from Zanthus. G18 must have been in real trouble.

I'm not trying to be overly critical of the operators of the time. But as an engineer, I'd like to get to the cause of the problem of tender axleboxes.

I'm in the middle of an equally annoying probem at work now.

Peter

Thanks Peter.

As you say a 1917 document transcribed onto a 1962 sheet.

Just to fill a few of the gaps shown only as mileages (more or less anyway):

17 miles became Tent Hill
408 miles was/became Immarna
599 miles was/became Deakin
771 miles was/became Haig
853 miles was/became Naretha Lime Siding (?)
885 miles was/became Kitchener
106 miles (from Kalgoorlie) was 946 miles from Port Augusta = Coonana

Spelling correction = Karonie

There is a complete written report on the running of this train around that I have seen several times but, of course, cannot now locate it. It may well answer all our questions.

There are several more intriguing aspects revealed by this document including:

• Trailing load increases from 315 tons to 371 tons between Pimba and Wirraminna and between Barton and Cook. Perhaps a water gin (or additional gin) was conveyed between these locations although the scheduled times at Pimba and Barton do not appear to reflect attaching/detaching anything.
• How did the bearing sizes on G class tenders compare with other system's tenders of similar axleload although I have a vague recollection that the choice of oil may have been involved somewhere/somehow.

Of interest also is that there was considerable trouble with C class tender axleboxes overheating when the locos were new.

Does anybody have a copy of or a link to the written report on the running of the first through train from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie?

Fact 21 / 100 – First train to depart Kalgoorlie and the non-official opening

The first passenger train departed Kalgoorlie on Thursday the 25^th of October 1917.

Arrangements had been made for an Official Opening by the Governor General Sir R C M Ferguson at Wynbring on the 12^th of November. However owing to the pressing war problems it was decided not to publicly celebrate the occasion.

The Governor General did travel by train leaving Port Augusta for Perth on the 13^th of November. He was publicly received in Perth on the morning of the 16th of November.

Fact 22 / 100 – 1918 Getting there

By the end of June 1918 the telegraph line was complete and practically all earthworks were finished.

The station building, the round-house, carshop and carbarn at Port Augusta had all been completed.

The building of workshops at Conwaytown (their present location) as well as other buildings and quarters were well underway.

Keep 'em coming, Train1959 !
As a matter of academic interest, are you going to post the whole 100?

Keep 'em coming, Train1959 !
As a matter of academic interest, are you going to post the whole 100?

Howdy Valvegear

I have worked out if I post every two days or so I should get to 100 around the middle of October!

They are all written bar one at present.

Monte's book has been a great asset - RIP Monte, he passed away about 18 months ago.

Which leaves 1975 and beyond (after the Commonwealth Railways) a little more difficult but I got there.

So did you know that last year the Indian Pacific went through 28,000 cans of Coke!!!  (Fact 101)...........
Of course these were not all consumed on the TAR portion of the journey before anyone points it out !