"Tales from a Railway Odyssey - Nullarbor Interlude"
By Keith A Smith
Paperback cover 36 pages black/white photos
INTRODUCTION
The Sydney Central Railway Terminal lies like a gem in the mosaic of a long established and boisterous city environment. Flanked to the north by a pleasant green outlook of open park, with a rampart of arched stone work streaming down from the south and leading to the city underground, this magnificent building still dominates the view with a commanding clock tower of heroic proportions. It should be recognised that apart from architectural excellence this remarkable and historic structure has been the genesis and the keystone of many a personal and national railway career.
For my own part this icon has been a foundation centrepiece for childhood memories when the busy platforms were the scenes of happy family greetings, sad farewells, amid drifting pungent steam and acrid smoke. Dominating all early recollections were those splendidly attired patricians, the despots of the region, moving around in regal mould and who were rightly regarded as sternly authoritative Stations Masters.