New South Wales, Australia - 1969 & 1970
The Railway Reminiscence series makes available to all, acceptable quality silent films from the past, which to date have only been able to be viewed by the owners of the films and maybe their close friends. As these were silent films, rather than dub possibly inappropriate sounds of trains we opted to use commentary and tasteful music background of the production era.
On this production featuring films by Keith Brauer, you will see a good selection of trains on the Main South line, filmed as the steam era was ending and the diesel era well under way. The steam locos are mainly black, some shiny with red trim, others grimy but 3801 and 3813 are in green livery, while the diesels are in their early colour schemes, There are numerous single headed trains and a number of double headers on tours and in regular service.
Locos covered in order of appearance are: 3820 non streamlined (ns) 4-6-2, 3203 4-6-0, 3801 streamlined 4-6-2, diesels 422 & 421, 44, 45, 40, steam 5920 2-8-2, 3647 4-6-0, 3638 4-6-2, 3642 4-6-0, 3809 ns 4-6-2, 3813 ns 4-6-2, 3811 ns 4-6-2, 3214 4-6-0, 3229 4-6-0 and briefly 5112 2-8-0.There are absolutely beautiful sequences of 3809 on the up Southern Highlands express, green 3813 on the same train and 3813 on train 50, the up morning passenger from Moss Vale. In these scenes the white steam billows high in the cold highlands air, or lays back for kilometres with the trains at speed, while more steam issues forth along the train from the steam heating outlets of the lovely old wooden carriages.
The above locos are on non a/c suburban and heavy cars; a seven car air-conditioned special; on Clerestory roofed 12 wheel cars; hauling a Vline car + non a/c train; A/C Intercapital Daylight set tour and on freights including LCL containers.
There is a cab ride in a diesel, which passes Demondrille coal stage, views of Moss Vale loco yard and turntable, Picton turntable, Goulburn roundhouse with 5112 2-8-0 moving off the turntable and a brief look at Goulburn Steam Museum with operating steam locos. A rail "trike" (quad!) also briefly appears, as well as diesels 4009 and 4003 double heading. Finally, 3229 4-6-0 + 3624 4-6-0 appear on a tour train with some nice shots, glint and silhouette, to conclude a true Railway Reminiscence.
Footage captured on super 8 Kodachrome film, transferred by flying spot scanner to Broadcast Standard One Inch tape, linier edit to BetaCam master, transferred to digital format for release on DVD - An Original Rowlingstock Production.
Approximate run time: 55 minutes.