Featuring New South Wales from 1978 to 1992.
Hi Rail Vehicles... Our opening feature begins with Land Rovers on rails buzzing about on Sydney's underground near Kings Cross. A Toyota is on rails at Bombo on the South Coast, while nearby we take a brief look at part of the railway quarry. More Hi Rail as a utility truck whizzes along the Mount Thorley line, and in 1992, a Mercedes Benz Unimog is at work on rail on the Carlingford line.
Bethungra Feature... A sorry opening with the burned out ruins of the signal box, however we soon move to the famous Bethungra Spiral where we cover in some detail this fascinating trackwork where the up line spirals 360 degrees, crossing under the down line and over itself. Trains seen on Bethungra Spiral are mainly 81 class Clyde GM, including one in Bicentennial colour, plus XPT, Vline G and a pair of 48 class light engines. One of the trains is the Intercapital Daylight.
Signalling... We briefly look at the new push button signal & route setting panel at Mulgrave on the Richmond line, together with Electric Train Staff working.
Electric Locos At Work... A series of trackside views of 85 and 86 class (double and triple headers) at work on freights and coal trains.
Northern Line... At Glennies Creek, 44 & 45 Alcos; a look at Muswellbrook with a pair of 81 GMs on an empty coal; Willow Tree and the Northern Tablelands XPT, followed by the departure of a pair of 81s leading a coal train with pushers 35, 35 & 422! That's railways really at work! Further north, the Werris Creek feature looks at the very unusual station, with departing XPT, then a look at the old station power house built in 1916 with it's Ruston Lincoln diesel alternator and switchboard still there. After a look around the loco depot, we see the 1924, 1926 & 1984 Railway Barracks.
Next, a brief look at Armidale, a major station with no passenger train service. Steam Segment. Take a look at 5910 2-8-2 with the former Commissioner's Train arriving at Regent Street station, where we look through the train with all the trappings of a bygone era. The train departs, with 5910 sparkling in shiny black with red trim and is seen lineside further on along the Metropolitan Goods Line.
Captured mostly on professional Betacam, or 16mm film. Some older segments were taken on 8mm, super 8 and 9.5mm formats, professionally transferred, plus some professional Umatic. All has been edited on one inch tape and directly duplicated. The one inch tape master transferred to digital for release on DVD.
An Original Rowlingstock Production.
Approximate run time: 55 minutes.