‘More from Australia in the 1990s’, by Rob Freeman, 7th February 2023
7th February 2023 Meeting
For our February meeting, which was the second of our three Winter Zoom meetings, we welcomed Branch Committee member Rob Freeman with ‘More from Oz in the 1990s’. We attracted approx.. 50 for this show.
Rob started by showing some spectacular slides taken by his father [including the first one of the tram in the harbour, the third time a tram had come off at a bend in slippery conditions] from one of the pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1958. These showed not a single skyscraper in the City! Also seen was the Fort Macquarie tram depot building (closed 1955) just before it was demolished to make way for the Opera House.
The main part of his talk covered his visits to Oz in 1990, 1998 and 2000, a decade where big changes were being made in both the organisation of the railways (moving away from being state-run) and with the motive power. Railway scenes in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland were featured.
Here are some of the highlights of Rob's talk: the changing scene at Sydney Central, a procession of massive coal trains in the Hunter Valley, visits to Delec shed in Sydney, scenes in and around Melbourne and Geelong on both standard, broad and mixed gauge track of freight and passenger trains, plus depot visits. Adelaide and on to Port Augusta, the gateway to the outback, and the 1975 line to the steel works in Whyalla. The Cairns- Kuranda tourist line in Northern Queensland. On the preserved front: the big collection at Thirlmere Museum in NSW, Steamranger depot at Mt Barker, South Australia, Puffing Billy Railway in Victoria which has now allowed the dangling of legs out of the window which had been banned for a few years and Sydney Tramway Museum.
A large variety of motive power featured: diesels ranging from Alcos and GMs dating from the 1950s/ early 60s to modern GM and GE designs and electric locos and units of old UK, newer Japanese and Australian designs.
As ever, everyone enjoyed the show and we finished with a small Q&A session at the end.
Rob Davidson, Branch Secretary