RETURN TO RICHMOND VALE

A must watch for any fan of Australian railways.

Marking the closure of Australia's last commercial steam operated railway in 1987.

A look at the line today, and a moment in time when a group of employees took off with locomotive 25 for an extended protest. Legends, the lives of whom were based more on principle than money.

WATCH - Return To Richmond Vale.

RICHMOND VALE RAILWAY

1987

Part 1

The Semi-Retired Foamer visits the historic 'Richmond Vale Railway' in the final months of it's existence.
This railway carried the distinction of being Australia's last commercial steam operated railway and would be gone before the year was out.

Blue SMR22 was the locomotive in use on the day. We see her shunting at Hexham, before following her out to Stockrington Colliery and back. In between, we see a few views of passing coal and passenger traffic on the mainline.

WARNING FOR THE WHINGERS

This is a low-quality video, taken way back in 1987 on VHS and has deteriorated greatly. As a railfan, I do understand it is your duty to point out these flaws.
As I already know of the bad quality, it is probably pointless to do so, however, if it makes you happy, whinge on.

BRUCE COOK

This two-part series is dedicated to the late Bruce Cook (who makes brief appearances). Bruce was instrumental in growing the hobby for me and will long be remembered for the phenomenal tours he operated.
Bruce was an icon of my railfan era, an era without the internet and it's associated hate, an era when you gathered lineside, chatted and had fun.

Part 2 Available Soon

Hello and welcome back to the latest mixed selection from the bowels of my photographic archives - celebrating what is now 37 years of foaming around Australia, along with Fiji and the Philippines.

A more recent shot, taken in 2009, shows FCD-8, the caboose used for clearance duties around Manila (Philippines).

Removing squatters, or the more politically correct 'Informal Settlers', can be a hard task, with many really not wishing to leave their illegal abodes. Thus the railway police are always close at hand to utilize their trungeons, or at least accept a bribe.

Bless those beautiful 10 Class, with priority given to SMR22.

Here be two more shots, recently found, of the final weeks

of the Richmond Vale Railway.

Here SMR22 is seen shunting the Hexham washery after

returning from her one mine run of the day.

Not long after this all railway staff were given the royal rogering and sent on their way. Despite tourist railway plans, the railway lays abandoned 20 years later and the one busy Stockrington yard now just a field of grass that

gives little indication of its past.

Today SMR22 rests out of use at the 'Richmond Vale Railway Museum' with Buckleys chance of ever seeing steam again.

Another of those kettle things, 5112 (often refered to as Ben Chifley's loco) is seen behind ALCo 4484 back in the 80s.

The location is Bathust, the loco now being under restoration and either far from, or closed to finish, depending which railfan gossip you choose to believe.

And finally, the last day of operations to Toronto, strangely enough

utilising a less common, for this branch, 660/760 set.

It was still quite early in the day and the ever growing crowds had yet to form in numbers that would have seen the line still open. It was a fun, albeit sad occasion, being part of rail history, but also witnessing the end of

something you had spent so many years around.

We all enjoyed it our own way, one guy climbing on the front to stop it leaving and others continually hitting the emergency stop along

the final trip to Fassifern.

The night ended with a four gun urine salute as the train returned to Broadmeadow to stable.

Ahhhhh those were the days!