Driver's Eye View (Australia) - Gulflander - Part 1 - Normanton to Critters Camp

The Gulflander is a passenger train operated by Queensland Rail on the isolated Normanton to Croydon line in the Gulf Country of Northern Queensland, Australia.
Steam locomotives were used until 1929 by which time railmotors had been introduced, the first entring service in 1922. By 1974 the line was under threat of closure, earning just $3,000 in revenue but costing $64,000 to maintain.
Today the line exists as a tourist attraction and is said to be more of an adventure than a train ride. The crews are qualified guides and will stop the train and talk about points of interest. The present three-car railmotor set No.RM93 is made up of a Gardner diesel railmotor and two carriages TP1809 and TP1811.
This is Queensland Rail's own description of the Gulflander -
​​​​​​​"Take a journey through frontier country from Normanton to Croydon as you step aboard the iconic Gulflander. Also known as the ‘Tin Hare’, this legendary rail motor is one of the last great characters of the railway world.
Affectionately said to go from ‘nowhere to nowhere’, the Heritage Listed Normanton to Croydon line was never connected to the state rail network and remains the only line in Queensland still measured in miles. From wetlands and grasslands to arid Savannah territory, the Gulflander travels through countryside that most people will never see. This nostalgic rail journey is the perfect way to discover an area steeped in pioneering history and heritage.
As a working tribute to the Gulf of Carpentaria’s early pioneers, the Gulflander is a once in a lifetime experience".
Please join me on the weekly Normanton to Croydon train, consisting of RM93 and two carriages taking around 5 hours to complete the trip at a maximum operating speed of 40 km/h.
Trip date - 17th October 2023
Track Gauge - 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Music - Track - Composer - Source
02:50 - ES_The Red Soil - Saira Ridley - epidemicsound.com
01:02:12 - ES_Outback Hunter - Jon Bjork - epidemicsound.com
To learn more about the railway, please click on this link - en.wikipedia.o...
To book your own Gulflander experience, please click on this link - www.queensland...

[@overload65]

Thanks for the time travel. I lived in Edmonton and used to go to Cairns on one of these for work. If it was raining the windows did not shut very well .Happy days. (Gardner diesels will go forever)

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The railway history of the area is fascinating, how this line has survived to this day is nothing short of miraculous, I'm glad this video bought back happy memories.

[@Dallas-Nyberg]

A unique train ride in the middle of nowhere... an isolated track, 94 miles long, that connects two small towns - Normanton and Croydon. The line does not connect to any other line on the Queensland rail network, yet it is still operated and maintained by Queensland Railways. It is referred to as - the train from "nowhere to nowhere". It is heritage listed. It is said that, when a Nomanton local was asked how dry is was out his way, he replied, "Well, it's so dry, the trees have started to chase the dogs!"

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello, this railway is a relic from the pioneering days that has survived against the odds to offer this wonderful window on how it used to be. It was very dry when I was there, although there are ponds and waterholes where the animals gather to drink. It's a fascinating place. Please click on this link to see the Queensland Rail advertising litrature - www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/railexperiences/ourtrains/gulflander

[@ajons190]

That is indeed Australia at its wildest. A railroad that defies logic or belief - so ideal for a video!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

This railway is a real gem, how it's survived against the odds is a miracle, I'm so glad it has, because it's much better to experience the real thing than it is to read about how it used to be in a book or see it in an old film.

[@warrenhennessy7684]

I agree with you never been on it be great though have a beautiful Christmas and a beautiful New year 🎉🎉🎉🎉😎😎🌲🌲🧑‍🎄🧑‍🎄👼👼🐨🐨🦘🦘 God bless you and your family Warren and Ingrid Melbourne Australia

[@Timsvideochannel1]

​@@warrenhennessy7684 Hi Warren, wish I was in Melbourne today enjoying the warn sunny weather, it's cold and damp hear in the UK, although there is a real Christmas feel to the town with Christmas lights, the market and portable ice rink adding to the atmosphere, I love it really. I had a great time in Australia and I look forward to returning for more Outback adventures. Wishing You and Ingrid a Happy Christmas, Cheers. Tim.

[@Pjs75]

Thank you, Tim, for yet another glimpse of far distant lands and transport infrastructure. As the blurb from Queensland Rail said 'from ‘nowhere to nowhere’, But what an experience, even as a YT tourist. Thanks for sharing.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I'm pleased you found the ride interesting, it was the train itself that I found fascinating, I've never seen anything like it. Cheers. Tim.

[@fco.manuel1503]

Para hacerlo turistico, muy interesante tren, saludos de Canary Islands😮😮😮😮

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@fco.manuel1503 Hola, es un placer tener noticias de las Islas Canarias. Me alegra que hayas disfrutado de este tren inusual.

[@chrisross2916]

Thanks, Tim. It's a great trip - we did it last year. Love the sounds as well.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I'm glad this video brought back memories from your own trip along the line, I also enjoyed the museum and old rolling stock at Normanton, as time allows I'll edit and upload another video showing more of the railway and the towns at either end.

[@kilowagmagnusson4590]

"You could drive further and see less"- The late Burl Ives in 1978 in a concert in Oslo, Norway, describing his home state of Illinois. The scenery here in this video reminds me of this.

[@johncaves]

Thank you for recording and posting this famous journey. An interesting insight into the type of country the line traverses.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello I'm pleased you found this unusual train ride interesting, it's under water for much of the wet season, I'd love to return to see the railway re-appear as the water receeds.

[@78Alcione]

Thanks my friend for providing this interesting video. We are from the US and love to watch videos featuring Australia. Very diverse and magnificent continent. It is a bit scary to think about any emergency in this desolate route. Nevertheless, it seems an amazing journey. Will look for your other videos. Cheers.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello, it's nice to hear from the US and I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. Modern communication takes away much of the risk that once plagued journeys into the outback, those early settlers were brave people, as in the US gold or other valuable minerals were often the driving force behind them.

[@panikrystyna1]

Wszystko bardzo interesujące. Pociąg dziwny ale dzielny. Kolory krajobrazu dziwne ale żywe. Bardzo dziękuję, pozdrawiam.😀

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Cześć, to kolej, o której zapomniał czas, podróż w przeszłość. Upał i czerwony piaskowiec odbijający się w niebie przyczyniły się do powstania żywych, niezwykłych kolorów. Wszystkiego najlepszego. Tim.

[@johannperaus6890]

Hi Tim! It's a great old diesel engine sound 👍. Best regards from Hans and Cheers 🍻🎄🇦🇹.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Hans, this trip is more about the train than the journey, I find the Australian interior fascinating, its history is far more recent, some of the settlers who came from Europe are still alive to tell their stories of hardship and eventual success. It's hard to believe that during the wet season, as much as a half of this railway is under water, the track and bridges were built to survive the harsh weather conditions, most of the track is the original track laid by the early settlers, a real testament to their ingenuity. It is worth visiting the railway just to see the train, I've never seen anything quite like it before 🍺 Tim.

[@heinzbeb5565]

Thank you very much for this wonderful documentation. Since I live on the other side of the globe, I know that I myself will never be able to visit this place again. I am all the more happy to experience this train in a way as if I were there myself. Thank you so much! Kind regards from my little short railway in Switzerland (BEB) Heinz

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Heinz, I watched some of your videos featuring your fascinating little railway. I visit Switzerland every two or three years, next time I'll look out for the (BEB). The Gulflander is more about the train and its history than it is about the scenery it passes through. The museum at Normanton is a gem, a window on the lives of the pioneers and prospectors who went there to seek their fortune. As time allows I will feature some of the towns and the reasons why these outback railways were built. Cheers. Tim.

[@sellier-bellot22]

Australia so barren land indeed !🤔🤔But also some green insight ,maybe spring time ????

[@lundsweden]

This is not "Australia". Australia is a continent, with everything from tropical to temperate rainforests, Mediterranean climates, to semi-arid land like shown in the video to deserts. Oh yeah, and it's very green and not so hot in Tasmania.

[@martinmarsola6477]

A distant train ride. Australia is a tremendous size. I lived in Texas, so I’m used to large areas. Thanks for the video. Astonishing picturesque to view. 🇦🇺🙂👍🇺🇸

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello, I'm glad you found the video interesting, I think "Big sky country" aptly describes both Texas and this region of Queensland, Australia. Cheers. Tim.

[@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682]

Out interest, I thought Queensland and Texas were on par. I was quite wrong it is 2 and a half times the size of Texas, 5 times the size of Japan and 7 times the size of Great Britain. Very roomy you could say.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@stevenpeaketrainsandstuff3682 Comparisons like those really drive home how big Queensland is, yet on a map of Australia, Queensland doesn't look that big at all.

[@peterfrazer1943]

Love these vids and and love Australia. I always regret not visiting. Thanks for posting Tim.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I'm pleased you enjoyed these videos, Australia is a fascinating country, it grows on me a little more every time I visit, sadly I'm too old to make it my home, if I was younger, knowing what I know now, I'd definitely consider making either New Zealand or Australia my new home.

[@jaroslavdrahokoupil9839]

Just great. Thank you from Czech rep.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I hope to visit the Czech Republic next year. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@dellojulien]

hartelijk bedank voor deze twee wonder mooie opnames . 🚞🚞TIM ik wens jou en je medewerkers een GELUKKIG EN GEZOND NIEUWJAAR . ⛄🍾🍷🥂🍰julien 🧑‍🎄

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Bedankt, ik ben blij dat je ervan hebt genoten en bedankt voor de nieuwjaarsgroet, ik hoop dat het nieuwe jaar ook voor jou een goed jaar zal zijn 😊.

[@fanelparaschiv5580]

Foarte frumos!❤

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Mă bucur că ți-a plăcut 😊.

[@leonhovell2747]

🎉 I love it

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊.

[@uk-martin4905]

Was that Gardner chassis with an AEC engine? Its melodious sound seemed very familiar to my ears. It was a joy listen to!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I've got a hunch, it was the other way round.

[@helencadwallader3796]

Gosh fantastic Tim. Was in Queensland 2 weeks ago in the Bush would have loved a go on this. How do you get track maintanice done phew. Helen in UK

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Having visited the area, you will be familiar with the landscape and riding the old train is a lovely way to appreciate it. Something that doesn't really come across in this video is the ponds and lagoons in the bush, it is not as dry as it looks. I guess most maintenance is done by hand. I live in the UK too and I'm already planning a return trip. Cheers. Tim.

[@helencadwallader3796]

@@Timsvideochannel1 I went to Queensland on a trip round OZ. Spent familys inheritance on me. cause I hit 70. Never flown before never been any where but Europe we have a dog so camper is our transport. Can you take me when you go back please ha ha. oz does not want us young old fogies to live there would move tomorrow if I could!!! Thanks Tim your reply was kind. I went out in the bush to meet a fantastic lady who has rescued 2 big dogs that she has given an amazing home to. I love steam trains old trains etc.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@helencadwallader3796Hello Helen, I'm no spring chicken these days, I should be retired, but just the thought of it frightens me, many of my customers are in their 60's and 70's and they look younger than friends who have retired. Keeping busy keeps me fit and young at heart, it also pays for my travelling. My parents loved their dogs and camper van, they were always gallivanting around the UK and mainland Europe. I'm glad you enjoyed visiting Oz, it's an amazing place and I find the people good company. I will be sharing more from this adventure to Oz and NZ over the coming months as time allows. All the best. Tim.

[@helencadwallader3796]

Great stuff Tim get those video's rolling ps I had a snorkel at the Barrier Reef amazing.@@Timsvideochannel1

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@helencadwallader3796 The reef is wonderful, I took my wife and youngest daughter there about ten years ago. Please click on this link to see the video I made at the time - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pV7XkouOrJZ5aJY

[@annawitter5161]

Wow! Love to see Ozzie by rail. And what a cute little loco! When are you coming to Christchurch to visit me?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Anna, I enjoyed travelling around Queensland by rail, this is one of three railways I'll be featuring over the coming months along with museum visits and a more general tourist view of North Queensland, the place is really growing on me, the scenery is so varied, ranging from the Savannahland featured in this video to the wonderful coastline and the mountain ranges that have to be traversed to reach the interior. I visited North Island on this trip to see my son in Wellington, sadly I didn’t have enough time to make it to South Island, maybe next time. As always, it's nice to hear from you. Seasons Greetings. Tim.

[@annawitter5161]

@@Timsvideochannel1 hey Tim! This all looks very exciting and I am looking forward to seeing the rest. I have only been to Brisbane, where my son is. Next time you are in Christchurch it would be great to meet for a coffee

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@annawitter5161 Hello Anna, this adventure started in Brisbane, it's a lovely city, I caught the "Tilt Train" and "Queenslander" train via the Mary Valley Rattler Railway to reach Cairns from where I made my way around the North Queensland interior by coach and train before flying onto Wellington via Sydney. It was an awesome adventure I look forward to sharing here over the coming months and when I'm next in Christchurch I will let you know so that we can catch up over coffee and a cake.

[@tonyday7233]

Love the sound of the Gardner, great video, thanks from Melbourne.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, it's always nice to hear from one of my favourite cities. I'm glad you enjoyed the ride and the sound of the Gardner engine. Cheers from a wet and windy UK.

[@antoneelly9133]

Thats a great video, thank you

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it 😊.

[@drauzioabraz]

Muito lindo! Assistindo daqui de casa: Stº Andre/SP Brasil. Parabéns pelo vídeo, amo lugares inóspitos como neste vídeo. A Australia é um país maravilhoso! Já estive no US (4x), Espanha, Chile, Argentina e Colombia! .. Austrália está nos planos!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Olá, espero que você tenha gostado do Natal no Brasil. A Austrália é incrível.

[@antoniodias118]

Why there are so many rocks covering the railroad? Does this cause any danger to the train?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello, much of this railway line is under water during the wet season and I believe the rocks are positioned to help prevent the sandy areas from eroding. The driver does keep a close eye on the tracks ahead for rocks that could cause a problem.

[@kellyashfordtrains2642]

Steam engines are still running through Sydney and Melbourne. How do you manage to go as far out as Australia? You amaze me.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Heritage steam trains do still venture out onto the mainline with special trains in much the same way as they do here in the UK. My son lives in New Zealand and I visit him as often as I can, although this was the first trip since the end of 2019 when Covid put a stop to my travelling. I travel via Australia and I break my journey on the way.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@MohanDaliwahliThat's good advice, a bus runs three times a week from Cairns to Karumba and return. Please click on this link for more information - www.transnorthbus.com.au/bus-services/cairns-karumba I used this bus to get to Normanton from Cairns and again to travel from Croydon to Mount Surprise. The railway runs short trips from either end of the line on selected dates, as seen towards the bottom of the information on the railway's website - www.gulflander.com.au/pages/fares-and-timetables.aspx

[@davidtyler-ul9vw]

Another fun fact about Aussie Railways. That place was loaded with meter gauge until the 1940's and most of it was replaced because of road trains where trucks haul many trailers behind them. Operating costs were too high so a lot of the railways were ripped, both meter gauge and standard. Same story out in the American West. Once the mines played out, the railroads were simply scrapped.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi David, Queensland Rail is still an all 3ft 6ins (1,067 mm) gauge railway system, although there is also an extensive 2 ft gauge system serving the sugar cane industry. Some of the Tablelands branch lines were closed in the 60's because the mines they once served closed. I saw a number of road trains, many were carrying materials for building and improving the roads, whilst others were carrying fuel oil. A road train at speed is quite a sight. The Durango and Silverton along with the Cumbres and Toltec are reminders of the once extensive 3ft 6ins (1,067 mm) gauge Rio Grande Railroad. Some of the Rio Grande was converted to standard gauge whilst other lines were closed.

[@2pintsofcremedementh]

Love the sound of an old Gardner diesel. Equally reassuring in the hot outback as on the foggy streets of London

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I believe Gardner supplied London Transport with diesel engines for their busses and I'm guessing that is why you commentated "Equally reassuring in the hot outback as on the foggy streets of London". In that case I totally agree with you 😊.

[@2pintsofcremedementh]

​@@Timsvideochannel1 sure was, such an iconic sound, one of the most reliable engines ever produced.

[@jdhinckley1954]

What a unique train. So glad it has been preserved, and equally so that you documented it to share with us. In the videos it looks like the train is zipping right along. I know that with some lenses the speed can be distorted. Do you know how fast they were actually going? Thanks so much Tim! John Vermont/USA

[@edmundcarew7235]

Max speed 40kmh (25mph).

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. The shape of the train and the opening front widows made it difficult to find a position higher up the front of the train to mount a camera. The position of the camera exaggerates the speed which at no time exceeded the maximum operating speed of 40kmh (25mph).

[@alexaltrichter1597]

The little train moves along quite fast. The track must be kept in good repair.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The camera position gives a false impression of speed. The normal operating speed is 40kph.

[@royreynolds108]

Looks like there was a big flood not many months before your trip. There are some places that give the appearance of the track being washed out.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The track floods almost every year during the wet season, I'd like to return to film it again just as the floods recede enough to allow trains to start running.

[@robertcoleman4861]

"BEAUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER" now that's the real Australian outback looking forward to part 2 thanks Tim cheers Bob. PS Did you happen to see any of those giant termites.🐜😅

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I thought they were six legged bush cows 🐄🥴.

[@robertcoleman4861]

🤣😂@@Timsvideochannel1

[@robertcoleman4861]

Did you fly into Normanton by rex?.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@robertcoleman4861 Hello Robert, I to travelled to Normanton with Trans North Bus & Coach, in itself a fasinating experience, the service is more like a Swiss post bus in that it delivers mail, parcels and light frieght to depots along the route. The bus stops for regular refreshment breaks and the driver points out things and places of interest. I booked with this website - savannahlander.com.au/ Once I've posted the train elements of this tour, I will finish with a video about the rest of my Queensland adventure starting from Brisbane, giving details about booking, the places I visited and the places I stayed to help anyone wishing to do a similar tour. I just looked on the Rex Airlines website www.rex.com.au/ to get an idea of price, but I didn't find any flights to Normanton, maybe they are all fully booked. Take care. Tim.

[@Afrodizyak47]

Beautiful and personifies the aura of the Australian bushies and their perseverance in what are some of the most isolated of communities. I would love to know more about the loco and its drive train. It sounds like an old English Gardiner or Leyland engine.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, even in the town of Normanton there is a real sense of being in the middle of nowhere, hot much happening just the noise of parrots stripping fruit trees and an occasional road train passing through the town. It was very hot, the only sign of life was some old boys sitting on the veranda of the pub, I joined them for a while, it was fun to listen to their ripping yarns about crocs and a bit of local history. The train was powered by a Gardner Diesel Engine, information about the train is hard to find, although the driver of the Savannahlander does give an interesting talk about rail motors including the Gulflander in this video (available at the weekend) - kzbin.info/www/bejne/maXPnJqaetB8hqs

[@Aprilsraven629]

This is on my bucket list...

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I hope you get there some day.

[@philippefoubert1956]

Un dépaysement total. Ici, temps pluvieux et venteux. Pour des paysages changeant, il faut regarder autre chose. Joyeuses Fêtes de fin d'année et amitié de Belgique ☃️🤗🎄

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Bonjour, il fait humide et venteux dans ma ville natale aujourd'hui au Royaume-Uni. Juste une semaine après avoir filmé cette vidéo, j'ai filmé celle-ci en Nouvelle-Zélande - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJ7QgZJ4arSjfNU C'est un paysage très différent. Salutations de saison de la côte sud de l'Angleterre.

[@Richard-od7yd]

Its Mixed Use Light Rail !! This is brilliant.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It was an awesome experience, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

[@jakeerickevincavinato-lock8374]

Where does the line that branches out at 14:36 go too ?? And where does the line that reconnects with the main track at 14:48 come from ?? I thought this line didnt connect to other QR rail lines

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The lines you see form the other two sides of a turning triangle.

[@mariopirotto696]

Ese murmullo del diesel es una balleza.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

El motor diesel era música para mis oídos 😊.

[@nicholasroberts6954]

"Iron rich, silurian sandstone in them tha flats" Don't get lost up there, the compass readings will be wonky. Another one, that makes Norfolk and Lincolnshire UK look undulating.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

At least for those who get lost today, they can follow the railway or road although I'm not sure that the road-trains stop for hitchhikers. The early settlers must have been hardy folk. Thanks for the compass information, that's something I didn't know 😊.

[@ronsanders2634]

Well That was interesting

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It's an experience that has to be done for real to get the full Gulflander experience, it's like stepping back in time to the days when this was real frontier land and that wasn't so long ago.

[@neilforbes416]

Your "Steadicam" function must've been working overtime on this video! This line is infamous for its "Bill Haley & Comets" run between termini. "Bill Haley & Comets"? The train *shakes and rattles as it rolls!* LOL

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Niel, I like your "Bill Haley & Comets" analogy, this video could well be used by the camera maker to advertise its "steady" function.

[@neilforbes416]

@@Timsvideochannel1 LOL

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@@neilforbes416 a locomotive in 4WD mode lol

[@neilforbes416]

@@Mediawatcher2023 It's a rail motor.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@@neilforbes416 yes you're correct lol

[@robchapman7996]

was this railway meant to connect to other railways when first commisioned ? Certainly one of a kind !!!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I found this article and I think it gives the best answer to your question - gulflander.com.au/pages/history.aspx

[@mnewm21]

I see the Moonlander there as well as the Gulflander! Shame the Sunlander is no longer in service although the tilt train is an upgrade in terms of travel time and I believe the Savannahlander still runs from Cairns?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

There are some wonderful trains still running in Queensland, the Sunlander may have been replaced by the Spirit of Queensland and the Tilt Train, but you can still get the Sunlander experience by traveling on the Spirit of the Outback. The Gulflander does look to be running through a moonscape for much of its journey. I'll be taking viewers for a trip on the Savannahlander in the next series of videos - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2WXY2ahmcqgeM0

[@Langevloei-NL]

It seems to me a very uncomfortable position for the driver to be in. 😆 The condition of the track is amazing, has it been serviced recently?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

There wasn't a lot of room for the driver between the diesel engine and the side of the carriage, but he look happy enough. We were told that much of the track dated from 1888, when the line was built, it has just been repaired as necessary since then.

[@KOLEJ22DrogaPrzygody]

Hello good video , my friend

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you 😊.

[@davidpanton3192]

I think if you ran 30 seconds of this on a loop nobody would notice. I preferred Wales in the rain.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Wales and this part of Australia are about as different as it's possible to get, although surpringly for much of the wet season this railway is under water ... hard to imagine!!!

[@grahamcroucher5251]

Hi Tim, another great video. I am in contact with them at the moment, trying to arrange a charter. How did you get there? It's miles from anywhere!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello Graham, I was on a tour arranged by savannahlander.com.au/ The direct bus between Cairns and Karumba links Normanton to Croydon and Cairns www.transnorthbus.com.au/about-us The bus starts it's journey from Cairns railway station. I posted 2 videos intended to help anyone following a similar itinerary, you might find some of the information in the video description useful. This is the link to the first video - studio.kzbin.infoRhFARExrY9c/edit I recommend starting at Normanton where there is a fascinating museum and I'm sure the staff will arrange for you to look around the locomotive shed. It's worth spending an extra day at Croydon to look around the town and museums to get some idea of what life was like for those early settlers. Savannahlander.com are very helpful, it's worth asking them for help not just with travel, but also with accommodation. I hope you are successful with this charter, please let me know how you get on and don't forget Queensland's sugar cane lines. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers. Tim.

[@grahamcroucher5251]

@@Timsvideochannel1 thanks Tim, I'll send you an e-mail. The Savannahlander do both the Gulflander and Savannahlander in a 6 day trip for £1,200 pp. it'll be easier to let them arrange everything and I'll add it on to the rest of the trip. I gave the first west coast itinerary to RTC who liked it, but thought I'd borrowed it from another company! They are too busy at the moment to look at it. Stay safe!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@grahamcroucher5251 Hello Graham, Savannahlander.com knows everyone who provides accommodation and food, it's a small community of people and their knowledge will come in useful. I'm wrestling with the idea of joining the RTC tour to India, but I don't like the massive cost of single occupancy, do you know the tour guide and are they the sort of person who'll help me get a camera on the locomotive? I'd like to do all the available components of the India tour; it would be nice if they offered a discount on doing the complete thing. I am also planning another trip to Australia, again it will be the sort of trip that RTC could offer and at the moment I see no tours that include Tasmania's awesome Wilderness Railway. RTC have some good tours on offer, trouble is I've done most of them. Take care and stay in touch. PS I don't check the Email address given on this channel as often as I should, usually about once a week, do you have my regular Email address?

[@grahamcroucher5251]

@@Timsvideochannel1 hi Tim, I didn't know RTC were doing India? Thanks for the info. Work is continuing apace with the project. I will be in touch!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@grahamcroucher5251 Hi Graham, I'm still haven't decided on the India tour, I can't get my head around the the single supplement, even the best Indian hotels don't charge the prices RTC are adding on - www.railwaytouring.net/railways-of-the-raj-india . All the best. Tim.

[@jakeerickevincavinato-lock8374]

What is the branch line for that joins the main track at 1:01:47 wheres does that come from ??

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@MohanDaliwahli Thank you.

[@user-qc8dr7sd4r]

А я видела кенгуру,здОрово!!!Привет из Росси!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Здравствуйте, вы правильно заметили кенгуру 😊.

[@CarlosSilva-qd9ov]

Que lugar terrível, uma ferrovia no meio de um deserto, nem pensar em uma avaria neste trem, neste lugar.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Não sei o que acontece se o trem quebrar, é uma longa caminhada até a cidade mais próxima. Há uma estrada entre as duas cidades que nunca fica muito longe da ferrovia, então meu palpite é que um ônibus seria enviado para resgatar passageiros retidos e isso levaria muito tempo.

[@edmundcarew7235]

I did this in 1982 when it was an older rail motor. Fewer tourists then. How many gangers look after the track?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I've seen photos of the older rail motor, I'd loved to have travelled on it. The number of tourists depends on the time of year; I guess I was there in high season. I don't think the track needs much looking after except when the flood waters recede after the wet season. The track is laid on pressed steel sleepers with virtually no ballast and most of it is the original track.

[@aleu650]

👍👍👍

[@Timsvideochannel1]

😊😊😊

[@lundsweden]

Man, its boring af, thanks for saving me the trip to see it in real life! 😅

[@Timsvideochannel1]

This railway will make you appreciate corners, there is a whole lot more to this railway than you see in the video 😉.

[@martythemartian99]

About 14 minutes in there was a triangle. Do they sometimes run short trips out there?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hello, you are correct about the triangle, it is sometimes used for sunset trips.

[@martythemartian99]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Cool. I look forward to going for a trip up there someday.😁

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@martythemartian99 If you do get visit, I think you'll find it a worthwhile experience.

[@martythemartian99]

@@Timsvideochannel1 Looks like a wonderful place to escape the cold South Australian winter.😊☀

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@martythemartian99We in the UK believe Australia is a warm/hot country. It wasn't until I caught an open top bus in Melbourne that I realised it could be very cold in Oz. Queensland is a wonderful place to escape from colder parts of Oz.

[@michaelXXLF]

Hasn't changed much since the days of Charlie Honey. No freight and no more smokies on the train though.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, if I remember rightly "Charlie Honey" was the driver featured in the old documentary shown in the Normanton railway museum, he was quite a character. I took plenty of photos in the museum and the surrounding station area, I'll share them in a video as time allows, featuring the parts of my Queensland rail adventure not included in these driver's eye videos.

[@michaelXXLF]

@@Timsvideochannel1 That documentary is somewhere on KZbin as well!

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@michaelXXLF I looked on KZbin to find the film I saw at Normanton - this was the closest I could find - kzbin.info/www/bejne/paiTh5Kjodlri7s

[@oliviru100]

Tourist Route? looks like a historic tourist train

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, today this railway is described as a tourist attraction using heritage trains.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

​@@MohanDaliwahli Walking around the station sites at both Normanton and Croydon is a worthwhile experience. There are bits of old locomotives and rolling stock laying around both sites. I will show more in subsequent videos to be edited and uploaded over the coming months.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@MohanDaliwahliI wish I could spend more time in Oz, I really enjoy Australian heritage railways and the stories behind them.

[@mrc6301]

shame no vioce over to tell us where we are abd whats happening.

[@geoffreymartin2764]

This is a bit different to the last video of yours I saw. Warm and dry instead of cool and wet. Only to seasons up in Gulf Country. Dry and hot and wet and hot. 🥵👆🏳‍🌈

[@Timsvideochannel1]

The more I learn about the North Queensland interior the more it fascinates me, I did the Savannahlander on this visit as well, the two railways, considering there close proximity to each other are quite different, although one thing they have in common is just one train a week in each direction. After the wet weather in Wales (UK) the dry, hot weather of the Savannah lands provided a complete contrast ☔🐑🚂🥵🦘.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@MohanDaliwahliThe UK is generally easier to get around than Queensland, although I did all my Queensland rail trips using Public transport starting from Brisbane I used the tilt train to get to Gympie, followed by the Spirit of Queensland train to Cairns. I then travelled around using "Trans North Bus & Coach" the “Savannahlander” and “Gulflander” trains. At some point in the New Year I will edit together a video showing all the non "Driver's Eye" video I shot showing the Ipswich museum and all the towns I visited along with my itinerary including links to the various websites I used so that anyone doing a similar trip can use the information to help plan their own Queensland by rail adventure.

[@lesindorf-835videos]

What is the track gauge?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Track gauge is 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and the operating speed is 40km/h.

[@shuvrole2141]

Классно. Приехать в никуда. Зато есть инет 😀 А, так природа скучновата. Что по этой дороге возили?

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Здравствуйте, это железная дорога из ниоткуда в никуда, проходящая через плоские поймы региона Саванны. Он был построен для перевозки грузов, почты, всякого оборудования, людей и золота.

[@juemuri5448]

da wäre noch platz um auf n paar quadratkilometer ganz alleine die sonne geniessen zu können...

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Es gibt viel Platz, um die Sonne zu genießen 😊.

[@juemuri5448]

@@Timsvideochannel1 und wenn du da zu fuss unterwegs bist haste ruhe und kannst dein herz "schlagen" hören... leider hatte ich es nie bis australien geschafft, aber afrika: tunesien, algerien, niger, dahomey, die sahara...autostop und zu fuss

[@JuanSanchez-l7g]

Esto no tiene fin parece que no hay pueblos es muy desierta australia

[@VjnRolf]

The camera should be higher

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It would have been better mounted higher up, but I couldn't find anywhere due to the shape of the train, the lack of lamp brackets and the opening front windows. A second camera was mounted inside on the passenger side front window, views from which can be seen near the start of this video. The views from the second camera are angled to one side because the window itself is angled and the GoPro sucker mount doesn't offer the ability to turn the camera, a drawback I wish GoPro would look at with a view to offering a solution, maybe one of the high quality mount manufacturers do offer a solution, I'll look into it. There are low quality solutions, sadly the products reflect the low price, I know I've tried some of them.

[@ottavva]

3:40 the switch is n the wrong position

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It is set for the other track, the weight of the train pushes the switch blades over to allow the flanges of the wheels to pass through, it is common practice on many low speed railways, it works fine so long as the train doesn't stop and reverse before the whole train has passed through the switch. You can watch a spring loaded switch working in this video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKiZZKmve8tonqc

[@ottavva]

@@Timsvideochannel1 but of course, I am neither blind or stupid just, it isn't a good practice tks 4 the unnecessary explanation

[@gts2ludovicofratts404]

It's all the same 🤔

[@ChristopherWebb-tv9kk]

Sorry, I found this too boring to continue!

[@SeattleBoatdog]

Ok boomer

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I can understand that, thanks for giving it a go.

[@humptydumpty8984]

Horrible scene.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

It's much nicer when you are there, the video doesn't do the ride justice ☹.

[@robertcoleman4861]

What's your country like?.

[@user-mg3pt3gp7c]

Nice ! 👍

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Thank you 😊.

[@declanmurphy6427]

BORING 😴

[@Timsvideochannel1]

😢.