Fassifern, 1966-68. Historic archival footage.

Fassifern was a Mecca for steam enthusiasts. With the Toronto branch, Newstan Colliery and the main Northern line, the station was at the foot of a mile of 1 in 45 grade. This historic film, by the late Neville Hatcher, shows 30 tanks, 35s, double 53s, double Garratts, 38s, 59s and even some early diesels, including 43 class.

[@shedwork]

Amazing footage from another age. In the late 60's I was 7 years old growing up in Edgeworth in Newcastle. I remember hearing the whistles of the Garrets of a night as they came from Fassifern through Argenton heading toward Newy.

[@flamingfrancis]

Great vision and memories for me..Dad was a relief SM at Fassifern and my brother and I used to catch a rain ride from Wyong to take his hot lunch up on occasional Sunday in the early 60's. Looks like a Newcastle Flyer being pulled by one of the non streamlined 38's. Also a 35 pulling a set just like our school train. Double Garratts were seen hauling out of the colliery

[@TrainLordJC]

Having just discovered this channel I am thoroughly enjoying this spectacular footage of so many various NSW steam locos in superb Australian scenery and classic old railway stations etc. I will share the link with my fellow HO scale train layout club members in South Australia and I will watch all of these steam train videos with total appreciation. I can only imagine how the man who took these videos must have felt to see these wonderful engines go by. He certainly recorded the end of a bygone era for posterity. Kudos to him and to you for putting it on KZbin for us train buffs worldwide to enjoy.

[@MegaBloggs1]

he spent a lot of time out there rivet counting-his poor wife -no wonder he dedicates some of his films to her! but without his efforts we would be the poorer

[@piccaluga35]

Fancy a C38 piloting a Garratt on a car train! Thanks for the wonderful video.

[@adriannettlefold9084]

Nothing like it... if you've had the opportunity to have worked Steam on the mainline, it's an experience that never leaves you. Even though I'm of the newer post Steam era Enginemen, the brief 8yrs of Queensland Rail Heritage excursions that I fired and drove, were the pinnacle of my 21yr career. Watching this I know what was happening on the footplate and the memories of the sites, sounds and smells are very much present. Thank you Bevin for capturing these wonderful images. Cheers Adrian

[@normansilver905]

Thank you for preparing and sharing with us. I appreciate your work and generosity.

[@michaelnaisbitt1639]

Oh Graeme you have outdone yourself. Brilliant video. You must have miles and miles of film. Appreciate the upload. THX

[@BelbinVideo]

Thanks Michael. Miles aint the word for it haha.

[@andrewr2825]

Having recently retiring to Lake Macquarie, I often travel by train from Fassifern to Sydney. It’s great to see the layout shown in your video and compare it with today! Especially the Toronto train and junction platform. And what about the lash up of the two Class 60’s! Great bit of history!👍🏻👍🏻

[@graemedurie9094]

Thanks for posting this. A time when you could "change at Fassifern for the Toronto line"!

[@garyquelch5827]

Thank you so much 👍magnificent footage of our railway history 🇦🇺

[@allanaliversidge5337]

The vertical vents on top of the front tank are to release displaced air as the tanks are filled with water. They had to be tall to compensate for the height of the rear tank. The sound intensifier tubes ran from near the leading wheel of the front truck.

[@johnclarke2553]

Wonderful film. I think I even saw some Falcon GTs on the car freight.

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Marvellous sights. :-)

[@HughFromAlice]

Great shots!!!!!

[@19501952]

Who noticed something missing on the rolling stock? Graffiti

[@fordlandau]

Fantastic footage. Looks like the Brisbane Limited Express right at the start ! Very nice. Is the AD 60 the biggest Beyer-Garratt locomotive in the world? Probably.

[@BelbinVideo]

Thanks fordlandau. Yes, the Brisbane Ltd. I think the 60 class was the biggest but, if I recall, the East African Class 20 (?) was more powerful.

[@steeltrap3800]

@@BelbinVideo By a little bit, 60,700lbf (270kN) v 59,560lbf (264.9kN). The 30 modified AD 60 "Super Garratts", of which the still-running 6029 is one, were more powerful at 63,490lbf (282.4kN). I don't know if the SA ones, apparently the most numerous B-G class in the world, ever had examples with the dual controls fitted to the AD 60 "SG", which was a set of controls that linked to the normal ones and allowed the engineer to face forwards when the engine was running tender first. The Garratts were used in double-header, as seen in this footage, to handle 1,500t coal trains. Despite the noise, I bet crews appreciated the mechanical stoker as these locos must've gone through a fair amount of coal I'm guessing. I've seen a crew member of 6029 post comments saying that the AD60 was/is surprisingly sensitive in terms of firing, although that in part might be a consequence of the mechanical stoker system that at the same time makes it theoretically easier to be precise. I don't remember the details of why, so I was guessing, but it was an interesting bit of trivia from someone with direct, recent experience. Also interesting is how at least some of the Garratts in SA had significantly smaller water and coal capacities because of their initially intended role, which is why they ended up with specifically designed separate water tenders attached once it became clear they were going to be used more extensively. The same thing happened with the NSW ones, although they expanded the water and coal capacity within the frame rather than externally. They're all great, but then I've watched the USA get its "Big Boy" restored and running, and that thing is truly ridiculously HUGE, :-D

[@michaelnaisbitt1639]

Twin AD 60 s. =. Power unlimited

[@algrigg9039]

One thing that has always puzzled me - what are those two pipes sticking up out of the front water tanks on the Garretts.... just thinking that perhaps they are to provide air ventilation to the crew, as that was always a problem with these locos. Anybody know?

[@allanaliversidge5337]

Think they are just vents to expel air as tank is filled

[@algrigg9039]

@@allanaliversidge5337 Certainly a possibility, but I wonder then, why so high?

[@dougwall5892]

They were to tranfer the sound of detonators etc to the crew.

[@algrigg9039]

@@dougwall5892 Thanks, Doug, that certainly makes sense.

[@thegreatdivide825]

@@dougwall5892 They weren't for the detonators, there was other pipework leading from the front bogie wheels to the loco cab for sound transfer, you can see it on some of the Garratts in the video

[@rodneyrivers794]

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