Garratt 6029 Climbs the Redbank Range to Thirlmere | Festival of Steam 2024

Enjoy the scenes of NSWGR AD60 Class Garratt "6029" and NSWGR ALco 40 Class "4001" with their climb up the Redbank Range to Thirlmere on the Thirlmere - Picton shuttles.
The Thirlmere Festival of Steam is an annual event held by the volunteer-run NSW Rail Museum, at Thirlmere NSW over the historic Picton - Mittagong Loop Line, featuring an array of steam locomotives and diesel locomotives, both in and out of operation over the two-day event weekend. As for 2024, NSWGR Garratt 6029 (AD60 Class) and NSWGR 4001 (40 Class) teamed up for shuttles to and from Picton, and NSWGR 3265 "Hunter" (32 Class) and newly restored, NSWGR 3001 (30 Class) teamed up for shuttles to and from Buxton.
Also open for view was the museum itself, home to 20+ NSW steam locomotives and 10+ NSW diesel locomotives, both operating and static, as well as a range of historic carriages and pieces of other rollingstock.
If you would like to find out more information about the NSW Rail Museum, visit their website here: www.nswrailmuseum.com.au/
Chapters:
0:00 Newlands Gully
1:09 East Gates Approach
Filmed on 19/05/2024

[@graeme9679]

Fabulous, great to see the 40 hanging off the back. I'm in Forbes at the moment, so sad to see 6042 rusting in the paddock.

[@glenwillson5073]

Steam through the bush. Glad I was born in time to experience it a few years before it vanished.

[@JoelDavies-cl6nr]

Music to my ears. She climbed that bank with ease.

[@ekspatriat]

With a bloody great diesel pushing from the back!!!

[@JoelDavies-cl6nr]

@@ekspatriat i could be wrong in saying this, but you'll probably find that the diesel loco at the other end is just "free wheeling". It's only there if there is an issue with the steam loco. This practice started years ago when the 3801 broke down near the hawkesbury river bridge.

[@robertbate5790]

I've seen many video and TV programs feature SAR steam, always worth a watch. Great to see some have survived. 👍👍👍👍👍🇬🇧

[@MrOlgrumpy]

Garratts ran in W.A. when I was kid,ended in the Hadfields smelter at Bassendean.

[@moestrei]

Thank you for those perfect clips, the whistle was the icing on the cake. I have seen her life, a real powerhouse of steam.

[@elcochero1172]

Yes but not given a chance to show its potential when the diesel is doing most of the work !! Just look at the diesel smoke !!!!

[@ianking-jv4hg]

The Power of Steam. Reminds me of daily journey to high school and back.

[@elcochero1172]

What a disappointment !! Only 5 carriages and a diesel pushing .. that loco could have done the job on its own with 10 on the hook without breaking a sweat !!

[@stefmiz]

Regulator was fully open most the way up the hill, got to about 40kph before having to slow down for East Gates on some shuttles.

[@VictorianMaid99]

that was my thought too!

[@MrOlgrumpy]

The diesel is there as a "safety net" should the steamer have a failure and to supply brake pressure.

[@elcochero1172]

@@MrOlgrumpy Clearly visible on the right hand side of the smokebox are a set of steam driven air pumps so that part of explanation is a bit iffy ! And the standard of maintenance is most likely to be higher now than when the loco was in daily use, and being worked to its max tonnage all day every day !! So realistically the reliability will be better !!

[@richardcooke9948]

Someone had that comment on a different video. The answer was yes it can but why wear out the steam loco. If it works a little easier it will last longer for more to enjoy.