"Last steam train to Batlow" tour, 1962.

One of the great steam tours of the past, 30th March to 1st April, 1962. Featuring 3830+3813, 1219, 1709, 1901, 1954, 2532, 1311 and 3243. Freezing early morning scenes in Cootamundra loco, historic footage of double headed 19 class on the amazingly curvy, steep Batlow line, 1311 on the Yass branch and more. What a weekend this must have been.

[@michaelnaisbitt7926]

The shear magnificence of the 38 class steam locomotives are truly shown in this clip We should have saved 10 or more of these monsters really great locos

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Fabulous! :-) It must have v=ee one of the best NSW tours ever. And only one baseball cap to be seen! :-)

[@darylcheshire1618]

I’m fortunate to have travelled to Batlow on the Mountain High tourist railway. Few months later there was the rear end collision on the Cowan Bank and all tourist railways were stopped in a kneejerk and the Mountain High folded My real regret was that I never made it to Tumbarumba

[@BrianKay-ll2cv]

I was there and only 4 years old but I can recall the engine breaking through some bunting at the Batlow station. On a good day I can remember hearing the engine struggling up the hills to Batlow from our farm 2 miles south east of town.

[@Linda2]

What a wonderful memory

[@Albion1411]

Thanks Graeme for posting these gems from the past. I was lucky enough to be on this tour, just one of those great steam weekend tours being organised around this period. The video brought back all those memories from not only the vision of it but of the wonderful sounds of those double headed 38's racing through the night towards Coota, with their distinctive chanting exhausts to the less refined sounds of the smaller 13 ,17,19 and 25 class locos on the branch lines. On the way up to Batlow we had some amazing photo stops where nearly everybody on board left the train which then backed down the line then came steaming past all the photographers. It was an awesome sight to see those 19 class labouring against that fearsome grade. When we reached Batlow i think half the town was there to see the steam locos arrive and as we were about to leave, the ladies from the apple packing factory passed many boxes of freshly picked apples to us. The trips to the other two branch lines were no less interesting as i had never seen a 25 class loco before and as i had never been to Boorawa it was fascinating. The branch line started at Galong and before we left there the school children of the town were invited to take the trip with us. I have a great photo of 2535 and the train taken at one of the run past stops and the first carriage next to the engine where all the school children were travelling shows a mass of children hanging out windows enjoying the trip. The run from Yass junction to Yass Town with 1311 was as always interesting with the line virtually running along the street to the terminus. These weekend tours were amazing and i always appreciated the tremendous effort the organisers put into pulling it all together and of course the NSWGR Train Catering Service ladies who travelled on the entire tour with us and kept us fed ( and entertained) for those two days. Keep those great memories coming Graeme.

[@fordlandau]

24 class. Very rare. 2-6-0 delivered from 1889. Only 25 in class. Brilliant vid.

[@pgclift51]

Sensational video - there were classes of old locos that I had never actually seen operating. Thanks for posting.

[@chiefchook]

Another brilliant collection of nostalgia a decade before I began riding behind steam. Thanks for posting as always.

[@collinblack8474]

Pure gold. Cannot wait for your next trip into the past. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@4201productions]

1709 looks rather stunning in black

[@TickholeProductions]

Outstanding video. Thanks for sharing.

[@australiasindustrialage689]

Thanks Graeme, Great to see footage of smaller engines!

[@adriankingston4338]

What an unreall vidio i wish the NSW Rail Transport Museum would do somthing cool like that one day but then again all the branch lines are closed now so it cant be done 😭 i would pay a small fortune to go on a tour like that!!!

[@brycenew]

Another red hot vid / film - thank you! What a treasure 🔥

[@michaelgoodliffe4887]

That old Beyer Peacock 4.4.2Tank!

[@peterbranch2913]

What a pity no shots of the Gundegai trestle?

[@kenmorgan2993]

good one have you got the last steam train to Camden vidio

[@maxlaw7039]

The Railway do not know what it has missed with these old locos

[@vsvnrg3263]

that paul carter comment is a spam that needs deleting.

[@BelbinVideo]

Yes, thanks, blocked as well now.

[@markf3229]

A thumbs down from a greenie complaining about the smoke. Much climate change then as is now......ZERO