Last train to Wallangarra

On October 31 and November 1 of 2023, fires ravaged the Southern Downs region, destroying homes and burning rail track and bridges in the section Ballandean to Wallangarra,
After reviewing the damage, repairs were costed at $20m.
In March 2024, the Government of the day announced closure of the entire section south of Stanthorpe, despite the track to Ballandean being completely untouched by the fires.
The closure will be contested.
On 12 August 2023, SDSR what may have been the last ever train to the border towns of Wallangarra/Jennings. I was lucky to be there for it.
Enjoy this re-post of footage from that day, starting from Stanthorpe and continuing south to Wallangarra.
Photos here:
/ southerndownssteamrailway

[@marciebalme588]

this line must be repaired

[@moosifer3321]

Steam in `23? Preserve the Line FFS!

[@villiersman951]

take some lerks and perks off the qld pollies and bingo plenty of money to fix the line

[@moosifer3321]

Sounds related to `Cockney`?Bean Counters & Politicians? Untrustworthy Scum.@@villiersman951

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

Oh they will once they crash the ic engine markets, same as they did in the 1920's to the ev market!. One man had a pattern for both ic eng and ev ford took them to court and won after appeals.. They're playing same script.. The line will be repaired only when they need it , not when public needs it.. remember they took the steam for the petrol now they're back to ev, whats next steam again?...

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

@@villiersman951Send the little darlings that keep damaging the communities that cared for them as children out on community service where they actually do some work and not some pathetic course about emotions.. Tough love is needed.. Need to stop Lobbying..

[@jebw]

I'd be worried about the future of the run to Stanthorpe if they don't repair the bridges to Wallangarra. I've been on the train from Stanthorpe to Wallangarra a few times with friends and family, and we all enjoyed the train trip.

[@SuperDad58458]

What a fantastic looking train. Those classic Queenslander type carriages are to die for, With their beautiful steps up into the carriage. And the loco has 4 drivers. For that size is awesome. Credit to the camera operator and editor, For a beautifully well put together clip as well.

[@colinthomasson3948]

what a beautiful steam locomotive and old carriage set, all looks much older than as described in the Downs Explorer web site

[@joestrainworldvideos3977]

Thanks for sharing this great moments. Sad if this gets lost. Joe Sub and bell rightle deserved.

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

Hi there , I just SUBBED to your channel too.. Cool content!.. Thanks

[@joestrainworldvideos3977]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy it. Joe

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

@@joestrainworldvideos3977Sure do TY

[@chuckanoo1455]

There is currently a push to have the railway line from Armidale to Wallangarra re-opened.

[@laurenceskinnerton73]

I agree!

[@tharakadamsarademattanpiti4012]

real sad situation

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

Was this the one the sdr got late 90's from chinchilla historical musem?.. Looks very similar to the one that was there , we used to climb all over them as children playing, my bro fell and broke leg, got photo of him in cast right leg on side of boilers.. Just wanted to know if they ever did get the one from chinchilla, also the one in the miles historical will they ever get that going again?.. Thanks for sharing.. Just like nsw did to the Dorrigo group that had fixed tracks and stock yet still told no.. many shut down due to high ins.

[@allsteamedup1]

SDSR's C17 971 came from Chinchilla and is currently out of service, receiving repair. This locomotive used here was C17 974, leased from Qld Rail. The loco at Miles Historical Village is C17 944, stored in the open and viewable at the link below: www.tumblr.com/mileshistoricalvillage/search/944

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

@@allsteamedup1I appreated that Thank-You.. I left another responce about the one in miles, i have a video of that train on my channel, just short 1 min 33 sec showing train and inside talking with my dad he telling me about the top generator I never knew about too. It was 23 April when I uploaded it if you're intrested.. You can use the video for your channel too if you like.. It would be very helpful if you can make a profile of the trains when made ect if you can, I feel it would help your channel grow too!.

[@kerryjames7150]

Bloody magic , no steam from the funnel .

[@user-gk8gg1zt7l]

! Great video. Like me !

[@colinhooper6621]

What’s wrong with using heat resisting concrete rail sleepers ??

[@smitajky]

Everything COULD be done. In the era when everyone relied on rail it WOULD be done. But not enough people use the services. Farmers like the convenience of trucks that come to their farm to pick up. Passengers like the convenience of the car that goes when and where they want. They like to keep the OPTION of having the service but that isn't the same as paying for it. This is the reason why so many lines get closed. For example Dookie in Victoria was rebuilt to a high standard. It cost a lot less per tonne to ship grain on that but the farmers also wanted the flexibility to ship grain by truck to other destinations. The line is closed now and the money spent is wasted.

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

@@smitajky No sorry it had nothing to do with this, it may have played a small part. The reason to push to end the rail indsury was done all over the world from 1970'a onward. Trucks were starting to get to a capacity to make the trips wourth wile, the goverment pushed / end the rail because of people like lindsey brothers and the alike that are now big, big players in the indsurey. Now the gov makes a ton of $$$ , they can close the rail down and saving millions in doing so each year. This was also done in Qld/NSW had some brains & did not rip up all the tracks which will make the transiton back to rail easier.. Now that the big players are under control by gov they have free range to make billions $$, the revenue the gov makes from the transport ind billions in fuel taxs, rego ect. Thats why the railyways were shut down!.. Lobbying has to stop!..

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

@@smitajkyLook up Clara Australia. The fed gov wants to build a high speed rail from Brisbane to Sydeny, then to Canberra have 8 new smart cities/town linked up so can travel melb,bne,syd by rail fast.. They started in Bendigo, Qld already has some high speed capicity, the tracks & bridges need some work but shouldn't be too much to get going. They have a site with mud maps lay out so you can see how far theyre going. Im intrested in it. Seems the Railway will make a big comback soon, Fuel is to expensive, trucks idiling not earing $$.. Something has to give.