Rails Around Australia - Episode 2 - The Last Of A Line - 1987

Rails Around Australia - Full Episode 2. This episode features:
2:40 - The Gulflander
32:13 - The Australind
35:40 - Hotham Valley Railway
35:22 - The Puffing Billy (inc workshops)

[@Ian-hj2gm]

I think we have gone backwards from when this series was made. Well spoken, informative documentary and I can't help but notice how nobody appears to be in a rush or are angry in their demeanor. Australia was once a very laid back and welcoming place. I wonder what happened to us.

[@Jerram89]

Good to see that 27 years after this video was made the Gulflander is going strong with many years to come.

[@neilforbes416]

@Jerram89, yea verily! Last time I looked there were some very-recently-shot videos of the Gulflander with a restored motor which had lain idle up until very recently, but now fully operational. Yep, really great to see Gulflander DOES have a future!

[@colinwilkie2279]

One I've always liked about, QR, unlike other railways. QR leave there railway open. Stuff the cost.

[@Thebibs]

The old Coote throws a spent match out the window into dry grass. Genius

[@josephcarlbreil5380]

I think changing 'coote' to 'tosser' would not be inappropriate.

[@thomaselliott573]

What a great series. I was surprised by the level of professionalism and warmth. John McIntosh sounds a lot like Bill Peach used to. The pronunciation today does not come close. The series really draws you in.

[@brianvittachi6869]

Good on you Aussies. I am from Singapore and really appreciate how these old timer machines are still kept in operation, going strong and being loved. It's so unlike my own country in which wealth has created a "new broom sweeps well" mentality. Thank you for for posting.

[@jessesands4099]

Went on the Gulflander Train in 1992 from Normanton to Croydon well worth doing highly recommend it one of the best Railway trips I have ever been on!🤗👍🚞🛤️🌴🌴🐊🐂🍍

[@jslasher1]

I reckon Charlie would have passed on yonks ago given his heavy smoking habit. Interesting episodes about Australia's iconic railways and passenger services.

[@cameronwhyte7223]

The Australind, although still running, is now just a railmotor. I never got the chance to ride on the old loco hauled version, but have ridden on the newer version. It is still a nice trip.

[@robertr3797]

Great series! Thanks for sharing. When TV had a lot more informative content and well made. Love how the carriage condition of the old Australind looks worse than the Gulflander!

[@Palifiox]

In July 2015 the Gulflander is still going, the station building at Normanton has been repainted, the older railmotor has been repaired and is running and there is a new diesel locomotive. Must be bringing in money.

[@DKS225]

You're right there i saw RM 60 in Scott McGregor's Down The Line series when he did the episode Treasures of the Australian Savannah

[@ipswichdaddy1]

If the Gulflander was operated by NSW Railways it would have been stopped in the 70s

[@neilforbes416]

One thing needs mention here, "Leaping L:ena"(Gulflander) is NOT a Tin Hare! The name Tin Hare belongs to the CPH class rail motors from 1923 on to the late 1950s/early 1960s NSW country railways.

[@neilforbes416]

If anyone visits Steamfest at Maitland, the Tin Hares are a semi-regular feature of this event, they alternate with a 620/720-class rail motor pair from the early 1960s. The CPH "Tin Hare" motors and the 620/720-class motors can be seen at the Rail Motor Society museum and workshop at Paterson NSW on the 3rd Saturday each month. Google "Rail Motor Society" for more details. These Gulflander motors are in NO way even remotely related to the CPH "Tin Hares".

[@darylcheshire1618]

I thought the Leaping Lenas were the steam rail motors operated from Darwin, the QR rail motors were Red Freds.

[@neilforbes416]

@@darylcheshire1618 From what I've seen, those Leaping Lenas look like old roadgoing vehicles that have been modified for running on rails.

[@petermordan8449]

Remember going on the Puffing Billy as a kid when all the carriages were like the one behind the locomotive and you sat on the ledge with your legs dangling down and getting covered in soot.

[@DKS225]

What Charlie Honey didn't fix RM 60 the subsequent Station masters after him eventually did RM 60 as of 2004/5 was restored to full working order

[@jessesands4099]

Normanton Railway Station Never changes seems to be permanently frozen in time!🙂🏚️🚞🛤️🐊🐂🌴🌴

[@markm8035]

I love it how they used to talk back then, bring that back! Is it my imagination or is that guy always stoned? Good old times, but unfort. todays world is way to PC.

[@jessesands4099]

Good old Blackbull Qld not a lot there and didn't see any Black Bulls but I did see a One legged fella on a Bicycle in 1992!😀🐂🛤️🏚️🚞🐊🍍

[@MrBryansseals]

Is the train driver still alive ? He smokes like a chimney. Roll ups as well, cough, cough, splutter , splutter .

[@DKS225]

With The Gulflander the powers that be in the later part of the 19th century originally planned to build the track to Cloncurry where it would join the rest of QR's network in 1888 work was begun in difficult conditions there's almost no decent timber in the area coupled with the high infestation of Termites so the track it's on rest on patented Steel Sleepers many of which are still there but by the time work begun at Normanton the Politicians changed their minds and because of the gold boom they built it to Croydon during the gold rush there was more than one train a week working the line but by 1929 when most of the gold was gone only one train per week was required.

[@derekobrien4703]

I just think that the fetters on the railtrack need strong direction from surveyors - the amount of fishtailing/rolling on some sections was approaching dangerous proportions.

[@gerstoffer2233]

mooi om eens tereug te kijken naar down under

[@neilforbes416]

@ Ger Stoffer, I've no wish to be impolite, but there's not that many Dutch speakers on this website. Could you please translate to English?

[@longrider42]

40 kph, is about 25 mph. And that guy Charlie seems he don't like people much, or talking. Interesting video though.

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

thats queensland for ya. ayyyy

[@bernadettemcmanus7975]

That's the way the old blokes were in those days. Life was pretty tough in the boring town with never ending heat. I love him, it reminds me of my childhood and Dads mates.

[@ginaostara5034]

At 36.25 when showing the Puffing Billy it shows the station as being Belcrave instead of Belgrave. Was it originally called Belcrave Station? Thank you for showing this great video.

[@MegaBoilermaker]

Anybody know the name of the company that constructed allthe old "Railmotors" ?

[@dan_der_man3629]

Queensland Railways Ipswich Workshops and Comeng

[@yerolo]

Couldn't hardly understand a word that Charlie guy was saying...needed subs :/ maybe if he took that ciga out of his mouth...

[@josephcarlbreil5380]

This Charlie guy is an anachronism. In the wrong job.

[@dennisroyhall121]

He must have a personality hiccup somewhere in his boring life eg he has no idea at all that everything he touches is tainted with the stale odour of tobacco smoke and even the air around him is polluted by him. Quite oblivious to anyone else as to whether they might not like it so much for any sense of consideration for anything outside his own orbit. At least Bogey aka Humphrey Gocart had som “personality” ie “thought” for others - someone should ask him why does he wear a hat that doesn’t suit him at all! Tobacco a drug not much better than any other! He may well be sewing the seeds of addiction among those youngsters - why doesn’t someone tell him to think of others if he doesn’t care for his own health!

[@EVISEH]

@@dennisroyhall121 I don't normally reply to posts like yours but I'll make an exception this time. Who the hell are you to be dictating to others what they should or should not be doing. It's none of your business how someone speaks, whether they smoke or where they smoke!! Clearly the only one with a personality hiccup somewhere in his boring life is you. Go do us all a service and stand in front of the next oncoming train. The World will be a better place with some arrogant autocratic wanker gone.

[@scoobbbbbydo]

24;26 if that shot was taken in india there woulld be 100 people hanging out of the the thing .

[@jessesands4099]

scoobbbbbydo Anything goes over there in India that's why about 25000 people are killed on the Railways in India each year!😒👳🚞🛤️🇮🇳🐘

[@Skoda130]

Bumpy ride eh?

[@cameronwhyte7223]

Narrow gauge up there. Lol.

[@neilforbes416]

Don't think so. Looking at some of the shots, I think it's standard gauge.

[@stephenhunter70]

It's 3'6"

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

the whole of Queensland is narrow guage HAhaha

[@cameronwhyte7223]

My comment was actually about when he said it was narrow gauge in Cooktown. Must have been 2 foot gauge like the cane trains or something. :)

[@josephcarlbreil5380]

Don't like Charlie's attitude. Refusing to sell a ticket to a prospective passenger the day before travel, citing some lame excuse, would be a sackable offence in many countries. Ultimately, this chain-smoker would have contracted lung cancer and passed on well before his prime.

[@themidlandconnection]

Joseph Carl Breil he’s got a serious point though, and besides, there’s no rush when you’re buying on the day. Things just work differently up there

[@josephcarlbreil5380]

@@themidlandconnection Do they now?

[@themidlandconnection]

If you’ve ever lived in the tropics I can assure you they do. And no amount of the ‘Karen’ attitude would get you anywhere