Along Closed Lines - Reopening the Mudgee Line - now in High Definition and Widescreen

On 2nd September 2000 the RTM ran a special tour with 4306, 4803 and 44211 to celebrate the re-opening of the line to Mudgee; where there was also quite a celebration to mark the event. This was the first of a number of memorable tours to Mudgee during the relatively short period it remained open to it.
Videos in the Along Closed Lines series were originally shot in 4 x 3 Standard Definition and have been upscaled to High Definition and reformatted to widescreen. They cover movements that can now no longer take place.

[@Robert-qi6mb]

A nice little video haven't seen that 442 for a long time maybe finished.

[@australiantrains8988]

The line didn't stay open for long, I was at Rylstone about six years back and the line went to a termination block just beyond the platform and no further. Such a pity, some charter trains taking people to the wineries at Mudgee would be good for state tourism. Beautiful scenery on that line, sad people cannot take a train any more to enjoy it.

[@waltercoslovi6404]

Agree, they seem to be pushing buses and road transport or ripping the rails up to make rail trails.

[@waltercoslovi6404]

Would make more from rail tours to Mudgee and stay overnight than rail trails.

[@jefftheaussie2225]

We used to catch the Mudgee Mail home from school in the good old days. It was pulled by a single 48 class loco and was the slowest mail train. It averaged about 18 miles an hour and was the last mail train to leave Central at about 10.30pm. I remember it being a long slow cold trip but we all had sleeping bags and if there was no more than about 6 of us in a dog box you could all lie down. One each in the luggage racks (the smallest) one each on the seats and a couple on the floor. You could feel the cold coming up through the floor through your sleeping bag when stopped in places like Capertee. It went through to Gwabegar in those days but terminated in Mudgee sometime in 1973 I think. We got on and off in Mudgee after that and I remember getting a trip in first class at second class prices on one occasion. That was luxury, carpet on the floor and comfy seats. Those were the days, try telling the young people a story like that these days. They wouldn’t believe you.

[@richardverren8121]

I believe everything you say and more. I used to put my bike on the train at Strathfield at 10.00pm in 1968 during the school holidays and get off at Kandos the next morning around dawn. The coal fires in the waiting rooms when stopping for water were our only relief from the Winter cold, but I love the memory of the full moon shining silver into the Megalong valley and highlighting every rock and tree. A water bottle and an open toilet were all the services that the train offered, including laying in the luggage racks or along freezing seats. A full pack, a push bike and a rifle were all I needed to spend adventure time at the TSR or nearby properties in Rylstone and Lue. Thanks

[@SouthTrainsAndPlanes]

Amazing capturing! I haven’t heard about this but it sounds interesting

[@EveleighSprag]

This is a great video, you have some really interesting shots. 👍

[@bushranger51]

I was up that way late last year, having had lunch at Mudgee, crossing the old rail line was a reminder of how things have changed. The tracks out of Mudgee were badly rusted and overgrown, and looked like they hadn't seen a train in twenty years, which this video now proved my hunch, and a few of the bridges were so badly rotten it would take only a strong gust of wind to collapse them.

[@davidmorrison2739]

The only time I went to Mudgee by train was overnight by steam in 1857. It's a pity the NSW Goernment announced the re-0pening of the line in 2000 and quietly closed it not long afterwards.

[@smitajky]

I am impressed that you went in 1857 and are still around to be writing on a computer a hundred and sixty five years later.

[@davidmorrison2739]

@@smitajky Somebody actually read my comment! It has now been cleaned up. 😆

[@DARRENRICHARDSON-wl1dd]

DARRENRICHARDSON 😊LOVE ❤️ YOU HAVE

[@darylcheshire1618]

I once rode on the Lithgow-Mudgee rail motor, nice day trip.

[@evangiles4403]

I don't know if the Kandos cement works still operates but it is a lovely part of NSW

[@pete_au]

Kandos Cement closed some years back, but it's a great town to visit. The Kandos Museum has a lot of historical exhibits and information about the old cement works.

[@TamasKiss-bv9hz]

✌✌✌❤🤍💚