Kuranda Rail Motor Tour from Cairns Qld 1960s

[@paulgrima3812]

As part of our school excursion in 1969, we did this trip in the Railmotor from Cairns to Kuranda . Still remember it like it was yesterday. Our visit to the Kuranda Honey House and Kuranda state school was delightful. Beautiful memories 💕💖💕

[@darylcheshire1618]

Ahh in 1987 I went to Forsayth on the (at the time) twice weekly mixed. Later I went to Chillagoe, the return train carried 25 ton marble blocks, one per vehicle, imagine a fleet of trucks doing that. In 1991 I finally made it to Mungana on an AREA special. Just before I went to Chillagoe, there was a public display at Cairns with light globes showing when trains were leaving for the freight lines, when I returned, it was gone. The trains still ran to Chillagoe for another five years or so. Something to do with the Red Dome mine, cyanide was transported for the gold mine. It was pot luck on the day, the destination was Chillagoe/Mungana with a decision made that day.

[@smitajky]

I did the trip perhaps a decade earlier but not much has changed in between. The railmotors and the Sunlander were pretty much brand new. But steam was rapidly being replaced on passenger services at least.

[@simon_patterson]

I did the trip about 5 decades later and not much has changed to then either! 😂

[@vsvnrg3263]

Simon Patterson, i just went and looked at a more modern clip of this trip and there seem to be more trees along the way now. a worthwhile change.

[@simon_patterson]

@@vsvnrg3263 that's a fair call, and I agree, it's a worthwhile change.

[@reidgck]

The biggest difference now is not in the railway itself which can't change much anyway, but rather in the views from the train of the areas that were covered with sugar cane fields when this film was taken in about 1967. The sugar cane fields no longer exist as they have been replaced by suburban sprawl, roundabouts and roads choked with motor cars. Quite a difference for sure! Things will never be the same again! But if the trees have really grown up and hide such changed views, then the sprawl would not be as noticeable to train passengers as it be would if they hadn't.

[@geoffpearson4170]

brilliant music soundtrack!

[@JGrandcourt]

Chris Haugen - Tupelo Train Jincheng Zhang - Cook I love You

[@marcconyard5024]

Love watching that 1600 class dropping down to Cairns long hood leading.

[@gillianbrookwell1678]

I never realized how pretty the countryside was in the surrounding Cairns areas, having only been to the city once many years ago.

[@Northisbest]

Cool. I trip in 1991 and 2016. It look still much same...

[@BronsonTheCat]

Must’ve been pre-arrival of the 1620 class as they’re using 1170’s.

[@marcconyard5024]

BronsonTheCat , loco shown is a 1600 class which was introduced before the 1620 class. Both loco classes are identical in terms of mechanical equipment being powered by the English Electric 6SRKT six cylinder engine.

[@0011clem]

great clip , was that a paw paw going back to cairns long end leading ?

[@reidgck]

Would have been a 1600 class. They used to run them up to Kuranda with short end leading and back with long end leading. They could pull a long train up there too. The 1170 class or paw paws were not used on the Kuranda train as far as I know. The paw paws were distinctive in that had the coupling gear and buffers on the bogies rather than on the frame as on the 1600s. I remember a 1170 on shunting duties at Mareeba.

[@reidgck]

I put a picture of the one at Mareeba at www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=pic&fn=8cpcn7pi&s=4 Note how the shunters rode on the buffers. Looks like fun

[@russellanderson3298]

@@reidgck Nope, it is a 1170 class paw paw .... I have ridden on the railmotor from Cairns to Ravenshoe and return back in the eighties ... i reckon that should be a good tourist route..?

[@reidgck]

You are right about that locomotive on the Kuranda train being an 1170 class. It was obviously in the very early days of the Kuranda tourist train as later, the 1600 class was used. I obviously have ridden behind an 1170 class without realising it. The 1170 class were a bit over 600 horsepower and drove from four of it six axles while the 1600s were over 800 horsepower and drove from all six of its six axles. The 1170s were particularly distinctive in that the draw gear and buffers were mounted on the bogies. I enlarged one of the frames of the film taken at Kuranda station before leaving and this is the case. I posted it as the main frame for the video. The video shot at the end, indicates that the train is seven cars long but I remember that with the 1600s the train was about double that length. Then they started running two long trains . Fares then were about 2 dollars 50 return from Cairns but one of the trains was was privatised and the fares on that shot up to some 17 dollars back then. The Kuranda - Cairns trains are all privatised now and run accordingly while fares have skyrocketed much further. I apologise for not checking the information earlier when you said the loco was an 1170.

[@russellanderson3298]

@@reidgck The paw paws were also distinctive as they had spoked wheels ..... very interesting clip btw ... thanks!