The Rag Tag Railway | ABC Documentary | 1984

'A Big Country' goes looking for a railway in a rain forest. For the 50 years it ran, the railway line to Dorrigo on the New South Wales north coast was known as the 'Rag Tag Railway'. Seven hundred men took more than a decade to build it - the steepest, windiest, most expensive line in the country, and when it ran, it worked to a schedule all its own. The people of the plateau grew to love it, and things were never the same when the authorities closed it down. But now, thanks to the efforts of dedicated steam buffs, the Rag Tag is coming back to life.
All rights and reserves go to ABC Australia & Screen Australia.
#documentary #railway #nsw #trains

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

At the start the fellow said "about 45 years to fix the line..." Well, here we are at 2023 and in 2024 it will mark 40 years since the TV aired the story, how close are they? Has the state and federal government contributed anything? Time the ABC done another show "The Rag Tag Railway, 40 years on..." A beautiful part of Australia, the line needs to be reopened for I am sure tourists will enjoy it.

[@Tryinglittleleg]

The state government is willing to put money forward, but the owner, or dictator, Keith Jones, is unwilling to comply with the regulatory requirements (i.e toilets in the museum).

[@gwilymrichards5989]

Glenreagh Mountain Railway/Tallowood Ventures are going with a Rail Trail (Shared Pathway for the Minority) from Glenreagh to Lowanna.

[@deanchapman6425]

It's a terrible shame that this historic railway was not saved. Many people have good intentions, but get duped by those who are scam artist. It has happened here in the USA also. I grew up with the railroads of northern California. My father was 3rd generation he was a Conductor on Western Pacific Railroad ,now part of Union Pacific. It is one of the most beautiful regions of California.

[@stevesma2443]

Sad that many of these men are no longer with us. That breaks my heart more, watching this 😔

[@anthonymurray5216]

So sad that this line can’t be totally restored. Climbing near 3000ft it would be a wonderful tourist attraction.

[@johnstaring3210]

It breaks my heart to read some of the comments below. Seems people with good intent were duped, massively.

[@StealthFB22]

See, that’s how a real days work is done! Ya find an obstacle, you pick up ya engine and move around it 😂

[@GRAHAMAUS]

45 years -- seems remarkably prophetic. 2021 and still nowhere near anything happening.

[@125sloth]

And still the excuses come from "members" as to why it's not open. The only way it will ever be open to the public will be if someone takes it over, and that "ain't gonna happen" with the way it is set up at present. A bloody white elephant for a few people with vested interests to play with trains under the guise of "preservation".

[@sithlordofoz]

It's been "coming back to life" since I was a primary school aged kid. My kids are now in high school and I doubt their kids will get to ride on it.

[@MySteamChannel]

Thankyou-have always loved this doco.

[@kayesampson3671]

I used to be the Watcher/Fireman on the "Bantam" Gary Luck, the Driver. On afternoon and night shift at A.I.S. i did all the driving from the #1, #2, #3, blast furnaces out to the slag dump. 52 freakin` years ago. You made sure you found some standing water to dump the molten slag into, so you could watch the fireworks! You just had to duck under the little roof on the ladel that protects the ram/rack and pinion so you wouldn`t be burnt to death. Aaah the joys of being 18! I think the "Bantam" was/is sitting out front of this museum, but rebranded. "Brolga"? or one of the others i can`t remember. Pete.

[@Steven_Rowe]

I have tried to think of one positive thing to say about Dorrigo, it reminds me of Dai Woodhams scrapyard in Barry in Wales. The one good thing is they at least arent cut up so a very faint glimmer of hope . One person in particular who i wont mention but comes out like a fiesty little pitbull terrier says its thexlargest railway museum in the world, well museums are normally public this will never be open. A great start would be if it was all under cover and a cosmetic restoration but even that would be of astronomic cost.

[@chewie211171]

35 years later things are beyond revival. Such a pity, a tourist railway at dorrigo would have put a now dying town on the map!!

[@phil-bh5bu]

I agree in the video thay say it was one of the most expensive 60klm of rail way to maintain. The government could fund this it would be good tourist attraction. Make shour the money is paid to the contracting company not the holders of the Dorrigo museum as it would disapear.

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

No it's best the tourists don't find this gem , as it will get ruined. I remember jumping off the water falls there as a youth. So much beautiful land there and also a lot of horrible things happened to aboriginal people there hundreds of years ago.

[@tonyabbot6771]

@@phil-bh5bu indeed

[@thegreatdivide825]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing Nothing happened to the aboriginal people there except breeding with the white settlers, it still continues to present day

[@xr6lad]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing yawn.

[@ChinaAl]

Great Video

[@danielwright3440]

The Dorrigo Steam and Railway Museum is really a scrapyard

[@jagarg6573]

Things at least can be saved from here - Once scrapped they can never ... Best way to look at it

[@nicholasfitzsimmons7311]

I first found out about Dorrigo when i was like 9, I have dreamt of winning the lottery for outstanding prices and restoring this collection, the locos and carriges are protected to a low standard but if one carrige begins to decay to an unrestorable level it is given special attention to get it to a somewhat preserved state. Such a sad story.

[@125sloth]

This what happens when decent people remove themselves from shonky organisations such as this "museum", (museum of mainly rusting rolling stock)" and only the gullible follow along, believing anything they are told about the future, Sort of like the Pentacostal Church in a way..

[@nicholasfitzsimmons7311]

@@125sloth it is a shame, some day it'll have to come to auction when the owner passes.

[@125sloth]

@@nicholasfitzsimmons7311 I could not agree more. A very big shame and the sad part is that many of the rolling stock Mr Jones has was in reasonable and even good condition when he acquired it. He purchased a Silver City Comet type railcar set, and numerous other stock, very cheap years ago from what was then the State Rail Authority, as well as some old NSW country lines carriages. Of course now they are useless, gee what a surprise! NSW State Rail back in the day were interviewed by the ABC for a follow up documentary, which has strangely been removed from KZbin, not all that long ago, and in this particular video the SRA boss stated if they had known how this rolling stock was going to be "used" e.g. just lay dormant decaying, they would have never disposed of the stock to Dorrigo "museum", Many people say if Countrylink, as it is called today of course, really pushed the issue, they could take legal action for being misled when called the SRA decades ago, but it would cost too much, and any legal action would have to be against the museum as a body, not an individual person, and as this pretend museum cries poor all the time now, it would be a wasted exercise. However the federal government grants given back in the day could be recoverable by selling some of the "assets". The Howard government gave this place a considerable grant to purchase old state railway assets, based on the application received, which was shown later to be misleading and have no real merit, to obtain funds at the time, as nothing was done to ever get this museum working for the public as originally claimed. It is one huge joke the way the saga has dragged on for decades and nobody held accountable.

[@thegreatdivide825]

@@125sloth Part 2 of the Investigators is still on KZbin, here it is. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWmodoWun86beqs

[@125sloth]

@@thegreatdivide825 Thanks Terrence. I think this may have been suspended by KZbin but not removed as such. anyway whatever happened great work by you. Im sure I downloaded this way back in the day, but can't find it. Im going to make sure that I never lose it again now thanks to you. It's a real eye opener for those who think that everything was above board back in the day too.

[@dennischannells5683]

About thirty years ago I remember seeing a large number of steam engines just lined up, in preparation for this line to reopen, which has not happened.

[@bruceraykiewicz6274]

Thank you so much for this video. And, thank you to the people that saved this line. From an old 'live steamer' in the USA.

[@125sloth]

They have done nothing nothing except waste donated money, including grants from the Australian Government, buying rubbish that sits in the yard rusting. This "museum' should have been opened decades ago, and now it is just a playground for a select few of so called "members". Please do some research into the real story/ it is on the internet fro all to see. This organisation should be shut down by the authorities and made pay back the money that was wasted that wasn't really theirs to spend.The town of Dorrigo deserves better than this group of wankers playing trains for their own self interest.

[@bruceraykiewicz6274]

@@125sloth Brian, I'm very sorry to hear this.

[@lukewise1227]

There's a two part documentary on KZbin from Australian ABC detailing what went wrong and who was responsible. It was taken to Court and the Judgement, typically, was in favour of the scammer who duped everyone. I have driven past the location a few times in recent years, it's just a scrapyard of rotting NSWGR history now. One man's greed and Walter Mitty mindset has put everything beyond repair. It will just sit and rust away until the State Government orders it's removal.

[@jobrowne561]

I remember this from when it first aired

[@michaeljackson2838]

Much of the rolling stock (especially the locos) could have been saved if the guy who "owned" it let go of his ego and recognised that others had the expertise and funding to utilise the stock. A truly missed opportunity.

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

It was owned by the NSW government. They only leased the line, station, and signals to these private citizens . It wasn't sold.

[@125sloth]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing The rolling stock was sold, and Jones had the titles for the house and other assets put into his name.

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

@@125sloth hahaha its always the way, Greed mate, since the dawn of time.

[@NoThroughRoad50]

They have started work on some coaches and they have been saved

[@angustams2598]

A sad sad end to something that could have been beautiful

[@xcfalcon1976]

Oh what COULD HAVE BEEN! Such a shame!

[@harrisonallen651]

Taken from Steam Trains of Australia and Tracks and Trains of Australia DVD

[@livinlifetothefullest2750]

and in the early 90s the SRA was telling him to vacate the Dorrigo terminus of all locos and stock...what without a decent railway line, very heartless

[@thegreatdivide825]

They were evicted for running unauthorised and uninsured trains along the line

[@SmithsMuseum]

50-69, nice.

[@angustams2598]

Also what song is the one that plays for the credits at the end?

[@DubloAirfix]

Sunspot by the ABC Showband (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[@robertcameron2808]

Dos this branch line still exists? Did the museum ever open? Can you visit the museum?

[@dunxy]

It "exists", No, well kind of... Its a very complicated story with many people having conflicting stories and/or opinions. Its been 30 years since i visited myself...

[@artvanderlay7732]

One thing hasn't changed , if you make an appointment with Keith he will give you a full tour , his veiw is its there for people to see, even if not in finished museum state.

[@henrywhittaker2519]

Vandalism by neglect.

[@N330AA]

Australia sure is pretty, shame they never got this going again

[@125sloth]

Watch the later ABC documentary and it tells you why it never got going. Absolute disgrace.

[@N330AA]

@@125sloth Got any links?

[@125sloth]

@@N330AA Ill have a look. It is on youtube or was still about 2 months ago I believe. It was made again by the ABC in 1989 from memory so a long time ago, I remember watching it the very night it was originally shown.Quite scathing and some ex "members" were interviewed.

[@N330AA]

@@125sloth Ok mate if you can't find it i'll have a look later.

[@125sloth]

This is not what I am after but it gives an idea. I am told the ABC documentary has been removed. Not to worry. I have it on DVD.

[@gordonparsons3984]

I was there with my wife Last year. I was speaking to the old fella who lived in the house attached to the train yard. He was Driving a silver VY commodore station wagon. he told me it was a fight between the towns people who want the museum. But The local Council and Governments were making it very hard for anyone to do anything today. It seems the government couldn't care less about our history or the revenue it would bring to the town of Dorrigo and surrounding areas. To me local Governments State and federal are the lowest forms of life there is. They shouldn't be allowed to breed. My Dad and his best mate Slim Dusty wrote about what was going to happen way before it happened. I'm in Dorrigo a couple of times a month unloading at the two stock and station agents, and when you talk to the locals. the government and the lowlifes that run it are always a main topic. scums of the earth. Thats my Rant.

[@Sugarmountaincondo]

Back when ABC really reported important news and was not a pawn or a political hack.

[@watsisbuttndo829]

With todays OH ans S overkill even that little two stroke tender they ride at the start would be a no/go.

[@RATTLEY67]

So true.

[@australiantrainsproduction8838]

Don’t worry will Get the line open

[@graemeforssberg3986]

Reopening this line will likely only ever happen in your dreams I'm afraid. The current rail regulations, chronic lack of money as well as the prohibitive cost of public liability insurance will kill this outfit.

[@australiantrainsproduction8838]

Are you even a member up there because we have been working very hard To reopen the museum

[@xcfalcon1976]

Really your still trying? Are you going to run trains on the line again?

[@xcfalcon1976]

I would love too see the place open and the engines on display! What needs to be done to open as a static museum

[@australiantrainsproduction8838]

Yes we are going to The I focus is to get the museum open. Again

[@jimlove8144]

Wish they had posted a map of where this thing runs

[@125sloth]

No point. It doesn't run and never has.

[@flamingfrancis]

There are plenty of maps of disused branch lines available with a search.

[@125sloth]

I t doesn't run. The whole place is now a joke. Just a playground for a self interest group,

[@125sloth]

@@flamingfrancis He is talking about this white elephant branch line, not others.

[@ragnarragnarson9393]

Did they succeed or did they rip the line?

[@125sloth]

All they have succeeded in is dividing the town of Dorrigo, and created a world record for the only "museum" not being open to the public after more than 30 years of "collecting" "things".

[@thegreatdivide825]

They guys in the story did manage to get the line open fully for a few months in 1986 until they all left. After it closed again it's been a total failure since.

[@darcypetersen1]

Dorrigo is the obsession of a horder and a dictator con man. Such a waste and such a shame. Theres som truely unique locomotives there that will never ever move again as long as Keith Jones is alive.

[@kneewall49]

What’s the current status of the project? I’ve seen the locos and rolling stock sitting at Doorigo for decades.

[@tonyabbot6771]

They will be there until cant remeber what his name is keith or terry passes away. he has a big hoard of them up there

[@125sloth]

Jones should be locked up for the shonky stuff he has done. I cannot believe the state and federal governments just sit on their hands and do nothing about the goings on at this so called" museum that has never opened.

[@tonyabbot6771]

@@125sloth my mother used to take me up the mountain to see the locos when I was a small child and I drive past them every other day 30 years later and nothing has changed he has just added to the hoard round the back.

[@125sloth]

@@tonyabbot6771 Well said. Yes it's an embarrassment to Dorrigo.

[@tonyabbot6771]

@@125sloth sure is. Dorrigo could be such a big attraction if that rail “museum” was properly made back in the day and not just pissed around by him. It’s so sad.

[@jeffkitney39]

Looks like Australias future no fast rail for us🐪🐪🐪🐪🐪🐪

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

No it's coming. Look up clara- consolidated land and rail Australia. High speed train all up East cost, joining Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, also 9 smart cities will be built between Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne. It's coming soon!. Tenders closed march last year. Been watching it closely.

[@bushranger51]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing The politicians have killed that one too, mate. It's now a year since tenders closed and nothing has still been done about it.

[@cantmakethisstuffup255]

@The Earth History Was Confusing. Don’t hold your breath.

[@lachlangreen8389]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing all part of aussie agenda 21

[@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi]

Australias too vast compared to little countries like Japan etc, High speeds not economical, bulk Freight ie coal, wheat etc makes rail big money here in Australia, not passengers. We have great train lines now that no non bulk freight company uses because its too bloody expensive. Think about that, Its cheaper to get a truck run a load from adelaide/Sydney/melb/to Brisbane etc than a freight train 100+cars long...,. The only ones using rail and making big money for rail companies are coal and bulk resource trains. You will NEVER see a coal train running faster than they already do, no point, cant load/unload it any faster, cant dig it out any quicker plus imagine trying to stop a coal train from 300kmh hahahaha The other no go for high speed rail is the idiots on the road here in Australia, imagine a 300mh bullet train racing thru the outback and a idiot in a commodore decides to risk it, or wildlife gets onto the rail corridor. Yeah mass casualties... Its too big an investment. 9 smart cities hey hahaha yeah sounds like a mate of a mate in politics needs a stimulus boost. I love rail, but high speed like the bullet train, is a bloody stupid idea here in Australia...

[@benjaminmcclatchey9814]

What happened to this project?! This would have had people from the UK and USA flocking to the line. It sounds like it never materialized....

[@dudmic]

Parts of the line are used by heritage railway organisations Glenreagh Mountain Railway and Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum.

[@thegreatdivide825]

The project started dying in the ass around 1986 just before the first train was run into Dorrigo

[@jimmynswgr]

What a disaster. On one hand to save so much from scrap is noble, on another an unrealistic goal.

[@chrisblackmore8913]

Nobil my arse , the joint was set up under one bloke , benefit though financial misrepresentation i say

[@125sloth]

@@chrisblackmore8913 Exactly. If what Jones did back then was done today, the person would be in jail and assets sold. This wankfest of a "museum" has almost ruined Dorrigo. And saving things from scrap is not noble, if it ends up being scrap later, due to being left out in the elements rotting away.

[@tom_wheeler1865]

Too bad the owner was greedy and a hoarder, such a shame

[@michaeljackson2838]

And a short sighted idiot to boot!!

[@tonyabbot6771]

He has so many trains hoarded up there.

[@125sloth]

And most bought with donated money.. Seriously the police and ASIC should investigate the history of the place. The State Rail Authority, as it was called back in the day, is on record saying that if they knew how the rolling stock they sold this place would end up, they would have never gone ahead with any transactions. Says it all really.

[@tonyabbot6771]

@@125sloth sure does. From time to time you see an old diesel loco or rolling stock come through bello on a truck and you know where it’s going.

[@125sloth]

@@tonyabbot6771 Obviously money still being wasted on the "playground" still.

[@neilforbes416]

21:58 These locos and carriages *ARE NOT ON SHOW!* They *NEVER WILL BE!* They lay rusting away and the wood of the carriages left to rot while the money that went into procuring them, went instead into the pockets of the shyster who supposedly created and curated this joke of a museum.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

Coming up to 31 yaers and still rusting away the local council can't touch it because its owned by The District Local Aboriginal Land Council

[@Antechynus]

Went yo Dortigo this week a retired train driver and friend... He was very upset by what he saw... Abdsolute disgrace...