Tin Hares from Gulgong to Gilgandra: Australian Trains

Over the Melbourne Cup long weekend in November 2013, the Association of Railway Enthusiasts and The Rail Motor Society organised a four day tour around New South Wales venturing as far north as Coonamble, west to Dubbo and Griffith and south to Junee.
The route of the trip was Telarah (near Maitland) - Muswellbrook - Gulgong - Merrygoen - Dubbo - Coonamble - Dubbo - Orange - Parkes - Stockinbingal - Cootamundra - Temora - Griffith - Narranderra - Junee - Sydney - Telarah.
The trip was operated by CPH7 and CPH1, two historic 1920's CPH "Tin Hare" railmotors that have been superbly maintained by the dedicated volunteers at The Rail Motor Society in Paterson.
The second video in this series features the journey from Gulgong to Gilgandra via Merrygoen and Dubbo. The line through Gulgong to Merrygoen and Dubbo forms part of the cross country route between Dubbo and Newcastle while Gilgandra is on the Coonamble branch where the main traffic is wheat.
For more info on The Rail Motor Society, their website is www.trms.org.au/
The Railfan Shop should be able to provide info on ARE tours www.railfanshop.com.au/
© 2013 James Brook

[@larryrwendelljr4465]

Really neat trip on this classic rail train, Thank you for sharing.

[@slepper98]

Top stuff, thanks.

[@theduck2811]

Great video hope to see more.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

Great document with wonderful view of the country and lovely rail motors. I grew up in Engadine from 1957 to 1963 and caught these rail motors may times from Sutherland to Engadine. I loved sitting in the seat next to the drivers cab. It is a shame the camera is tilted to the left about 3 degrees and a bit shaky.

[@waynebrown9646]

its amazing how much the track, sign age, various scenery resembles the Northern Rivers line from Casino to Murwillumbah. Such a shame some want it turned into a rail trail :(

[@markissboi3583]

watched the 3 hour adelaide to darwin abc GHAN trip haa how many times i fell asleep but relaxing these videos at nite 🛏👶👍

[@Palifiox]

Didn't some of these have motors taken from D-Day landing craft?

[@cathycastleton]

Are there any plans for tin hares again, I would love to take grandies, amazing rides ! Would move heaven and water to create this history with them ,tin hares were very special little trains !

[@vrfan]

The Rail Motor Society and Lachlan Valley Railway regularly operate the CPH "Tin Hare" rail motors around NSW on trips.

[@billfitzpatrick6910]

I don't know what sort of power these machines have , but they sound just like the older General Motors transit buses that had The 6-71 Detroit Diesel and the two speed Hydromatic transmissions.

[@darylcheshire1618]

I was on that train.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

Another Like from me

[@Steven_Rowe]

Loos like a lot of fun i love the colour scheme. Only went on once once from Central to Blacktown I when I first came to Aus in 72 they ran out to Richmond and I thought I was in the wild west but without cowboys and Indians?

[@helenbrown3839]

I live in gilgandra

[@calif1mc]

Very cool, thank you! Those motor cars look a lot like some we have on one of the lines up here by me in Mendocino County, the Skunk Train- www.skunktrain.com/ It runs freight and passenger from Fort Bragg on our coast to Willits in inland Mendocino County, where it connects with our regional freight hauler, the Northwestern Pacific RR, Inc. I'm in Redwood Valley myself, 12 miles south of Willits and on the Northwestern Pacific RR and US 101.

[@vrfan]

Probably similar in the general concept. These were also built during the 1920's and they covered over 2000km during this trip without any major problems!

[@calif1mc]

VRfan - Train Videos Downunder What kind of motors do they use? The ones on the Skunk train use gasoline motors, they are how the line got it's name. "“Smells Like a Skunk!” The nickname Skunk originated in 1925 when motorcars where introduced (which today are sometimes referred to as railbuses or railcruisers). These single unit self-propelled motorcars have gasoline powered engines for power and a pot-bellied stoves (burning crude oil to keep the passengers warm). The combination of the fumes created a very pungent odor, and the old timers living along the line said these motorcars where like skunks, “You could smell them before you could see them.”" www.skunktrain.com/media-info.html

[@smileysteam]

Michael Cook These are fitted with war surplus 671GM's which replaced the original gasoline ones. They were fitted with gas producer outfits during the war and quite a few met an untimely end by mismanaged fire. they are called Tin Hares as they were first introduced the same year as the mechanical hare ( bunny) was used on Australian greyhound dog racing tracks, and were one of the fastest things on rails, bar steam expresses. 50mph speed permissible, but they rock and roll a lot and the GM's roar like mad and you can't have a conversation while standing on top of them.