Rails Across Australia

A Journey Through the Continent

David Cable

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Transport
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781473844377
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Rail Transportation
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Rails Across Australia is an album of photographs taken by David Cable, a well regarded British author of several picture albums of train pictures throughout the world. The photos were taken initially during the period 1967–1973 when David lived in Adelaide, and then during several visits around the Commonwealth during the 21st Century. The photos cover a wide variety of trains in the mainland states from Queensland to the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and include pictures showing trains in the landscapes as well as close up photos of different gauges originally established in a various states are illustrated by the individual classes designed for them, in addition to the newest designs for the standard gauge tracks now linking them.

1967-1973
SAR class Rx 4-6-0 No. 207 passes through Belair station with an ARHS special train from Adelaide to Aldgate, c1968. This class was introduced in 1899 and built at the South Australian Railway workshops at Islington.

SAR 4-8-4 No. 526 Duchess of Gloucester makes the echoes ring as it storms through Eden Hills with an ARHS special, on the climb up to the summit of the Adelaide Hills at Mount Lofty, c1969. These locomotives are styled on the Pennsylvania RR T1 class of 4-4-4-4 engines, and were built at Islington in 1943.

The historic meeting at Port Pirie SA, when SAR 4-8-4 No. 526 Duchess of Gloucester posed alongside NSWGR class C38 4-6-2 No. 3813 in 1969, when 3813 had worked with its sister locomotive 3801 on the first steam hauled trans-continental train from Sydney to Perth. Engine 3801 carried on by itself from Port Pirie. The two locomotives were, of course, of different gauges.

NSWGR C38 Pacific 3813 is seen near Port Germein SA in 1969, running a special from Port Pirie to Port Augusta in conjunction with the trans-continental celebration. The pride of the NSWGR passenger fleet, they were built by Clyde from 1942.

Following its return to service, SAR 4-8-4 520 Sir Malcolm Barclay is seen leaving Adelaide station in pristine condition, with a special to Aldgate in 1970.

A pair of SAR Alco ‘World’ type DL500 diesels with an English Electric class 900 are seen near Elizabeth SA in 1971, with a southbound freight train probably destined for the yards at Mile End, Adelaide. This photo was taken whilst waiting for a northbound special working. These 1,600HP/1,190kW locos were fitted with Alco 251 diesel engines, and built under licence by A.E. Goodwin.

What was promoted as a steam special working going north from Adelaide, turned out to be this pair of vintage railcars, seen near Elizabeth. A disappointment at the time but in retrospect, quite interesting.

Commonwealth Railways GM 42 heads the empty stock of the train that had taken the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, to open the line from Port Augusta to Whyalla SA in 1972. The train is passing through the nicely kept station at Port Augusta. Built from 1955 by Clyde, they are fitted with 1,800HP/1,340kW EMD 567 diesels.

A steam hauled special from Sydney travelled to Whyalla to help celebrate the opening of the line from Port Augusta in 1972. The train was hauled by NSWGR C38 4-6-2 3801(as far as Port Augusta) and C36 4-6-0 3672, seen here at Whyalla being watered in a mini dust storm created by the wind blowing down the newly laid ballast. This class dates from 1925, when they were built by Clyde.

SAR light Pacific 621 Duke of Edinburgh gives all its worth as it passes the attractive station at Eden Hills SA with an ARHS special in 1973. These locos were built at Islington by SAR in 1936.

A pair of Hamersley Iron C636s, 2017 leading, wait outside Dampier WA for their train...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Rails Across Australia