It only took a while because it revolved around safety. Rail is still more efficient, cheaper and safer than road

@shcdoodle1

2 жыл бұрын

Assuming that the infrastructure isnt left to rot

Great historic footage of a bygone era. Thanks for filming and putting it on ytoutube to share, best 28 minutes of my day.

@tressteleg1

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks. It is a good example of what was once typical.

My Dad worked this Branch line in the 70's and early 80's as a fireman and acting Driver. I was able to show it to him before he passed away 2yrs ago, and he said it made his heart hurt with nostalgia to see what had been and to know what had become of what was once a very productive line. I also worked this Branch as a Fireman and Driver as apart of the "Mary Valley Rattler" 1998 to 2005. You can see the lack of enthusiasm on the part of the crew... probably knew their jobs were finishing and they were going to either take redundancy or transfers to other depots. As Gympie was Dad's home Depot, he chose Nambour later taking vers package from QR in 1994. Thanks for sharing!

@tressteleg1

4 жыл бұрын

Adrian Nettlefold I’m pleased you liked it and that your father got to see the video that one time. Obviously the QR was running the service, so you have to ask why farmers and the timber mill stopped using it. Did it cost too much? Or was it too slow in getting pineapples to the market? It could be other reasons. As for the Mary Valley Rattler, I rode it just once in 2004 or 2005. I’m surprised that the train was allowed to operate so fast on track which was really quite dreadful. I think I read that the line has now reopened, so maybe a bit of money was spent on improving the track.

@adriannettlefold9084

4 жыл бұрын

@@tressteleg1 I'm now a Driver of 18.5yrs with QR and I know Gympie Depot was closing at the time, due to rationalisation on the north coast line. My Dad wanted to get back there from Coppabella,as Gympie was his home Depot. QR wouldn't allow him to due to the above mentioned reason and offered Dad Nambour. As far as the viability of the Mary Valley, yes your right in regards to it's declined usage and the fact trucks became more profitable to use. QR told farmers that traveston was the new loading point for Pineapples as the Branch was closing. You have to remember it is a Government system that was set up to service a Very fertile and productive region and Gympie was one of the largest depots outside Mayne in the early days, so the Branch was a dayly pickup of Pines, small crops, Dairy and Timber from 3 sawmills Imbil, Melawondi and Dagon. Gympie men worked to Murgon in the 70's and 80's and through to Kingaroy in the 90's. This meant the System as a whole was working effectively and more profitable against road. The flow being regional towards Brisbane and the markets and port. Now the idea has gone away from supporting regional areas and more towards bulk movement of containerised traffic and export only comodities coal etc.. so no longer the local industries there to warrant having a Rail Depot. (POLITICS) I saw what QR did before Anna Blygh sold the freight and coal off to Aurizon. We chased work away, here in Emerald. Fuel stopped being stored in bulk silos by BP Shell and Mobile, Grain started to be trucked supposedly due to lack of wagons... said wagons 'we were told' ended up in Coal traffic... dubbious of that as many were scrapped and rakes of them were stored in Toowoomba and Branches. As for Mary Valley, the speed was 30kph 40 on the old main line into Gympie from monkland and yes it was in need of a lot of work done to the line. But all in all, I enjoyed learning steam on this railway and lead me to qualify with QR after Joining in Cloncurry and subsequent transfers from there to Emerald and then to Mayne.. Now returned to Emerald for hopefully my transition to retirement. Sorry for the long reply. Cheers Adrian. Check out my channel.

@tressteleg1

4 жыл бұрын

Hi again. I thought I saw a pop-up from you saying that you were still a Queensland driver. Am I mistaken or did it disappear?

@adriannettlefold9084

4 жыл бұрын

@@tressteleg1 just on light engines approaching Alpha. Yes. Still driving for QR, just not Steam as Mayne has the monopoly on that. Trying to do some more Grader driving on my days off, hence the transition to retirement

@tressteleg1

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for getting back to me again. Obviously it is a job you have enjoyed. I do have a question to ask of you, and if you don’t mind could you please contact me on tressteleg(at)icloud.com Use the normal symbol instead of (at)

Fantastic posting. Thankyou.

Enjoyed your video great job, glad you didn't cut any of it out.

@tressteleg1

7 жыл бұрын

+Ray J I'm glad you appreciated it. Cutting anything out would have reduced the impact of just how slow the whole process was. I saw it as a fascinating look at how branch railways were operated.

The 1620s were a nice looking locomotive similar to their big brother the 1300 series. Nice big windows at the driving stations.

@tressteleg1

Жыл бұрын

😊👍

Great footage! Thanks for sharing. 😊

@tressteleg1

Жыл бұрын

😊👍

I am assuming this little branch line no longer exists Piyy it looks very picturesque

@tressteleg1

Жыл бұрын

Wrong. Take a look at this. The tourist rides were shut down for a while, but running again now. www.google.com.au/search?q=mary+valley+rattler&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-au&client=safari

excellent stuff

@tressteleg1

5 жыл бұрын

👍

Yep I remember the pineapple train arriving at Golden circle cannery the sweetest smell .wait a minute where did all the pineapple soft drinks go.?.?

@tressteleg1

2 жыл бұрын

Pineapple soft drink? Must have been a Queensland thing.

The state labor govt led by Goss, and minister for transport David Hamill, destroyed this.

@tressteleg1

3 жыл бұрын

While I daresay the closure happened under Labor, the biggest killer was lack of traffic. The cost of running a train this distance to carry a few truckloads of pineapples and maybe occasionally some timber could not be justified by any government.

geez, no wonder trucks took over all of this

@tressteleg1

2 жыл бұрын

I tend to agree with you. With a lot more wagons, it might almost be viable, but not with this few.

@deztructo123

2 жыл бұрын

@@tressteleg1 it used to be much more profitable in it's day, but no longer. Produce, cattle, mining, timber and passengers were all in high demand along that line.

@tressteleg1

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately that is true of many country branch lines. From memory there was timber at the sidings, now transported by road.

You know this is old footage when the men are allowed to wear clothing fit for the climatic conditions, ie shorts and not the heat stress inducing dark, heavy cotton long pants which us who are unfortunate enough to be born into this modern era are forced to wear.

@sliperysid

Жыл бұрын

Not to mention, long sleeve shirts, hard hats safety glasses and even gloves!!! #sickofit

@tressteleg1

Жыл бұрын

All this nonsense is dictated by deskbound Johnnys who never have to wear it or consider all the complications of workers being forced to wear winter-like clothing on blazing hot summers days. I’m glad I am long out of the workforce and think that a lot of health and safety rubbish should be thrown out the door and just have sensible things kept.

Great video, do you have a video with the Roma Roma street station in 1970s?

@tressteleg1

5 жыл бұрын

Yep. Try this. Brisbane Rail Electrification 1979 Opening day. Silent Movie. kzread.info/dash/bejne/gKqnsbWrgtWondo.html

Trucks took over because every State government in Australia is tens of billions of $ in debt ( total Au gov debts are 800 billion & rising by 2g a second) + fuel is taxed at 48%. So, absolutly no incentive for government to run trains, ether directly or though privatisation. Does any of this tax go to government ? I sure hope so, because the Grace Commission found that income tax does not. Say in a strong baritone voice ( as you wear your $5000 grey suit with faint pinstriping. " JOBS AND GROWTH MR SPEAKER" ( as mutter to the side, " more debt, more taxes and thankfully NO BLOODY TRAINS!")

There is no diesel on the planet that sounds as good as an English Electric. Wonder why NSWGR didn't buy any? The 1620 class shown here was an extrapolation of the 1600 class, both powered by the 6CSKRT of 838 HP.

@tressteleg1

5 жыл бұрын

I wonder if it was because of another British product, the 41 Class lemons?

@marcconyard5024

5 жыл бұрын

Perhaps, although the class 37s are still operating and would have to be one of the great success stories in locomotive design, the 12CSVT being every bit as good as the ALCO 12-251. It's interesting that the Claytons, a locomotive that shared the same layout as those dreadful 41 class were also doomed to a short life in BR service. I was told many years ago that NSWGR engineers just weren't fans of English Electrics due to problems adapting them to warmer climates. Funny that the QR had no problems as such.

@tressteleg1

5 жыл бұрын

Well, as far as we know QR had no problems with heat, but certainly the 41 Class did, especially if 2 were coupled together meaning radiators were only feet apart. It’s quite likely that New South Wales got some 44 class and they were perfectly happy with them so continued buying from that source, and similarly the Victorian railways were perfectly happy with their GM products. So both continued with manufacturers that gave no trouble

@marcconyard5024

5 жыл бұрын

The QR was very diverse with diesels, dabbling with GM, EEs , Caterpillar and Cooper-Bessemer. I was lucky enough to see those Cooper-Bessemers in action in the far north of the state- a most odd sounding engine.

@tressteleg1

5 жыл бұрын

In those earlier diesel days I was only an occasional visitor to Queensland and by far my prime interest was Brisbane’s trams so the railways, even suburban steam, were only a minor distraction so I never got to know any locos in particular although I did notice some had unfamiliar sounds.

Basically trucks took over as roads became better in the country areas. The Mary Valley had timber, milk, pineapples. When the rail was there the roads were crap. Over time they improved but rail practices couldn't compete with the short distances involved.

They should put this back into service.. so there is lest trucks on the road

@tressteleg1

4 жыл бұрын

If the train had 20+ pineapple wagons per day, I would agree but for just such a short train, loss making. Sadly rail operators no longer want small loads dropped off here and there along a line.

I wonder what what happened to this train and who owns it now?

@tressteleg1

5 жыл бұрын

The actual train belonged to QR but the pineapple service ended years ago. Much of the line became the Mary Valley Rattler. After that closed for a few years, it has reopened for tourist rides. I suggest you google search that operation.