I saw the Queensland Garrett a few weeks ago.... she is now just a static display at the Workshop Museum at Ipswich.....She looks a bit sad....grimy and a bit unloved looking.....we were informed that they have no plans to get her back in steam...what a waste.....a rare treasure like this should be restored and working.
I grew up in Emerald, junction of the Blair Athol line and the central .line. Some Garrats were purchased to haul BACP coal to the coast through Emerald so i saw them a lot, specially as Dad was a railwayman in the loco office. Once in a while they'd haul the "Midnight Horror".passenger service to Rocky. It left Emerald about midnight (if you were lucky) and would stop unaccountably in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason, 20 minutes at a time. Great days.
I can only go on what my next door neighbor told me. His experience was before yours with this loco. NSWGR use to use it everywhere, even on the Illawarra line to haul coal through the Coal Cliff single line tunnel.
Remember the first loco in the dual mineral concentrate train from Parkes was run tender first ?
This Bilbin maintains was due to smoke problems in a tunnel.
Great song from an amazing band. Song is "Sleeping Sun" by Nightwish. What an appropriate song for a beautiful train. The museum at Canberra is apparently resoring an AD 60 Garrett - now that wold be impressive when finished (hate to pay the coal bill though)
My grandfather, Reg Birnie, was a QLDRW driver and he was curator of the Redbank museum before he retired. He took great pleasure in showing me the Beyer Garrett as it was his favorite, I think he loved it almost as much as Grandma.
The New South Wales GR Garrett type AD60 class. Although credited to be the most powerful Australian steam loco, they were not particularly like by engine crews. Going through tunnels was a nightmare and required issue of respirators to crews. In addition, the flexible steam exhaust lines tended to leak frequently. Not a good reputation.
Belbin has an excellent video which features double headed running with coal trains south of Newcastle.
I "borrowed" Belbin video of zinc concentrate running.
I don't know who told you this BS, but I can tell you, from personal experience, that, by 1970, the 60's were the ONLY steam class at Broadmeadow Depot, that, while disliked, were deeply respected, as 'strong engines'.
All the rest, were just: - 'Another ****in' steam engine bast***'!
But I NEVER heard a sincere and heartfelt complaint about the 60's.
I saw the Queensland Garrett a few weeks ago.... she is now just a static display at the Workshop Museum at Ipswich.....She looks a bit sad....grimy and a bit unloved looking.....we were informed that they have no plans to get her back in steam...what a waste.....a rare treasure like this should be restored and working.
pyrofella 3 months ago
I grew up in Emerald, junction of the Blair Athol line and the central .line. Some Garrats were purchased to haul BACP coal to the coast through Emerald so i saw them a lot, specially as Dad was a railwayman in the loco office. Once in a while they'd haul the "Midnight Horror".passenger service to Rocky. It left Emerald about midnight (if you were lucky) and would stop unaccountably in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason, 20 minutes at a time. Great days.
Palifiox 1 year ago
About the AD60s
I can only go on what my next door neighbor told me. His experience was before yours with this loco. NSWGR use to use it everywhere, even on the Illawarra line to haul coal through the Coal Cliff single line tunnel.
Remember the first loco in the dual mineral concentrate train from Parkes was run tender first ?
This Bilbin maintains was due to smoke problems in a tunnel.
ERNIEMAC2 2 years ago
Great song from an amazing band. Song is "Sleeping Sun" by Nightwish. What an appropriate song for a beautiful train. The museum at Canberra is apparently resoring an AD 60 Garrett - now that wold be impressive when finished (hate to pay the coal bill though)
chefjohnwt 2 years ago
I remember 1009
My grandfather, Reg Birnie, was a QLDRW driver and he was curator of the Redbank museum before he retired. He took great pleasure in showing me the Beyer Garrett as it was his favorite, I think he loved it almost as much as Grandma.
davidewhite69 2 years ago
Brilliant 5/5
tysonr23002 3 years ago
Music?
GardensOfStone 3 years ago
Sounds like Nightwish
C3H8E30 3 years ago
It does, or at least Tarja.
lennyos 3 years ago
Thanks Bilbin for video clips of Garretts
NSWGR - AD60 4-8-4+4-8-4 standard gauge
Cylinders inches 19.25x26
Coupled Wheel 4' 7"
Boiler Pressure 200 psi
Traction Effort, 75%% max BP 52700
Weight Tons 260
Water Gallons 9350
Coal 14 tons
ernietube1 3 years ago
The New South Wales GR Garrett type AD60 class. Although credited to be the most powerful Australian steam loco, they were not particularly like by engine crews. Going through tunnels was a nightmare and required issue of respirators to crews. In addition, the flexible steam exhaust lines tended to leak frequently. Not a good reputation.
Belbin has an excellent video which features double headed running with coal trains south of Newcastle.
I "borrowed" Belbin video of zinc concentrate running.
ernietube1 3 years ago
I don't know who told you this BS, but I can tell you, from personal experience, that, by 1970, the 60's were the ONLY steam class at Broadmeadow Depot, that, while disliked, were deeply respected, as 'strong engines'.
All the rest, were just: - 'Another ****in' steam engine bast***'!
But I NEVER heard a sincere and heartfelt complaint about the 60's.
And.......it's 'Garratt', not 'Garrett'.....
herbgarratt 2 years ago
Ernie, check out the comments after putting: -
'Garretts vs 1960's Diesel Electric Locos on 1 in 40 Bank'
into the searchbox.
And some of them are from an engineman.
Who's telling you this sh**? I never saw a 60 with respirators? Might have been needed in Murrurrundi Tunnel?
herbgarratt 2 years ago
no problem
RedtailFox1 3 years ago
Thanks for the post. The more steam videos we can get the better.
torphinsdave 3 years ago