3801 R761 K153 D3-639 to Seymour 1988

As part of Australia's bi-Centenary in 1988, many locomotives from interstate visited Victoria, as did the Flying Scotsman from Britain for which videos have been posted. One of the many attractions was the running of three trains to Seymour from Melbourne and back, with New South Wales steam locomotive, 3801 hauling a train on the standard gauge, and R761 on the broad gauge with another train, and D3-639 and K153 also together hauling a twelve car train on the broad gauge. The latter train, running in the down direction, utilised the up line for the occasion, in order that the three trains could run parallel for the trip.
These videos are from the train pulled by R761 w=ich was chosen chiefly to be in position to photograph 3801 in action. The train in charge of 4-6-0, D3-639 and 2-8-0,
K153 was too close for good shots as it was on the track running right beside R761's train.
There was a photo stop about half way showing all fout locomotives. Passengers were able to detrain and photograph the three trains and four locomotives in action after they backed up for some distance. The trains met on this occasion at or near Somerton which is where the video begins. There are many action sequences of the trains as they pass and repass one another for the enjoyment of the passengers on board. A truly great day that past passengers and anyone interested, can relive or experience a compressed 10 minutes of, via this video.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• 3801
• r761
• d3639
• k153
• steam
• locomotives
• seymour
• bicentenary
• 1988
• locomotive
• melbourne

[spoofa20]

Can I ask what the maximum speeds of these locomotives are?

[reidgck]

@spoofa20 The New South Wales Railways green 3801, and the Victorian Railways R class were allowed 70 miles per hour (MPH) but could go faster than that and sometimes did. The Victorian D3639 was similarly limited to 60 MPH. The K class loco, having smaller driving wheels, was run at 50 MPH on later passenger trains but was originally built for service on goods trains. They originally had maximum speeds of 45 MPH on goods trains on main lines; but lower limits on most (lighter) branch lines.

[mistersmith6000]

The green one doesn't blow black smoke? Why is the smoke colour so different?

[reidgck]

@mistersmith6000 The steam exaust from the cylinders, is blasted up the chimney which creates a draught through the boiler tubes and draws the fire hotter the harder the engine is working. The draught or most of it is drawn from beneath the fire through the grates. Steam mixed with the smoke causes it to be grey but it depends too on the way the engine is fired. The green one is hand fired while the R has a mechanical stoker which makes a difference too. Smoke from 38s was always impressive.

[bronski88]

it would be good to see this sort of thing again

[reidgck]

@bronski88 Would be good to see such again. It's not an impossibility should support come from the right places and if there are enough passengers.

[spoofa20]

@reidgck thank you -I was sure some steam locos could pass the 100MPH mark if they were allowed to.

[chiefchook]

Thanks for loading this awesome material from '88. Looking at it, I wished that I'd spent the money and gone on the trip :)

[reidgck]

@trainguyrocks - The R is designed as a fast passenger train engine whereas the K is basically a slower goods engine with comparatively smaller wheels so the speed of the train with the K in it, was limited to the allowed speed of the K; but the trains were all speeding up and slowing down during the trip so that passengers could all get a good look at them.

[trainguyrocks]

That R class is fast it faster that a d3 class and a k class pulling a traintogether !