Flying Scotsman + R761 Great Train Race

December 11 1988 was one of the rare days, that steam locomotives Flying Scotsman and R761 hauled their respective trains from Melbourne Victoria, to Albury New South Wales Australia.
These scenes of Flying Scotsman were shot from a carriage window of the train headed by R761 south of Seymour.
The lines run parallel, and the Flying Scotsman was on the 4ft 8-1/2inch standard gauge, and R761 was on the Victorian 5ft inch gauge track.

One of the scenes shows the Flying Scotsman going into a crossing loop to pass the south bound Southern Aurora, a train which is now extinct. The big '200' on the side of the locomotive in charge of the Southern Aurora, were in reference to Australia,s bi-centenary which was a reason also why the Flying Scotsman was in Australia. (The first vehicle was to carry motor vehicles belonging to passengers, and the second vehicle was a van in which electric power for the train was generated).

The flying Scotsman's, and R761's trains pass one other during the journey. In one scene, the Flying Scotsman passes our train at speed and the chase is on for some time before we catch up and draw alongside the locomotive and see it working at a high speed before it again draws away. The last scene is filmed in a shower of cinders, smoke, and water from the two locomotives at speed, with each train maintaining the same speed. The camera lens gradually fogs up with water which became condensed from the steam that drove us forward, before the actual scene ended. The scenes in this 10 minute video were edited from a video tape which runs about a half hour.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• flying scotsman
• r761
• albury
• steam
• steam locomotives
• trains
• australia
• southern aurora
• seymour
• melbourne
• standard gauge
• gauge
• train race
• race
• by centenary
• electric power

[reidgck]

Historical Comment at Railpage site:

w w w. railpage. com. au / f-p393396.htm

"My memories with the flying scotsman in aus steam 88 was a great trip till we hit benalla which one of the springs collapsed on the firemans side. the train had to travel about 30km an hour to get to Albury. It took a handful of hours to repair the spring. The flying Scotsman rejoined the train with 6:00pm departure. Arrived at Spencer St nearly 1AM in the monday morning. Also it cost me a day off work....."

[SuperHardTrance]

is it really a race tho or a gimmick?

[reidgck]

@SuperHardTrance A bit of each

[reidgck]

@SuperHardTrance The black engine won as the Flying Scotsman loco broke a spring somewhere near benalla and arrived in Albury about an hour to the rear.

[waldenhouse]

Can't help thinking how proud Sir Nigel Gresley would've been to be able to see this footage! - a testament to his design from drawing board to rails.

[reidgck]

@waldenhouse It was indeed an unforgettable experience to be able to ride in a train beside 4472 back in 1988 and see it in action; especially in Australia. The Flying Scotsman is a very smooth and sleek runner!

[tom201090]

@reidgck thats a shame. If it hadnt broken a spring it might of won. Shame it didnt win (but I then I am british)

[ausdude66]

Love it! Travelled with her to Newcastle in 1988 and will be travelling on her in the UK in 2012 (hopefully). NRM hope to have her back on the Kings Cross/Edinburgh track in 6 months?

[SuperHardTrance]

@reidgck oh right... cool... so is there a winner and a loser then?

[SuperHardTrance]

She needed a good ran... She hauling ass man

[ay76]

Awesome stuff. Scotsman finally makes it's return at the end of this month (may 2011). Temporarily in 1940's war time black livery, but will be repainted into the LNER green. Great video 5*.



[STEAMRAILWAYSHOP]

I missed out on all this coz I used up my holidays travelling on board 3801 Bicentennial Train around Australia...nice to see,good footage!