Tasmanian Trains features archive film, television, & video of passenger & goods trains in Tasmania. Also current rail operations of interest are featured from Television News Bulletins and private home video.
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2 and a quarter million passengers carried by Tasmanian Railways in 1961 was quite an achievement. In 1961 Tasmania's population would have been around 350,000 people. I assume this was an advertisement for Tasmanian Railways and essentially for the Tasmanian Limited. I love how this was for TVT-6, which was the Tasmanian commercial channel at that time. Growing up in Tasmania in the 1970s and 1980s we only had 2 TV channels - Channel 2 and Channel 6 !
We're lucky to have this original film of the Tasman Limited as it was back in the 1950s with only 2 carriages. As a child I was lucky to travel on the longer Tasman Limited in the 1970s which had a number of carriages. They still had hostesses on the Tasman Limited in 1977. I remember one of them bringing my mother a brandy and dry to her seat.
No...the first section of the North East was NOT ripped up for the railtrail. It was lifted by ANtasrail in the late 1990's and sold to Roger Smith for his business connection to the Abt Railway Minesterial Corporation. The easement between Tonganah to Ledgerwood was returning to an overgrown forgotten easement when Scottsdale Rotary Club raised enough money to develop Tasmania's first railtrail. Yes short sections of track were removed but ANTASRAIL under an agreement was leaving track in front of Ledgerwood Station and Tullendeena hill. The locals did not know this.
ah the long gone days of ZA's and ZB's at their English Electric throaty sounding best especially the first part with the quad ZBs, now location wise and nearly all diesels are long gone.
Well, back in the 1800's humans didn't have bull-dozers... fast forward to the 21st century and trains are STILL using the same track formation laid 150 years ago, that's down to the railways management = Tasrail (State government) and they'll use every excuse including blaming the driver, why they haven't realigned this bad section of track that has been a problem since it was built! Laying heavier rail and concrete sleepers on the same tightly curved alignment isn't the answer, realigning the track and paying land holders compensation - is the only way to eliminate the problem!
And again Tasmanian just roll over and accept things again and they wonder why they fall further and further back behind the rest of Australia manhole their hobby currently is pulling down statues! Here’s an idea: spend money and convert the rail to light rail trams!
Great work. Have you ever thought about approaching mine management at Cornwell underground coal mine? See ifvthey would be prepared for you to film the only underground coal mine in Tasmania with over 150years of history? You need to do a half day induction.
Typical waste of railway infrastructure being abandoned by a worthless government who can't be buggered replacing a bridge. What about light rail transport on the line?or is that too much hard work to provide public transport for residents?
Beautiful...now all we have to do is get the Australian War Memorial Museum Canberra to fund the rebuilt of the last Australian Standard Garrett, in Queenscliff, ship it to Tasmania and run the Emu Bay Railway or run it between Lebrina and Wyena 7 times a day every day over peak visitor season.
Oh...I could see the last ASG all dismantled out in the open sea air Queenscliff, getting funding from the Australian War Memorial Canberra for full rebuild and operate Wyena to Lebrina on those 1 in 40 grades and horse shoe curves.
It is so so simple but no party gets it. Establish the rail trail from Launceston to Ledgerwood or Branxholme. However develop a wine / cafe / rail hub info centre at Lebrina at the old station yard. Develop the best railway section down to Denison Gorge where a picnic and half way camp park with 6 overnight cabins. You have the choice of walking down to the gorge. The train people save a little bit of the railway, work with the cafe wine hub. Have lunch on the deck at Lebrina looking south towards Mt Arthur down that beautiful valley. Little Tassy steam train pulls running a shuttle every 50 minutes hauling three open type wagons converted for passengers,bikes mobility scooters etc. The train can make it's deport at Wyena out of sight. A station cafe wine and goumet food hub at Lebrina station where people buy picnic hampers, riders and walkers stop for breakfast or lunch, get minor repairs and spares for their bikes. Sell wine or local produce, direct visitors to regional wineries or accommodation and take bookings for camp sites at the gorge. Develop an outdoor amphthreatre for micro music festivals, school oicnics. No road competition but access by authorised vehicle from Wyena along the rail track to service the camp sites and emergency access.It won't happen...not in Tasmania
Just fantastic! Wish I had gone on this trip so many years ago. Indeed perhaps the most picturesque rail journey in Australia and one of the best in the world!
So warnings about Australian manufacturers closing their doors and laying off their work force because of Chinese dumping fell on deaf ears for the last 30 years.... Now all of a sudden the government expects manufacturers to materialise out of thin air and offer competitive prices on Australian made products. Get real the plees of help to protect Australian jobs from cheap imports by keeping tariffs in place went unanswered ,so welcome to globalisation..... the unions were right as usual 🤣🤣🤣
What a shame that this line has now been lost forever. With Hobart growing & Tasmania’s economy growing significantly for the first time in decades: It would be more useful than before.
A terrible loss! My father did all that lovely upholstery & made many of those articulated leather carriage joiners. Many great memories of trips on this train.