I agree we would not be getting rid of semi trucks all together. but what 40 semi trucks can carry one train can carry more and its less weight on the roads and less hazardous.
In Newcastle nsw they are looking to build a new freight line to bypass Newcastle’s inner-city lines (which all freight line currently pass) so this could be a positive in moving more freight via rail in NSW
As someone from the United States who spent 37 years working of a railroad, I found the journey to be quite enjoyable! Australia is a place I have always wanted to visit but have never been able to afford. Thank you for taking us there!!
Thank you sjwhitney for your kind comment. I hope one day you can visit us in this beautiful country. I love your country USA and I look up to you with great appreciation and respect. Check my new doco "Rookwood Necropolis".
@@lawrencegatt4220 Thank you for your response. I lived and worked in the New England area of the US for 60 years and upon retirement moved to Colorado. Now I have a whole new area to explore. This too will take some time and it's right near me now!
Great job Lawrence. Interesting look at the waste of what was, at one time great infrastructure. I was in my twenties and an avid rail fan, when all I heard over a period of a few years was, "we are closing down this section of line, because it is not viable", or "that line is not viable". They weren't viable because of the misuse of assets, more than anything else. Rather than make them viable, they just gave up! Hopefully something can change with some thought for the future, and see this line opened again. Considering the fact it is/was a significant part of the original rail network. Keep up the good work.
Awesome video Lawrence! The pointed white marker on the side of the tracks at 16:00 is called a half mileage peg, indicating the half way point between two main mileage pegs.
My first job was on the NSW Railway as a junior porter and I was transferred to Tenterfield from Narrabri Westthe late and famous singer , Peter Allan is buried here , plus a motel stands in the main street named after Peter Allen !
Those grand, red ochre painted stations, were designed by John Whitton (1820-1898) and are now heritage listed. There are quite a number of them in NSW. There is a bust of him in the main concourse of the Central railway station in Sydney. Sadly, many lines, west of the Great Dividing Range, have now been closed. The line from Blayney to Demondrille (approx 170klms) was closed in 2009. I live in Cowra, about half way along that line. There are three, John Whitton designed, stations on this line. They are located at Carcoar, Cowra and Young. A flood in 2010, destroyed several kilometers of the line about 35 klms South of Cowra. Since then there have been a number of proposals to reopen the line, but, given the ongoing deterioration and damage, I seriously doubt that it will ever be used again. I documented the flood damage a few years ago.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SC6z8uuvBkw.html
@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing The line closed because no one was using it and no freight to speak of. I caught the once a week mail train a year or 2 before it was replaced by a bus. I was the only passenger north of Glen Innis, it even stopped to PU an empty wagon from a siding.
Don't be misled by the image of Uluru upon my "badge" - I'm English and live in England (U.K.). However, I have driven the New England Highway twice as my preferred route from Brisbane to Sydney. I took extra time over the drive in order to stop and photograph sections of this abandoned railway. Your careful, studied and informative video brought back so, so many memories. Thank you, Lawrence!
Great video mate, beautiful country, and it's a shame our government doesn't have the vision or foresight to try and encourage more rail transport. The arrow shaped post is a half kilometer post but I'm not sure about the concrete markers are for
Had the chance to see most of the upper part above Armidale N.S.W. a couple of years ago, coming back from Queensland, and it's a crying shame to actually see what's become of it. It used to be a very busy line in the early part of the 20th century, being the only way to get to Brisbane by rail for many years, until the "new" line was built from Grafton via Casino to Brisbane in the late 50's. If coal hadn't been discovered under the Liverpool Plains, then that whole line may have passed into disuse.
Lots of Scottish place names in that area, love the connection. Fascinating and sad at the same time to see old abandoned rail tracks, lots of fleeting in time history in each and every one. Loved the video, thanks.
Japan makes the most and best of its railways here in australia we have a government Hell bent on running the rail system into the ground 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 we should be more patriotic
The Americans had a far better road system, and with bigger population and many smaller cities it was seen that big trucks could add useful feeder service to railways. The Pollies back here in Aus in ignorance thought they could save big amounts of money that was to be spent on keeping up the railways. So, they had to spend vastly more on the poor quality roads. Whats new?.
Would have loved for you to continue onto Wallangarra-Jennings on the border to show the unusual Station with its split architecture design. Sitting on a central island it has New South Wales features a on one side and Queensland features on the other. One of a kind.
Yes, can agree about that remarkable old station. You can feel how those earlier people were so determined to stay loyal to their own state right up to the last inch :) From memory, even the old village there has the feeling of old Australia about it (unless it has changed a lot in recent years), but go down the highway a short distance and there is a service station with an Indian guy who barely looks up from his phone, and speaks very poor English. At least that was true the last time I went through there.
A rail cart, while appearing to be a good idea, would have draw backs as there are numerous and frequent obstacles such as vegetation, gates & rotten old bridges.
The new Inland Rail could've used this corridor, but no, they wanted new rail land next to mineral deposits in Western NSW. The line could've been twin-tracked from Armidale to Wallangarra & dual-gauge from Wallangarra to Brisbane. NSW Government need to at least re-open the line to Glen Innes for passenger services.
Correction: Thunderbolt was shot in the back by a cop and left for dead. The next day he was found leaning against a tree dead. The locals liked him so much so the took up a collection for his funeral and grave. PS well done 👍
However you look at it he was no more than a criminal and horse thief, as were all so called bushrangers. The ilks of Kelly were basically murderers and cowards to boot, none of them heroes as they are made out to be.
great video it was my uncle job too close down rail lines in the west parts of NSW where there where little use of the trains ,due to road transport was cheaper by trucks as the rail service has all ways run at a lost.
Great Video Thank You. It's amazing to see the steam era equipment still track side. To see water spouts and tanks are a real treat. The wooded bridges are so well built and I can only assume they didn't burn because the water was high in the river during the fires. Also to see semaphore signals and mile markers from the steam era, really nice. Greetings from Rochester NY USA. When I clicked on your video it said New England, so I figured New England in the USA. When the video was in Australia I was like, ohh yeaa the other New England, lol. Cheers.
Yes Ritchard this is Australia and the poms! left their mark here too. New England district is in NSW north/east on the highlands of the Great divide Range. Beautiful country to visit. Glad to hear from a New Yorker Thank you Ritchard. Cheers for the USA.
Gr8 video mate, so much railway history, wasted away, why not run Granger's trollies on the abandoned lines, helping a Tourist Industry that needs so much help from the bushfires, Vivid, keep these towns alive
Loved it mate....makes me sad, as I worked on infrastructure and built the qld tilt diesel train.......so many people now out of work because it was closed
State governments, both Liberal and Labor should be *ROUNDLY CONDEMNED* for the *CRIME* of shutting the stations on the Great Northern Railway and allowing the towns to die off.
My Father lived in Uralla during the 1960's and knew people who had been alive when Frederick Ward was 'bushranging'. He is adamant that Fred was only ever known as 'Thunderbolt', the term 'Captain' was added long after his death in a book written by a novice historian. I remember as a child we all referred to 'Thunderbolt's Rock' just outside of Uralla, never as 'Captain Thunderbolt's Rock'. It was the Bushranger Frank Pearson in far Western NSW, who named himself 'Captain Starlight'.
If anyone is interested in doing a similar trip to check out the same railway infrastructure do yourself a favour, take a half day off this line and check out the Railway viaduct in the town of Manilla 45ks Northwest of Tamworth. It is now heritage listed. Guyra cold? not wrong there. Pulled up 3-4 years ago in July, got out of my car and there was some white flakes floating around.
Enjoyed Mate. One minor point the water in coal powered locos was to be boiled for steam not for cooling. That is of course if did not hear you correctly. Thumbs Up. John, Australia.
No chance of this ever being re-opened, at present there is a new rail link (freight only) being built to the west of this line from Melbourne to South-East Qld, through Albury, Narrabri, Goondiwindi and ending at Kaguru where it meets up with the Coastal line. The Western route makes far more sense as a lot of the route is very flat and towns are few and far between.
The drought all changed this year in 2021 with low temperature and loads of rain. As our famous poem articulated, I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, of rugged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains, I love her far horizons, I love her jewel sea, her beauty and her terror, the wide brown land for me!, by Dorothea Mackellar Edit: they are not drilling for water but for coal and coal seam gas . A great tragedy.
Many memories , both rail and road , I watched the 911 bombing of the twin towers at the Wallangarra Road house , ( Something that I'll never forget 😪!
15:49 in the video, the little concrete pot you found would contain a survey marker for the correct measurement to the face of the rail. These were referred to by staff as "monuments"....no idea of the etymology. Love your work!
I really appreciated your video and hope that the locals get their line restored. But until then assuming their wish is granted, this line looks like a perfect spot for railbiking. I'm surprised that no enterprising bicycle shop owner or local mechanic hasn't built a few railbikes both for their own use and for resale to others. The layout appears ideal, particularly if they were to tidy up the slightly blocked portions of the line.
Wow! Wouldn't that be fantastic! I have traveled sections of abandoned railway in Brittany, France using what they call a "velorail". These are great fun and require very little track maintenance.
The beaureacratic hurdles to obtain a license to run rail bikes is enormous. UGL has the lease to maintain the line. Not much maintaining as far as we can see. Grass is growing around Glen Innes station.
Going back when there was not a site for the capital of Australia Tenterfield was on a short list considered for the capital. I suppose the railway to Tenterfield would still be running if chosen.
A very hard video to watch and listen to with the music not being background music and overpowering the very heavy accent which is hard to decipher as i t is, without the loud music.
Yer i was guna say this looks nice nrly ready thrn all thr wierd stuff deleted thrn it shows a wot? Deadly brown snake ?!! Why haven't these bern deleted ?
I live in Armidale -- this was great! I wish trains still ran north of here, but the last chance seems to have passed with the new inland route now going well to the west. But turning it into a bike trail is a better plan than letting it rot to nothing. By the way 'Dumaresq' is pronounced 'Dumarreck'. I don't know why either ;-) It has rained hugely since this was filmed, everything would look very different now -- it would make a fascinating follow-up to redo the video in lush green conditions.
I used to live in Armidale back in the 20th century and seeing the region brings back many nice feelings and memories. It'd be good to see the railway open back up again north of Armidale. It would be even nicer if they duplicated the tracks and upgraded them for higher speed rail.... but we can live and dream, can't we?
@@lawrencegatt4220 please get in touch. We need your help to do another short video to highlight the unintended consequences of the rail trail plan by Armidale and Glen Innes councils on one hand and the merits of rectivating the rail line on the other. They are proceeding to the design and implementation stage of rail trail without proper community consultation or independent cost benefit analysis.
Use German siemens trains, they are small and tilt in sharp bends to go fast. I have been on many. They can be the size of a few busses and diesel electric.
I must commend you mate on a thoroughly interesting video I had no idea there was so much infrastructure just left to rot up north Such a sad sight to see that Cheers again :)
Thank you for sharing this very informative video a shame it is just rusting away. I wish the various governments would start utilising the railways in this country here in Victoria the only freight carried is wheat and containers More freight back on rail, maybe one day the line will be reopened to Tenterfield again.
I hope it will not become a bike trail. It is about time Australia makes small high speed light tilt trains serve the little towns. It is an insult to the rail workers to turn these tracks into bike paths, for the sake of a fade
The captioning tells the story very plainly. Without a rail service, towns like Tenterfield and Armadale will die off and become *ghost towns* but state governments of both parties couldn't give a shit about any rail services beyond Newcastle or Wollongong.
Sorry 30 years after the rail closed down the City of Armidale (20,000) and Tenterfield are doing fine, there is also a major highway (New England). All the Towns and Cities on the New England Highway and other major routes are doing fine.
Thanks for your Railway adventure, I would one day like to see your railway museum at Tenterfield, incidentally I use to live at another Glen Innes in Auckland, NZ from 1985 to 2007 where my fathers people were from. It too has a railway line thru it. It was electrified about 2005 with increased patronage that Auckland now demands, thanks again for the video. 🙂👌👍
Lived in Attunga in the 40s-50s. On a branch line from Tamworth to Barraba. Was personal transport, but mostly for wheat during the harvest. Think it was torn up, as didn't see any railway lines when visited there in 2007. Demand for the railway to Tamworth caused it to reopen, then a bit later, to Armidale, mainly for the Uni.
the round cement marks are for the alinement of the rail. indicating distant from marker and if any curve aliment. they had the mile markers from Sydney and half mile markers being white with the pointed triangle plate. you can see that its made from old rail line and a fish plate sleeper plate reusing and lasting for ages.
The line is not officially closed, it's classified as unused,railway line, which means that if you are caught walking in the rail corridor, you can be fined, dumb hey. The numbers on the bridges is in miles from SYDNEY. I've done that same journey, what a waste . Thanks for the memories 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great Video Lawrence, the question u asked in regards to the markers and round little footings with numbers, don't quote me but I'm of the opinion the markers may be a half Km Peg or land mark for the train drivers to gauge them in distance to the next Signalling location but I believe the drivers would of been using safeworking of staff and ticket or pilot staff working in those days on single line, the other round little footings with numbers I believe could be track alignment survey markers but I'm not completely sure.. what ever they were it was a great video like walking down memory lane 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
Well they are busy now (Aug 21) ripping the all tracks up. Its going to be turned into a rail trail. I was hoping to visit and explore but looks like it will be too late as as I am from Queensland i am not even allowed into NSW due to covid!. I love to see the railway in an abandoned state, not all cleaned up and sanitized with nice signage and safety barriers everywhere. There is no sense of adventure and exploration when its a rail trail. Damn shame in my view.
Thank you Lawrence for a most enjoyable video. I too have explored this forgotten rail corridor and wondered at the waste of man power and money spent to build it. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Tom for your encouragement. Its history forgotten for the white collared public servants or is it " No gooders". Some 30 men lost their lives building the New England infrastructure.
I do agree with you Craig but! the railway corridor is the private property of the "Railway corp". and situated on private land owners. It will never be turned to the public.
Hi Lawrence, thanks for sharing this excellent video. My dad and took the journey from Sydney to Glen Innes on the Northern Tablelands Express back in 1968 on a ten day holiday. We also visited Armidale and Tamworth during our time there. Wishing you the very best. Robert.
A huge amount of early history gone up in smoke. What a wonderful thing to be able to do would be to restore the line and structures. Why pull it up and turn it into a bike trail when it could be used as a weekend runner for trikes etc. Even the possibility of a loco with a bit of luck. Bloody shame to just let it rot away. Mate, thanks for sharing.
Great video but a sad reality of capitalism, I hate it when thousands of lives are financially ruined because a bottom line of a debit column was a little off. Corporatism blows !!
It would make for a fantastic rail trail, but yes for the prosperity of the regional towns, the railway should be reinstated, after all it's not just about the profitability of the line, it's about the bigger picture.
The sheep are not agitated ,they are hoping you are bringing food. I enjoyed your video ,and I share your views on the railway. What a difference a couple of years makes ,everything is green now following 3 years of wet years.
The local Governments will not do anything unless the people stand up to face the Aristocrats, their public servants! A HISTORY they completely ignored and let it turn into dust !!!
Great job. Really enjoyed this documentary. If they maintained this track and had this line prepped for train services to Brisbane, this may not be too bad to use for the high speed rail link that the government is proposing. Also if any bushfires occur around the corridor of the current Main North Line through Coffs Harbour and Lismore, this line would serve as an alternate route for train services.
I appreciate your exploration and passion for history. I too have been to some of these wonderful old wooden bridges and felt the lives of the people who built and used them all those years ago.
@@lawrencegatt4220 And sadly too many people don’t care about heritage, or they might care so long as it doesn’t cost any money. And things in life can be a complex web of emotions pulling in different directions. For example the dilapidated state of these old ruins gives me a greater affinity for the people that built them than when they are “protected” sometimes. I think it great that old stations are painted in their original colors, but too often things get prettied up too much and additions made that change the original character of structures. I have been on some of the old bridges that you show (and others that you might have filmed but didn’t edit into the story) and their neglect also means that I am alone in those places. I like that because it allows the old voices and lives to come to life for me. I have seen too many heritage “restorations” where they have turned it into a mini Disneyland with so many people that it is hard to feel the sense of living history. Thank you for your wonderful video story. It is very meaningful for me.
@@artistjoh Wooden bridges deserve heritage status and should be repaired. Buit the councils have no interest. They want to build a bike and walking track(graval based0 by removing rail infrastructure. As for the bridges,God knows what they will do? I think they want to replace them with pre fabricated bridges.
@@trainsonnorthernlinearmida4777 There is a wonderful road wooden truss bridge still in perfect condition, and used, at Galston Gorge to the north of Sydney. Unfortunately motorists complain about it because it is single lane and therefore they regard it as dangerous. The only reason it survives is because the road has several tight switchbacks forcing low speeds on traffic. However, too many people regard convenience as more important than heritage and would get rid of the bridge in a heartbeat if they had a chance. Heritage is not a priority for many people.
