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XPTs on the Harbour Bridge

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      Bevan Wall Deputy Commissioner

    Last week I came across an old camera bag stashed in a cupboard in my garage, and in one of the pockets I found a tape that I had completely forgotten about. It contained scenes recorded over Easter in 1993 of the Grafton and Murwillumbah XPT services being diverted via the North Shore line. I made digital copies of all my tapes in 2003, but not of this tape. Unfortunately the tape has begun to degrade but I have been able to recover some of the scenes and maintain a reasonable picture quality.
    I hope you enjoy watching these historic scenes from 25years ago.
    BW.


    https://youtu.be/-U2lem2LitI
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 08:51

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      SinickleBird Assistant Commissioner

    Location: Qantas Club at Mudgee International Airport
    Brilliant, Bevan (as always).

    Exhaust fumes in the station looked a bit nasty.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 10:50
      Valvegear Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Norda Fittazroy
    Bevan; you will never cease to amaze me. This is great historical footage, and thanks for putting it up.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 11:27
      simstrain Chief Commissioner

    Should have given them panto's and then we might still be seeing this sight.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 13:41
      Junction box Chief Commissioner

    Location: newy
    Cool, VN Commodores and the old box.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 13:51
      michaelgm Chief Commissioner

    Little wonder the powers that be, dislike diesels in the underground.
    The accessiblity/fencing on the harbour must be vastly different now?
    And Bevan, glad you discovered that lost bag and tape. Your camera gear must have mega hours and your vehicle, an equivalent amount of kms.
    As a rail enthusiast, I tip my hat to you old mate.
    Without trying to discourage others, very rare I watch clips not shot/edited by you.

    Regards, Mick.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 13:58
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    I wonder what else Bevan might have stashed elsewhere he doesnt know about.... Wink
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 15:26
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    This is going to sound like a mad question (maybe one for the Questions you are too embarrassed to ask thread) but is there any mechanism anywhere that can be activated to capture the diesel emissions in tunnels like this to stop them getting into the station?  There is probably limited need (as most tunnels are electrified) but im curious to know if there has been something like this developed.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 15:30
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Not worried at all.  Just curious.

    And suuperfreighters across the bridge?  That would be an interesting video too.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 15:55
      mikesyd Chief Commissioner

    Location: Lurking
    Back in the days when the XPT's had 7 passenger cars even.

    The fumes would probably set off smoke/fire alarms in some Underground stations these days.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 15:59

    Last edited by mikesyd on 11 Sep 2018 16:03; edited 1 time in total
      Bevan Wall Deputy Commissioner

    Not worried at all.  Just curious.

    And suuperfreighters across the bridge?  That would be an interesting video too.
    james.au
    They were usually hauled by electric locos. By the time National Rail took over and the electrics were scrapped, freight trains were banned from the Underground due to the belief that they were too heavy for the infrastructure.
    BW


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=496Ol0r2nZU
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:01

    Last edited by Bevan Wall on 11 Sep 2018 16:18; edited 1 time in total
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Great video Bevan.

    Where were these trains originating from?  And were they only temporarily running through the underground due to issues on the Main North or was this something a little more regular?
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:10
      mikesyd Chief Commissioner

    Location: Lurking
    And what even looked like fuel tank wagons too - imagine that today!!
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:11
      Bevan Wall Deputy Commissioner

    Brilliant, Bevan (as always).

    Exhaust fumes in the station looked a bit nasty.

    Thanks for sharing,
    SinickleBird
    If you think the XPT was smoky, check out the fumes being emitted by the alcos in these videos, not too mention exhaust from a steam loco!

    Earlier this year Sydney Trains ran a trial through the City Circle to see if the exhaust from the 1200 class gen sets was low enough to meet the current work cover limits on fumes in the tunnels/stations. I tried to get permission to record the test train from one of the platforms. The request worked its way up the "chain of command" but was eventually declined. The operational conditions that have to be implemented today if a diesel hauled train is permitted to pass through the Underground basically require that the public and any non-essential staff be "evacuated'' from the station, with those remaining being issued with breathing apparatus. I wonder what the people who design these work cover rules would make of the scenes shown in these videos! By the way, the 1200s failed the test. I hear that Sydney Trains are now going to trial the use of a preserved 86 class.
    BW.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em_9lnBaMDY



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lmX8h0oAdI



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuGuQZp8J8s
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:14
      mikesyd Chief Commissioner

    Location: Lurking
    Great video Bevan.

    Where were these trains originating from?  And were they only temporarily running through the underground due to issues on the Main North or was this something a little more regular?
    james.au
    The caption at the beginning said it was due to a weekend shutdown, presumably between Strathfield and Hornsby.

    So you either hold everything, or divert via the city.

    I do recall that many moons back that the Southern Aurora did the city circle once, due to a signalling error. Passengers were apparently offloaded at Platform 16 before the train went on its 'tour'.
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:15
      Bevan Wall Deputy Commissioner

    Great video Bevan.

    Where were these trains originating from?  And were they only temporarily running through the underground due to issues on the Main North or was this something a little more regular?
    james.au
    These were regular northern freights diverted due to the main north being closed over Easter 1993 for track work between Hornsby and Strathfield.
    BW
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:16

    Last edited by Bevan Wall on 11 Sep 2018 16:26; edited 1 time in total
      Bevan Wall Deputy Commissioner

    I wonder what else Bevan might have stashed elsewhere he doesnt know about.... Wink
    james.au
    After an extensive search of every nook and cranny in the house last weekend I think I can safely say there are no more  "lost treasures" to be found. The only other gem I found was this scene. The one minute of video was at the start of a tape. Nothing else was on it. I must have forgotten it had been used and just assumed it was blank. Lucky I had not recorded over it!
    BW


    https://youtu.be/0p2SzLawp5Y
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:26
      dthead Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Bevan picture quality is no problem when shoing old stuff, does not matter if it is blurred, damaged etc. Really. If it waslabeleed top notch, maybe.But we can takeit !

    Thanks for the continued shareing too

    David
    Posted: 11 Sep 2018 16:27
      Just The Tip Junior Train Controller

    Location: Danger zone
    The high standard as always Bevan. It should be recognised just how valuable a contribution you have made to recording history over the decades. Not just the trains but locations, infrastructure, passing traffic, etc.

    The only thing missing for me was the odd red power car / carriage remaining. Or where they all painted blue by then?
    Posted: 12 Sep 2018 10:23

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