The Ghan

[Marco_4124]

The Ghan

Still remember Puffing Billy? Our eccentric but hard-working Australian employee? Well, after the completion of Box Hill tunnel and the repair of the MATRA crane, he decided to take a week's holiday to his native Australian country. There he visited the “Old Ghan” railway line, on which he once worked. It saddens him to see the old railway in decay. It was the first attempt in Australia to build a railway line from south to north. This was done in 1067 mm narrow gauge track. Only two parts were ever completed: the first part from Port Augusta to Alice Spring, and the second part from Birdum to Darwin. The piece between Alice Springs and Birdum was never finished. The Commonwealth Railways operated on the two separate sections. The most remarkable piece of infrastructure on this railway line was the Algebuckina bridge over Lake Eyre. And even though the deepest part of Lake Eyre is 15 metres below sea level, it is one of the driest places in Australia. Once every 40 to 60 years, water flows in when there is a chance for rain showers to cross the coastal mountains. Despite this, there was the longest railway bridge in Australia, where unfortunately some employees died during construction because they collapsed under the heat. Today it is a rusty monument that seems to go from nothing to nowhere. So is there not a happy ending to this story? The Australian National Railways completed the line, but in 1435 mm of normal gauge track. To the north, the route of the old narrow gauge railway line was followed, but beyond Alice Springs, a new route was used to avoid Lake Eyre. This railway line runs to Tarcoola. That makes Puffing Billy proud again, but he misses the old railway line.



Puffing Billy, our Australian employee who travels by camel (but we know it's a dromedary).





Here Puffing Billy visits the old railway bridge over Lake Eyre. Once it was the longest railway bridge in Australia, but now it slowly rust away.



The railroad bridge in happier days: a colleague from Puffing Billy is driving a diesel locomotive over the railroad bridge.



The railway line to Alice Springs was a real peculiarity at the time, and tourists liked to be photographed in the Outback along the railway line. The sign does indicate how far away you were from civilization.



Puffing Billy with an old NSU class diesel locomotive left behind in the desert.

[Tiermann]

Very interesting information about Australian Railways, thanks for posting it and the nice photos!

[Marco_4124]

— Topic recovered in connection with problems at PostImage —

The Ghan

Still remember Puffing Billy? Our eccentric but hard-working Australian employee? Well, after the completion of Box Hill tunnel and the repair of the MATRA crane, he decided to take a week's holiday to his native Australian country. There he visited the “Old Ghan” railway line, on which he once worked. It saddens him to see the old railway in decay. It was the first attempt in Australia to build a railway line from south to north. This was done in 1067 mm narrow gauge track. Only two parts were ever completed: the first part from Port Augusta to Alice Spring, and the second part from Birdum to Darwin. The piece between Alice Springs and Birdum was never finished. The Commonwealth Railways operated on the two separate sections. The most remarkable piece of infrastructure on this railway line was the Algebuckina bridge over Lake Eyre. And even though the deepest part of Lake Eyre is 15 metres below sea level, it is one of the driest places in Australia. Once every 40 to 60 years, water flows in when there is a chance for rain showers to cross the coastal mountains. Despite this, there was the longest railway bridge in Australia, where unfortunately some employees died during construction because they collapsed under the heat. Today it is a rusty monument that seems to go from nothing to nowhere. So is there not a happy ending to this story? The Australian National Railways completed the line, but in 1435 mm of normal gauge track. To the north, the route of the old narrow gauge railway line was followed, but beyond Alice Springs, a new route was used to avoid Lake Eyre. This railway line runs to Tarcoola. That makes Puffing Billy proud again, but he misses the old railway line.



Puffing Billy, our Australian employee who travels by camel (but we know it's a dromedary).





Here Puffing Billy visits the old railway bridge over Lake Eyre. Once it was the longest railway bridge in Australia, but now it slowly rust away.



The railroad bridge in happier days: a colleague from Puffing Billy is driving a diesel locomotive over the railroad bridge.



The railway line to Alice Springs was a real peculiarity at the time, and tourists liked to be photographed in the Outback along the railway line. The sign does indicate how far away you were from civilization.



Puffing Billy with an old NSU class diesel locomotive left behind in the desert.

[Marco_4124]

In the old shoebox of Puffing Billy was still an interesting photo from his youth. And that is a remarkable photo from the Australian interior. Australia's interior is one of the driest areas on earth. Water is scarce, but the flooding of a dry river is a rarity. This seldom happens when a rainstorm sees the Australian coastal mountains coming. This cannot flow back to the sea on the other side of the mountain range and is collected in Lake Eyre, which is 15 metres below sea level at its deepest point. Lake Eyre feeds on various rivers, which only contain water when rain falls. In this area also runs the old railway line of The Ghan, and it crosses some dry riverbeds. In this picture The Ghan crosses a flooded riverbed, and Puffing Billy and his colleagues work hard to keep the train going. Although the train is only travelling at a walking pace on the unstable track, the conductor is thankfully watching. In any case, The Ghan arrives at its destination, albeit with a long delay. But delays of more than a month were not uncommon for The Ghan....

[tahra]

Thanks for the informative posts  with great pics!

But delays of more than a month were not uncommon for The Ghan....

   Worse than the darn boat here!

[playmovictorian]

Fantastic pictures 

And thank you for reminding me that I once travelled on the wonderful Puffing Billy when I was living down under