Regular Steam Trains On The NSW Central Coast Of Australia

For the last 22 years we have been living at Kariong, only a stone’s throw from Gosford, just an hour north of Sydney, at least as it was back in the 1960s! The train journey then between the two cities was just 1 hour and 9 minutes by the famous “Newcastle Flyer”, a train that is now a distant memory. The air-conditioned HUB sets hauled be the mighty 38 class used to be the pride of the Railways, with a tradition going back to the 1920s.

My First Trip North

As it turns out, I spent a great many of my teenage years in the area. I lived in Sydney at Roseville, and was smitten with the steam bug from an early age. By age 14, I had saved up my pocket money and with the aid of a Kodak Retinette 1A I inherited from my grandfather, I would travel to Gosford and beyond every chance I got.

My first trip was in June 1966, not long after I recovered from a bout of Rheumatic Fever which had kept me bedridden for the early months of that year. I arose very early in the morning, and caught the first train to Gosford, arriving around 7 am. On this occasion it was as far as I managed to get!

I witness something very unusual as it turned out, a P 32 class on its way to Sydney. In my time it was very rare to see these engines on the Short North, and I was very lucky to come across one on my first outing.

Two Steam Trains On Cowan Bank In One Day

Pretty soon a 46 class attached itself to the front of the train, and I hitched a ride in the cab of the “Banking Engine”. We headed down the track to Cowan at the top of the famous Cowan Bank, a scene where later there was a nasty accident when a signal failure cause a collision with 3801, and another occasion where double 38s ripped out the coupling gear and left some carriages behind, such was the power of our great Pacifics!

After farewelling the P the 46 headed back down the hill to Hawkesbury River to help another train climb the bank. As it turned out, it was another steam train, a 60 class. 6013 is one of the original Garratts without a dual cab, meaning it should only be operated funnel first. This engine was probably en route from Werris Creek and was normally assigned to the Western division.

The Longest Train Journey In NSW

One of the more interesting trains hauled by 60 class for most of its journey was the lead train from Broken Hill. Designated W44 for the western journey it was often hauled by double 60 class from Dubbo to Lithgow, where a 46 class took over for the run to Gosford. The last section of the journey to Sulphide Jct near Cockle Creek would involve a 38 double heading with a 60 class.

 Northern Exposures – Full Cover Coverage Of The Last Days Of Steam In The North OF NSW

Collectors Item

This great new book featuring hundreds of full cover photos of NSW steam in the 1960s and 70s on lines north of Sydney, compacts the work of dozens of rail photographers including yours truly. None of the photos shown here were good enough for selection for the book!

Get your copy at http://northernexposures.com.au

Anyway, enough of the reminisces for now. I have put together a slide show of some of the pictures I took in the Gosford area way back then. The background are tape recordings I made on the Short North, and are all my original material.

I hope you enjoy a trip back in time to when steam was King on the NSW Central Coast.