40 Years Since SMR steam finished.

[Special_K]

Celebrations are happening in Maitland this weekend to commerate 40 years since the last steam hauled coal train operated on the former South Maitland Railway on 10 June 1983. The younger readers and contributers to this Board never knew the sight and sound of a trundling 10 class tank-engine hauling a load of bouncing and squealing non-air hoppers, each holding only 10 tonnes of coal, from the various collieries on the South Maitland coalfields.Those of us who were privileged to photograph and ride on these trains are getting older, and probably spend too much time dwelling on the former trains, buses and ferries of our youth!

There is no doubt that there is no end of excellent material on the South Maitland Railway (SMR) and all manner of former and now long-gone railways. This valuable material is only available because someone took the time to get out there and record the scene as it was back then.

Let's encourage the group who are now capturing today's transport happenings, not just on still photos or movie film, but on high quality digital equipment and a myriad of blogs that will form tomorrow's history! Thank you everybody!

Now, I must find my 1975 cassette recording of an up coal train climbing out of Abedare Colliery, at Caledonia, the guard riding on the last wagon, calling out the load to the signalman, before he thumps the bell code to Neath, a five bell response, crunching of signal and point levers,then the clanking of wagon buffers as the train sets back onto the brake van, before heading off to East Greta Junction.