"The
Beechie" |
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| Copyright ©1977, 1998, PBPS | ||
This feature story was originally written for the "Australian Railway Enthusiast" and appeared in that magazine in December, 1971. With the restoration to service of G42 proceeding, formerly "The Beechie" engine, the story will no doubt be of interest. Due to its length, the feature is presented in two parts. The sound you hear (once loaded) is G42 blasting upgrade into Beech Forest station in 1962.
G42 at McDevitt, Photo: Ian Scutt Narrow gauge railways have always held a particular fascination for the average railfan, especially where the gauge is narrower than the 3'6" main line variety to be found in four Australian States. Outside of these, Victoria was unique in having four 2’6" gauge lines geographically isolated from each other but integral with the V.R. system. Inevitably, with the improvement of roads and road transport, the days of the 2’6" were numbered and following heavy operating losses combined with a deterioration in traffic offering, three of the lines were closed in the early 1950’s. ln considering the odds against the remaining line, that running from Colac to Beech Forest and Crowes, it is remarkable that its struggle for survival should be prolonged for another decade. Although suffering partial closure of the Crowes section, the line did survive into the sixties and during the latter months of its operation there broke out among the lovers of the narrow gauge an epidemic of "Colac Sickness". The affliction invariably rendered its victim absent from work (a "sickie") only on Wednesdays. The alert reader will derive some insight into the malady with the knowledge that the weekly goods to Beech Forest ran on Wednesdays... The advance symptoms of Colac Sickness were apparent in three’Tech’ students one Tuesday afternoon in the dim post of March, 1961. With survival kits stashed into a battered "Beetle", they joined the evening peak—hour traffic on Geelong road. It should be pointed out that in order to ride "The Beechie" on a Wednesday morning, it was necessary to travel the 90—odd miles from Melbourne in time for the narrow gauge departure from Colac at 7.15 am. Darkness had fallen when the trio pulled up at a Colac fish ‘n’ chip shop for tea, following which they stealthily entered the railway yards to seek overnight "accommodation". A short reconnaissance resulted in guard’s van 5NC offering best prospects and although a little hard, the parcel shelves made admirable bunks for two of the party, the third sleeping on a folded tarpaulin on the floor. With only the protection of sleeping bags it is miraculous that the fitful sleepers survived death by freezing during the wee small hours as an NC van is not well insulated. Before dawn, the slumberers were awakened by a genuine steam—driven alarm clock in the form of Beyer Garratt G42, wheezing and clanking about the yard making up the train for the day’s trip. Here was the first taste of genuine narrow gauge railwayana — the last operating engine on the last operating line, busily shunting its consist for a typical workaday goods train. Nothing really spectacular but nevertheless unique in indescribable atmosphere and fascination. In the inky darkness G42 was a shapeless hulk shrouded in steam, its electric headlamp and markers piercing the gloom. A waving torch signalled intermittently in the distance and the rumble of small wheels was punctuated by the crash of couplings, short silences, murmuring voices, the clunk of a point lever or two then the first twitterings of the early birds out catching their worms. The occupants of 5NC had finished breakfast before sunrise and still had time to explore. The scene was one of general dilapidation and evident neglect of maintenance to buildings, track and rolling stock — a sure sign that the end was near. Behind the engine shed sat a forlorn G41, minus pony wheels, side rods and various bits and pieces transplanted to keep G42 in service. Long queues of rusting NQ trucks awaited their fate on various sidings in mute evidence of the decline in traffic. Out on a siding beyond the coal stage sat 14A, the last of seventeen NA locomotives in general service, but even now disused.
With a blast on the whistle, the loco roared into action...Photo: J. E. Thompson.
As the first rays of sunlight cast long shadows over the frosty ground, a distant chime whistle and cloud of smoke to the east heralded the approach of a train on the brood gauge. Powering over the crest into the yard roared N457 with a long string of rattling wagons and the ubiquitous Z van, while the yard pilot D3 653 slumbered beside the coal stage on the turntable road behind the platform. |
At the booking office the
travellers were elated to learn that today’s narrow gauge train would terminate at
Lavers Hill on the closed section beyond Weeaproinah. At this time, the Crowes section had
been dismantled back to Lavers Hill where the rails were loaded into NQ trucks awaiting
pickup by G42. Due to the additional mileage, the return trip would be deferred until the
following day, the train remaining overnight at Beech Forest. As passengers were not
permitted to travel on the closed section, a blank single ticket was filled in for three
adults to travel as far as Weeaproinah and the total fare of £1/1O/O ($3.OO) paid, the
intention being to hitch-hike back to Colac that evening At last the moment had arrived when, with a blast on its "peanut" whistle, G42 began its memorable journey. Clattering out of the yard over several sets of points the train snaked around the curve past the gang—shed ar’d the home signal then onto the first long straight towards the distant hills. ln the NC the intrepid trio were regarded with some suspicion by the guard, after all they must be slightly warped to be enjoying what was to him a routine and somewhat boring journey on this brisk autumn morning. Up ahead G42 threw plumes of black smoke skyward while the collection of leaking glands and steam pipes provided a constant billowing cloud around the engine. The train consisted of two loaded, tarpaulin-covered NQ trucks behind the engine; one NQ filled with coal for the stage at Beech Forest; one NU louvre van in the middle of the train; one NQ carrying a large corrugated iron water tank; nine empty NQ trucks to be back—loaded with pulpwood from the Beech Forest mill and rails from the dismantled section; a total of fifteen vehicles including the NC. Photo: J. E. Thompson. Soon after passing Elliminyt the line began its first climb and G42 could be heard getting down to business, its exhaust deepening and slowing as the train lost momentum. On the famous horseshoe curve beside the main road before Tulloh, the train was long enough to achieve that interesting condition where engine and van pass each other in opposite directions, a feature to be repeated more frequently higher in the hills. The name—board only stations at Tulloh and Coram were passed before the first grade had been conquered and the ceaseless thump-thump—thump of flats worn on the NQ wheels increased its tempo on the downhill run. A trestle bridge spanning a small creek marked the bottom of the hill and here the line climbed again for a mile or so, the train running non-stop through Barongarook. In the depths of the eucalyptus forest a couple of miles further on, the train passed Barongarook Water, the isolated tank used mainly by up trains replenishing for the last climb to the crest at Coram. On the downgrade, Birnam nameboard was passed then the trestle over Love’s River and from a rear window of the NC, a seemingly endless straight stretch faded into the distant haze before a curve brought the train into Kawarren. Here the first stop for the trip, whereupon the guard walked forward to the NU to unload a solitary chair for the local school while the occupants of the van raced ahead to make the best of the ready-made photo-stop. The performance of G42 in the latter months of service was not usually conducive to a benevolent frame of mind on the part of the crew and this day was to be no exception. Fare—paying passengers or not, the driver wasn’t waiting for them to return to the NC but in fact seemed intent on thwarting their chances. With a blast on the whistle the loco roared into action and by the time the van drew near, its speed was estimated at around fifty Handrails were grabbed and bodies flew in all directions to finish up in an untidy heap on the floor. Surprise, surprise — no guard! A couple of miles and a few curves later, the guard appeared hanging from the cab of the engine, causing the travellers in the van to ponder on what sort of Rule Book the narrow gauge was operated, but then the words "narrow gauge" themselves held the explanation. One of the charms of the narrow gauge was its ability to divorce itself from the rat— race of the modern world and to render time almost meaningless once away from the junction station. Out in the bush the Rules & Regs and Timetable went by the board, as it was odds—on that sooner or later, with any luck and as long as it didn’t rain, in all probability the train would eventually reach its destination, barring of course any breakdowns or other unforeseen circumstances. lt has often been said that rules were made to be broken but up in the Otways the exception became the rule and, save for safeworking procedure, anything could happen. So the guard was riding on the engine. So what? In all probability he was driving the train while the driver was up front hammering the *#%* out of the air compressor to free a sticking valve as the grade dropped through Lovat towards Gellibrand. After rumbling across the trestle over Gellibrand River, it was a short climb past the pub and the home signal, over a level crossing and into the station yard where the train rattled to a halt at the "platform", almost two hours after leaving Colac. The two covered NQ trucks were uncoupled from the train and G42 ran ahead with them in the first shunting move for the day. Stopping at the down—end water tank, the engine’s tanks were filled then the two NQ's propelled onto a rake of empties in 4 road. (end of part one)
....Stopping at the down—end water tank, the engine’s tanks were filled... Photo: J. E. Thompson Now see Part Two |
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· . ...where engine and van pass each other in
opposite directions...