Drivers view Tasmania, Guildford to Hatfield, Tasmania, Dec 2023

Join us as we travel from Guildford to Hatfield along the Melba line formerly known as the Emu Bay Railway on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia on a DQ class diesel electric locomotive. December 2023.
#train #driverseyeview #driversview #traindriversview #tasrail

[@garygeorge7035]

Like all of Tassie up until mid 70's it had a passenger service which ran from Burnie to Queenstown/Zehan. gauge of 3'6'

[@driver667]

👍😀

[@robinmathews2446]

Much more straight running than I thought on this section... And look at all that plantation timber that may be hauled by rail later on in the future? So wet for December.. That's the West Coast for sure .. I think that the MOW workers must have webbed feet?
Did the Hellyer branch ever have a connection facing South, or only the North facing one that we can see easily on the video?
Hard to believe that there was once a whole town (even with a school) at Guildford?
This station was where the passengers would buy their lunch, as their vehicles were loaded or un-loaded onto the train for the trip to Rosebery.. This was before the road through to Rosebery was opened in the 1960's.. It was also the start of the Waratah Branch line before that... But there is no trace of the town now.. (Although I have heard that the concrete ramp for loading the cars onto the train is still there, where a siding used to be. I don't know if that's right or not)?
Great video.. Thank you..

[@driver667]

You're welcome. As far as I understand it, the Hellyer branch only had the connection we can see in the video. Guildford is nothing now making it hard to believe of the town that once existed. Glad you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@user-gf3ic2es4m]

Great to ride these rails again. The good old DQ's keeping the wheels turning. Great stuff! Thanks from retired driver Keith (671).😊😊

[@driver667]

Great locomotives. Sound good and reliable. Glad you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@pcorf]

@@driver667 Reliable, and get the job done all around the Tasmanian rail network. Usually at least 3 on Melba line and the others are on various trains helping out the TR's and 2050's.

[@driver667]

@@pcorf 👍😀

[@norsehall309]

G'day, what a beautiful run through the Tassie bush you were very lucky to ride the train through there, it's narrow gauge l think??, and did it have a passenger service once or just industrial use??, Cheers mate, Neil 🤠.

[@xr6lad]

The answer is ‘yes’ it did carry passengers at one time as before the highway was built in the 1960’s the railway was the only way to get into the west coast towns. I assume passenger service therefore must have stopped around the 1960’s.

[@driver667]

@@xr6lad this line used to be a private railway up until 1998 when it was merged into the tasrail operations by then owner, ATN. The passenger service 'The Westcoaster' I think it was called lasted till about the mid 1960's. After that it was a mixed goods, passenger car on the back of a freight train. This finished in 1977. After that point it became freight only. 👍😀

[@mihailoarsic5716]

👍

[@driver667]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@Urnieburns70]

So, that's where all the X wagons are....

[@driver667]

They sure are. 👍😀

[@tasmanianmapping]

Hi! I would like to know if I could use this footage (and others on you channel) for my Tasmanian Transit videos. It would be greatly appreciated and you will be credited. Please respond soon as I am currently making a video I would like to use this footage in.

[@driver667]

Send me an email (can be found in the community tab) so we can chat. Thank you.👍

[@tasmanianmapping]

@@driver667 I have sent it, but it is in the description not community. Great to know anyways

[@driver667]

@@tasmanianmapping 👍😀

[@tasmanianmapping]

@@driver667 Can I use the footage?

[@driver667]

@@tasmanianmapping I'll send you an email tomorrow. I'm away with work at the moment. 👍😀