The red flats at the start, on the left are just off the Hume Hway, 17 seconds in you can see a sawtooth roof on a large building, in the distance in the left top of the frame, that is the Boiler Shop where the trains first stops. Behind the Boiler Shop is the Diesel Annexe, I finished my time there and worked as a fitter for nearly a decade in the 1980s, we reconditioned Alco and GM 2000hp diesel electric locomotive engines. There were hundreds of people working in the Annexe and BoShops in those days. On your right at the first stop is Rookwood Cemetery.
I remember when the Chullora Apprentice workshops opened. I was an apprentice there. Berowra to Chullora by train. Long day. Picked up the old Diesel/Electric from Newcastle. By the time you got to Strathfield, you sometimes had to climb out the window to get off the train.
Thanks for posting this video. It is a great piece of archival footage. A part of the network that most commuters in Sydney would never knew even existed. Thanks again.
What really gets me about this is that it looks like you're riding through country paddocks. No apartments, major industrial buildings etc to be seen. Really does feel like a whole different era of what Sydney looked like.
It’s the same feel before Sydney Olympic Park was built at Homebush bay. The abattoirs , salesyards and brick pits was a rural environment with its own workers only rail line that went to Lidcombe through Pippita station.
5:18 After this point, the Elcar branch separates from the Chullora Industrial Branch line, which continues on straight ahead from the camera’s POV. This spot is somewhat visible on Google Maps satellite imagery and is where the tracks were removed after Elcar was demolished. On the left are present day Yana Badu Wetlands (previously known as Chullora Wetlands), and the train continues on through the present day Volkswagen property, Muir Road, then PFD Food Services. The furthest extent of the Elcar branch and adjacent sidings beyond the camera’s vantage point at the Elcar platform is the narrow triangular bit of land beyond the Cooks River that splits the Bluescope Steel property from Veolia’s property. Historical aerial photos (earlier comments have the nsw.gov link) should show it pretty clearly.
I've driven that line several times. Only ever did the ELCAR shunter once though. I have a pic of myself with my train at Sigway. Any videos on that line?
At Enfield we had a shunting job all around chullora daily. Nice little video.
The red flats at the start, on the left are just off the Hume Hway, 17 seconds in you can see a sawtooth roof on a large building, in the distance in the left top of the frame, that is the Boiler Shop where the trains first stops.
Behind the Boiler Shop is the Diesel Annexe, I finished my time there and worked as a fitter for nearly a decade in the 1980s, we reconditioned Alco and GM 2000hp diesel electric locomotive engines. There were hundreds of people working in the Annexe and BoShops in those days.
On your right at the first stop is Rookwood Cemetery.
I remember when the Chullora Apprentice workshops opened. I was an apprentice there. Berowra to Chullora by train.
Long day. Picked up the old Diesel/Electric from Newcastle. By the time you got to Strathfield, you sometimes had to climb out the window to get off the train.
Thanks for posting this video. It is a great piece of archival footage. A part of the network that most commuters in Sydney would never knew even existed. Thanks again.
What really gets me about this is that it looks like you're riding through country paddocks. No apartments, major industrial buildings etc to be seen. Really does feel like a whole different era of what Sydney looked like.
It’s the same feel before Sydney Olympic Park was built at Homebush bay. The abattoirs , salesyards and brick pits was a rural environment with its own workers only rail line that went to Lidcombe through Pippita station.
A nice little slice of History. I started at Trackfast in 89 and am still there.
5:18 After this point, the Elcar branch separates from the Chullora Industrial Branch line, which continues on straight ahead from the camera’s POV. This spot is somewhat visible on Google Maps satellite imagery and is where the tracks were removed after Elcar was demolished.
On the left are present day Yana Badu Wetlands (previously known as Chullora Wetlands), and the train continues on through the present day Volkswagen property, Muir Road, then PFD Food Services.
The furthest extent of the Elcar branch and adjacent sidings beyond the camera’s vantage point at the Elcar platform is the narrow triangular bit of land beyond the Cooks River that splits the Bluescope Steel property from Veolia’s property. Historical aerial photos (earlier comments have the nsw.gov link) should show it pretty clearly.
A fascinating view into what seems like the very distant past.
The lines and tracks the steamies use to work on
I've driven that line several times. Only ever did the ELCAR shunter once though. I have a pic of myself with my train at Sigway. Any videos on that line?
great footage !
You forget how many branch lines Sydney used to have, these days, Sydney doesn't have any branch lines that see passenger service.
When did the workers trains to Elcar cease.
Somewhere around 1994?
was this a scheduled passenger service for the workers ?
Presumably yes and services would have been included in the public timetables
@@mobiletransportvideo Back in the 70's it was.
Is any of the infrastructure of this line left?
Yes. Lines to Pacific National freight yard and lines to track vehicles depot.
Was a very crime ridden area back in the 90s
Semaphores. !!
A nice little slice of History. I started at Trackfast in 89 and am still there.
Still there unfortunately.