1972 October Steam to Whyalla

Bert Scales Rail Archive.
Cine Film digitally transferred to HD with sound dubbed over.
Wednesday 4.10.1972 saw 3642 and 3801 operate W101 the 'Pirinari Whyalla' train to celebrate the opening of the Commonwealth Railways standard gauge line from Port Augusta to Whyalla. Bert took his wife along to film this historic event in their then near new Holden.
The train consist was marshalled VHO 1870, TAM 905, TAM 629, MAL 916, TAM 777, BV 485, AB 91, TAM 874, TAM 748, MAL 1862 and VHO 1816 full of locomotive and carriage spare parts for the journey. The train consist was meticulously externally repainted by carriage works Redfern Indian Red with silver / white roofs specially for the tour to provide a uniform appearance.
Here we see various western NSW locations of the tour train.
Further detail of the trip can be found in an article written by P. Neve in the 1972 issue of Railway Digest.

[@DARRENRICHARDSON-wl1dd]

DARRENRICHARDSON 😊❤HAVE LOVE ❤

[@svds81]

Fantastic footage this is the first video of the tour that has been released. Thank you.

[@nswrailvideos7113]

This is great to know. There is little reference to the tour online, thankfully Railway digest covered the details of which i have summarised above.

[@Stanb662000]

great video of a famous trip. I remember pacing 3801 from Condobolin well after dark on the return run, and still have the house brick sized lump of coal that fell out of 3801's tender and nearly took out my mum the following morning at Parkes! I seem to recall them starting a small lineside fire near Molong too

[@nswrailvideos7113]

Great story. Thanks for sharing.