Steam Trains to Toronto, Lake Macquarie, NSW

Driver James Gray shares stories of working the old steam trains to the Toronto Railway Station and some of the challenges along the way, with photographs from The Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society Inc.

[@pamelanaylor7761]

Good memories for my husband Roger who was always running late for the train in the 1950's going to school. His dad was Asst. Stationmaster at Fassifern in those days.

[@alanreilly9056]

Great History, thank you for posting it

[@lordwombat8169]

Thanks for this beaut memory. In the early 1950s my single mother used to sell sprays of daphnia near the bottom of the stair well to earn a few extra pence. The station was always busy in those days with buses lined up to meet the trains. I can remember the trains lined up waiting to return to Newcastle at around 6. 30 pm each week night. And if you didn't want to go by bus you could always catch the ferry to Belmont! On school mornigs we would place a halfpenny on the rails near the crossing so that the engine driving wheels would squash it into a penny.😂

[@reedbender1179]

James Gray, job well done. All round good bloke I'd say. 👍

[@O6VFR]

Great to watch this. I travelled Toronto - Hamilton - Toronto daily during the 70's, to get to school. Loved the old 600 diesel sets in both two and four car configuration. Got to know a few of the drivers, and they used to let me sit up front with them. Must admit safety wasn't a priority back then. I remember you used to be able to walk between each pair when they were joined, with nothing to stop you falling. We used to do this between Teralba and Cockle Creek stations for the thrill, as they used to fly along this straight bit of track.

[@jimclarke1108]

I remember the steam engines well

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

With the huge population growth in Lake Macquarie area around Toronto I bet they wish the trains were still there rather than driving into Newcastle... great video and excellent interview and an insight to the past.

[@gordonrice167]

But they don't think of that all they think of is the current time and not the future and saving money

[@akf6815]

It is great to have this history recorded. Good stuff James Gray.👍

[@lakemacnaturally8214]

thank you

[@-Tjea]

Really enjoyed this, cheers.

[@lakemacnaturally8214]

Awesome, thank you!

[@mickhofman]

I love the vids mate, thankyou !

[@normanwhipp8296]

I wonder if James Gray ever worked trains to Rutherford? I recall a steam train with only two carriages used to leave Newcastle (platform 3, I think) for Rutherford about 2PM on weekdays in the 1950s.

[@lakemacnaturally8214]

Hi Norman Dad said he used to take the steam train into Rutherford of a morning from Maitland to take the cotton mill workers out there.

[@normanwhipp8296]

@@lakemacnaturally8214 I used to live not all that far from the Rutherford station and hung around there during some school holidays in 1956. The morning train may have been discontinued by then but a shunter used to come sometime in the morning. It may have been in the timetable as 'mixed'. Sometimes some pupils would skip a couple of periods at school and catch the afternoon train from Victoria Street to Farley or Rutherford.

[@darrenrodneysales5973]

@@lakemacnaturally8214 Did your father ever drive trains to Rutherford Racecourse. located where Burlington Mills Was

[@darting100]

so we had a lot less poeple back then and alot more train lines/stations, and stations at toronto,cessnock,morpeth but we shut them down ,our leaders had know forward vision pathetic

[@RB-yq7qv]