First mainline diesel locomotive built by Tulloch Ltd. has successfully completed trials on the TGR's North West line.
     It is the first of two 0-6-0 diesel-hydraulic locos ordered by the TGR for use on light track in the North Western districts of Tasmania.
     It is powered with an eight-cylinder turbo-charged Rolls-Royce diesel engine developing 335 h.p. coupled through cardan shafts to a Krupp 2W1.L1.15 hydraulic transmission incorporating a two-speed forward and reserve gearbox.
     Another cardan shaft from the transmission connects a Krupp KS 320 final drive unit mounted on the centre axle which is coupled by side rods to the outer axles.
     Total weight of the locomotive is 27 tons and the centre driving wheels are flangeless to permit operation over sharp curves.
     Top designed speed is 30 mph and the maximum starting tractive effort at 30 per cent adhesion is 18,500 lbs.
     The second unit is expected to enter service by the end of November.
     These are the first diesel/hydraulic locomotives to be delivered to the TGR and are the first Australian-designed and built diesel locomotives on that system. Introduction of these locomotives, numbered Wl and W2, will complete the dieselisation of the TGR's North West Coast lines and will eliminate long hauls of coal from East Coast mines.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, December, 1959

     The Tinplate Express has received a considerable amount of publicity over the months from various sources, but little has been written of its activities from an on-the-spot authority.
     One such authority is Mr. R. Walters, the Station Master at Cringila. Mr. Walters has written to "The Railwayman," and included some interesting sidelights on the Express and its loading.
     The tinplate is manufactured at the Australian Iron and Steel's works at Cringila.
     "The actual manufacture," Mr. Walters tells us, "is very interesting."
     "A roll of sheet steel is placed into position and fed through machines, cut and trimmed to predetermined sizes, then inspected and counted electrically," he points out.
     The next step in processing is the cleaning. Each sheet is washed and dipped in molten tin, polished with bran and again examined for defects.
     The sheets are then bundled into thick-paper wrappings and placed in steel boxes, which are secured by steel bands.
     Boxes, when loaded, weigh approximately 1 ton, according to the size and number of sheets.
     Trucks making up the TINPLATE EXPRESS are of the TLV-type, which closely resemble the LLV. They are painted a silvery colour, and feature automatic couplings, double floors, and extra bulk heads at each end of the trucks' two compartments.
     Carrying capacity is 40 tons, with a tare of approximately 25 tons.
     "A normal train load," writes Mr. Walters, "consists of 13 TVL carrying something like 495 tons of tinplate. With trucks and brake van weights included it reaches approximately 840 tons."
     After loading is completed, the train is hauled by one of the Australian Iron and Steel's diesel- electric locomotives over the Company's 4-mile private line to Unanderra. From there, two of the Department's 44-Class Diesel-electrics take over the job.
     "Just beyond Summit Tank, where the grade has been 1 in 30, one of the 44-Class Locos is detached," Mr. Walters continues.
     "The train is in Albury about 12 hours after its Unanderra departure. After unloading, the vans are again given fast transit on their return journey."
     The Tinplate Express has been running approximately every third day with tinplate intended for such Victorian destinations as Dynons Siding, Shepparton, Mooroopna, and Kyabram.
     "Of a total of 15 TVL trucks in service," Mr. Walters concludes, "thirteen are in service and two are held as replacements and used for tinplate hauls to such New South Wales towns as Leeton, in the Riverina. The valuable tinplate traffic is returning a sizeable amount of freight revenue to the Department's coffers."

Reprinted from The Railwayman, October, 1960

     Mr. R. Cronin, the locomotive and carriage superintendent of the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway, informs us that the Duchess of Connaught and her children seemed specially interested in the handsome appearance of the engine "Rathdown," No. 55, decorated for the purpose of conveying Her Majesty from Kingsbridge Station to Kingstown Pier, on April 26th.
     The most prominent feature of the decorations was an immense floral shamrock in front of the smoke-box; one leaf was of red geranium blossom, a second of blue violets, and the third of white narcissi; it was surmounted by the Royal arms.
     A flagstaff was over each buffer; from one flew the Union Jack, and from the other the Royal Standard (they are shown furled in the photo). The base of the flagstaffs had a large bunch of arum lilies and yellow gorse blossom tied on with red, white, and blue ribbon.
     The hand-rail all around the engine was looped with evergreens, with arum lilies tied in at intervals with gorse blossom, the whole tied on with red, white, and blue ribbon.
     The picture is also interesting, because it contains excellent portraits of the chairman and chief officers of the Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford Railway. Mr. F. Pirn, the chairman, is standing in front of the trailing wheel of the bogie. In front of the driving wheel is Mr. A. G. Reid, the general manager. Mr. R. Cronin, the locomotive superintendent, is close to the leading bogie wheel; whilst behind Mr. Reid will be observed Mr. E. M. Cowan, the secretary; and a little in advance, but nearer the footplate, is Mr. Coghlan, the traffic manager.

Reprinted from Railway Magazine, July, 1900

     The Worcester Railway is really a short mineral branch line linking the Lowesmoor vinegar works of Hill, Evans & Co. Ltd. with the G.W.R. at Shrub Hill, Worcester. This article details the signalling at the level crossing at Shrub Hill Road, which is maintained under Statutory obligation. The owning firm was established in 1830 by William Hill and Edward Evans, and 40 years later applied to Parliament for powers to build this railway. The result was the passage on August 1, 1870, of the Worcester Railways Act, which authorised 2 furlongs 9 chains of line, subject to a speed limit of 4 m.p.h., but conferred no powers for the compulsory purchase of land. The line as built is shown on the accompanying sketch map. The undertaking was described in the Act as the Worcester Railways, and the proprietors were named as the partners for the time being in Hill, Evans & Co. The firm has often been called the Worcester Railway Company, but the Act did not incorporate a statutory company. A maintenance agreement regarding the railway was made with the G.W.R. on May 28, 1872, and this still continues to operate. The owning firm was converted into a limited company on May 31, 1900, and this company presumably replaces the old partnership as proprietor of the railway.

G.W.R. locomotive drawing a train on the Worcester Railway across Shrub Hill Road, Worcester. The view shows the former type of road semaphore signals and notice boards.

     Under the Worcester Railways Act of 1870, the proprietors were obliged to provide signals at the public road crossings to warn road users when trains required to pass across the highway. For many years these consisted of semaphore signals of the type once common, in which the semaphore arm was fitted in a slot cut out of the post. At the Shrub Hill crossing the signals were both placed on the same side of the street with their arms pointing away from the pavement and painted red with a white stripe on both faces, as may be seen from the accompanying illustration. There were no spectacle glasses, and the lamps which were made to revolve on a vertical spindle in consonance with the signal arms, were fitted with bull's-eye lenses on four faces, presenting the appropriate colour to road traffic corresponding with the position of the arms. The signals were rod worked from a lever nearby, necessitating connections passing beneath the street, which were awkward and expensive to maintain. Notice boards explaining the purpose of these signals were fixed both on the signal posts and also in the street a short distance in the rear thereof.

View looking down Shrub Hill, Worcester, showing G.W.R. type standard semaphore signals controlling street traffic at the crossing of the Worcester vinegar railway branch. Key interlocking is used.

     A few years ago, when renewals were required, it was decided to abolish the old signal posts and replace them with the G.W.R.'s present neat standard design of tubular post and ordinary lower quadrant signal arm, as seen in the illustration alongside. These are arranged and painted in the usual railway style, the coloured lights showing away from the signal in each case. At the same time the rod connections were abolished and replaced by a key interlocking arrangement, as shown on the diagram. Each signal is now operated locally by a handle on its up and down road, being normally key locked in the "clear" position. In this condition key Y is locked in the lock on signal A and key Z in the lock on signal B. The initial, or master, key X is normally kept housed in the cover of the ground frame nearest to the roadway, on the Pheasant Street side of the crossing. This frame works a signal controlling railway traffic, to lower which key Z must be inserted in its lock on the frame; on the Shrub Hill side of the crossing is another ground frame, working a trap and a signal, also requiring key Z to be inserted in its lock before the trap can be set for a train to pass. The two railway signals cannot therefore be cleared simultaneously. Succession key locking obtains between keys X, Y, and Z.
     When a train requires to cross the road the key X is removed from frame No. 1 and turned in the lock on signal A, allowing it to be put to "danger", backlocking key X and freeing key Y. The latter is then taken to signal B and inserted in the lock there, allowing that signal to be put to "danger" in turn and freeing key Z. The last-named key is then taken by the trainman and inserted in one of the ground frames which clears the signal, or the signal and catch points (whichever ground frame is used) and key Z becomes locked in. When the movement is finished the signal concerned is put to danger, this again releases key Z which is brought back to signal B, that signal is cleared again, backlocking the key in and freeing key Y once more; this in turn is taken to signal A, which is also cleared, backlocking the key in and freeing key X, which is taken back to frame No. 1. It is thus impossible for any unauthorised person to interfere with the signals.
     We understand that, although this use of railway signals is nowadays rarely met with and many members of the public probably fail to understand their significance, it would have been necessary to obtain repeal of the relevant clauses in the original Act of Parliament in order to abolish them at this crossing.

Reprinted from The Railway Gazette, 3 May, 1940

     Standard rulebooks emphasize that safety is of the first importance and obedience to the rules essential to safety. Improved communication, electrically-controlled automatic signals and other modern devices would probably amaze pioneer crews who worked rules which present-day rails would rather read about than comply with.
     In 1855 the South Carolina Rail Road issued a new list of rules which included the following safety instructions:-
     "In case of dense fog, the down trains will run with their whistles blowing. The up trains will shut steam off the engine at every mile board and listen for the whistle of down trains.
     "In cases where trains meet between turn-outs, the train nearest the turn-out will go back into turn-out."
     "In case of accidents whereby the road becomes obstructed, if in the day, a man is to be sent in front and rear at least one- quarter mile to give warning to approaching trains. If at night, fires to be kindled the same distance front and rear, and a torch waved to approaching trains."
     "In passing through curves, over gates or switches, at turn-outs and over bridges the speed will be reduced to six miles per hour for passenger and four miles for freight trains."
     "When the regular 8 o'clock passenger engine carries a red flag, it is to be understood that the express train is coming and all freight trains will go into turn-outs, according to schedule time. If the express is not then in sight, they will go on keeping a good lookout."
     In 1856 a line operated by the Central Railroad & Banking Company of Georgia ran freight trains only during the day. A freight leaving a station after 6 p.m. would run to some point it could reach before seven, remaining there over night. The greater part of two days was consumed by a freight train between Savannah and Macon, a distance of exactly 191 miles.
     Central enginemen were "subject to pay the fare of any person who may ride upon his engine without proper authority. Enginemen must never entrust his engine to a fireman. If it is to be moved he must do it, unless at Savannah or Macon, where it may be done by the person appointed by the superintendent of machinery."
     "All engines unprovided with lamps and running at night out of time must keep their dampers open, so as to show a light."
     The rules for conductors list a number of things chargeable to them: lamps, oil cans, monkey wrenches, water buckets, chains, and so forth, amounting to $20.50. This amount was taken from his first month's pay, refunded to him when he left the road. The rule specifies that "in case any of these articles are worn out or destroyed in service of the company they will be replaced by the storekeeper, if brought to him, without additional charge."
     Conductors were required to see that proper watchmen were placed on duty at stations where their train lay over for the night. They were directed to never leave Savannah or Macon without the mail. It was also their special duty to see that mails were delivered and received at the way stations, and kept safely while aboard the train.
     They were strict on keys. "The conductor must not entrust his keys to any of the hands or suffer any person not duly authorized to enter his car. He will in all cases be charged with freight lost or damaged while under his charge. On leaving or entering a turn-out he will see that the switches are replaced to the proper track, and he will always be certain that he arrives at a station with the same number of cars with which he left the last station."

Reprinted from Railroad Magazine, August, 1947

     During last year most of "our railway experts" were busily occupied with the apparently congenial work of advertising, more or less gratuitously, the French railways. Our "experts" were well treated by the French companies. They had a small retinue of high officials told off to see that the engines and trains worked well, and when more than five or six persons had to be on the foot-plate at once, the overflow had compartments reserved for them on the train, and which, besides adding to their personal comfort, prevented their "observations" being interfered with by mere ordinary passengers.
     We ventured to assert that such very high speed trains would not pay in this country, and to doubt if they really paid in France. The Paris Exhibition closed, several trains ran off the line, with, in some cases, terrible and disastrous results, the travelling was generally admitted to be excessively uncomfortable, the trains were "decelerated," and the "experts" became silent about them.
     The result of all this advertisement and high speed is that the profits of all the big French companies have been reduced, for in no case did the great increase in the traffic receipts balance the increase in the working expenses.
     Mr. Rous-Marten frequently pointed out that the railway which ran the fastest long distance trains in the world also paid the biggest dividends. Most people knew that the Chemin de Fer du Nord had paid large dividends in the past, and also knew how they had been made. The point of interest was whether it would continue to do so, and the following extract from Baron A. de Rothschild's recent address to the shareholders throws much light on the matter:— "Our desire not to be behind the times has led us to introduce the new corridor carriage, which is now in use on all our express routes. These new corridor trains have, however, raised the cost per train kilometre run from 2 francs 6 centimes to 2 francs 32 centimes [about 4d. per mile]. Then, again, we have also had to deal with the rise in the price of coal, which has cost us an extra £240,000. Besides this, we have been put to extra expense in connection with the Government requirements as to the hours of labour of certain classes of our servants."
     The Company had an enormous increase in receipts, viz., £890,784, but the increase in the expenditure was £958,602.
     The accounts of the other great French railway companies show similar but rather worse results.

Reprinted from The Railway Engineer, July, 1901

     A decision by the NSW State Cabinet on future plans for the Eastern Suburbs railway is expected shortly.
     Informed transport circles consider that the Government will abandon the partially completed railway and will decide on either bus transport or a rapid transit system for the area.
     Designed to serve the densely-populated Eastern and South-Eastern suburbs, the railway was commenced in 1947. Over £2 million was spent on the project when work closed down down in 1954 owing to lack of finance.
     It has been estimated that it would cost £100 million to finish the railway, which included a comprehensive network of surface and sub-surface lines.
     Stages partially completed when work was suspended in 1954 were: Chalmers Street station site excavation 560 ft. long, 80 ft. wide and 90 ft. deep. (This is currently being covered so that the road surface can be replaced); 41½ chains of double track tunnel under Sydney Domain and progress on a new station at Redfern and sextuplication works between Sydenham and Sydney.
     In August last year, the Minister for Transport, Mr. A. G. Enticknap, asked the NSWGR Commissioner, Mr. N. McCusker, and the then Commissioner for Government Transport, Mr. A. A. Shoebridge to report on all aspects of transport for the Eastern Suburbs.      Considerable publicity has also been given to a plan for a rapid transit system to serve, roughly, the same area as the Eastern Suburbs railway. Known as the Caldwell Plan after its originator, Mr. J. R. Caldwell, this scheme was estimated to cost £13 million and included the utilisation of unused railway tunnels under the city and existing tramway reserved right-of-way by rapid transit cars designed to give a service similar to an electric railway at lower cost.
     A decision on the Eastern Suburbs railway has been held in abeyance pending the return from overseas of Mr. A. G. Enticknap, who has just completed a three months world-wide tour. Whilst in America, Mr. Enticknap inspected several rapid transit systems.
     It seems certain that the Government will abandon the railway proposals owing to the high cost of completion and also to the changes in passenger travel trends which have occurred since the railway was first mooted.
     This leaves the Government with the alternative of either a bus or rapid transit system to serve the Eastern and South Eastern suburbs. The former would coincide with its present policy of substitution of trams for buses whilst the latter would enable some use to be made of the tunnels constructed in preparation for the railway and which would otherwise be unuseable.
     On his return to Australia, Mr. Enticknap said that while the American rapid transit systems had impressed him, he considered it would be almost impossible to provide similar facilities in Sydney unless special public taxes were levied to pay for them.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, October, 1959