digitised film
1970Digitised version of super 8 film taken by Edwin Woodland in 1970 when the first steam train to cross Australia was departing Perth. The film is 2mins 43secs long. Edwin Woodland was the Secretary of Railway Heritage WA at the time.
Until 1970 it was not possible to cross Australia from one side to the other without changing trains. With the completion of the standard gauge connection from Sydney to East Perth the Indian Pacific ran its first service in February 1970. As the Western Australia Government Railways did not have any standard gauge track until the 1960s project to build such a line between Kalgoorlie and East Perth, no standard gauge steam train had operated west of Kalgoorlie, let alone run across Australia.
In August 1970 the iconic NSW steam locomotive 3801 hauled its passenger train across Australia and became the first steam train to operate across Australia. It arrived in East Perth on 28 August and departed on 6 September. The film captures its departure from East Perth and then heading eastwards.
Details
Details
Australia
this is the digitised version due to deterioration of original film.
Other items from Rail Heritage WA
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WAGR Governor class railcar at Midland Workships
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WAGR S class at Midland Workshops
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WAGR Pm class at Midland Workshops
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WAGR Governor class railcar at Midland Workshops, side view
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WAGR V class at Midland Workshops
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WAGR B class at Midland Workshops
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WAGR G class
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WAGR K class Builder's Photo
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WAGR R class plinthed at Railway Institute
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WAGR F class Builder's Photo
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WAGR N class at East Perth Depot
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WAGR OA class at Midland
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