Century ITA Century

* Colourful ^RIETÎ^IÎ^^^^^"ri * railway celebrates ' Nf! a nostalgic century SSQ ITA a as the Port and I ^H_V %%»ook,%lyook. Dad,"Dad." called a young pas- built part of the Port Augusta and BBSà senger on a steam train puffing Government Gums Railway and formed JLjup the Pichi Richi Pass from an important section of the Great Quorn, in South Australia's lower Northern Railway. Flinders Ranges, "there goes that little At first it was operated by the South short bloke again." Australian Railways and later by the Mother of three Meg Atkinson, alias Commonwealth Railways. the "little short bloke," has fooled other British stonemasons, including passengers when she dons her Cornishmen who had emigrated to fireman's uniform with the old-style South Australia during the copper peaked cap to join the crew of a steam mining boom, worked with Chinese train taking tourists for a nostalgic bit of coolies on the railway's construction. smut-in-the-eye travel on the historic lt negotiated steep grades in the Pichi Richi Railway. harsh country. Splendid examples of Meg, her microbiologist husband drystone walling embankments and fine Max, and their children are one of many bridges remain today as a tribute to the families in South Australia who have craftsmanship of its builders. helped to put trains back on the The railway's busiest moments were was opened and through trains left colourful old railway again. during World War ll when it handled Quorn forever. They are members of the Pichi Richi military supplies and troops, and follow- The railway deteriorated. Stock Railway Preservation Society, formed by ing the development of the Leigh Creek grazed on grass springing up between country and city people in 1973 to save coalfield, when it carried up to 2000 its rusting rails. the for of railway posterity and restore it. tonnes coal a day. Then in 1973, spurred on by a rumour This year the society is celebrating For many years the famous "Ghan" that the Commonwealth Railways in- the 100th anniversary of the construc- passenger train used the line. tended to dispose of the track, local tion of which the railway passes through The decision to build a new standard people and history-minded supporters rugged country renowned for its natural gauge track on the western side of the from as far away as Adelaide formed the a beauty wildflower paradise. Flinders spelled the end of the Pichi Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society The Pichi Richi was the track. Railway originally Richi line and brought dismay to the and began restoring to service planned copper mining railway centre of Quorn. lt was a formidable task. ventures and agricultural needs, lt was In 1957 the Port Augusta-Maree line A lot of the money needed was, and National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4875653 lanfiA TOP LEFT: A typical WM 9 ^|^ B SJRÏ^ éfm% m* 1 Pichi train crew. ? VHM Pichi Richi Railway crew. ^^fl l^^buHj__L 1Bi Ad BT*W 4B fe*. RB FromFrom left, Tom Rosser (guard), Bill Bennetts ^^^^Bfc^^^Bfc ^^L^M JH^^_ ^^t^* HE (auto instructor). Michele Gray-Gray, Lorna and Heidi BM? ^^^^^^ mL Hart (refreshments). Malcolm McKay (station master) andand Max lfl_fl_ Atkinson (conductor). On the engine. Max Munchenberg (driver) and ^^^Hta_WB-L^A Meg Atkinson (fireman). LEFT: Bob Yates at work. ABOVE: A dream realized. still is, raised the being by allowing restoration of engines and carriages by the then Governor of South Australia, public to a Pichi Richi A for "buy" Railway search steam locomotives Sir Mark Oliphant. sleeper for $1. resulted in the two society buying British The line, which is being re-opened in Members of a the society camped at built 1951 "W" class steam locomotives stages, was later extended to Pichi on the cottage outskirts of Quorn owned formerly owned by the Western Austral- Richi, a distance of 12.5km from Quorn. by past president Trevor Ward - the ian Government Railways and a A further stage to Woolshed Flat was dollar sleeper certificate was his idea "T" once 70-year-old class operated by officially opened at Easter this year. and began the work of backbreaking the SA Railways and overhauled at a Pichi Richi Railway Preservation salvaging the track from the encroach- cost of more than $35,000, and that Society members are now restoring a ing bush. excluded labour. voluntary unique 1905 vintage steam raiicar Later, built a at In they workshop Quorn 1974, amid much and as the with flag-waving affectionately known "Coffee facilities for members and their jubilation, Quorn came to life again as a Pot," along with another "W" class families who came there for weekends town when the Pichi railway Richi engine and other passenger carriages. and to holidays work on the track and was as far as Summit Railway re-opened NOEL RAIT I National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4875654.

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