Pichi Richi Railway - Quorn

March 22nd, 1973 - Transcontinental Paper - Port Augusta

Preserve the rail link through Pichi Richi Pass is the current cry. This picture taken on Monday afternoon shows to what lengths same people have gone to draw attention to the fact that the line between Port Augusta and Quorn should be kept for posterity.
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At a meeting at Eleura Lodge in early May 1973 with representatives from tourist and historical organisations, Commissioner for the Commonwealth Railways, K.A.Smith gave assurance that the historic line would not be dismantled.

In addition it was decided to form The Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society and Reg Mayes of the Port Augusta Tourist Committee was appointed convener for a meeting to be held at a date yet to be fixed.

The Commissioner said he had travelled over the line that morning by section car, and that the line was suitable for light traffic. Mr Smith made the suggestion of using diesel rail cars, as there were two in Darwin not being used.This he saw as a starting point, using the rail cars between Quorn & Woolshed Flat

Mr Smith's personal opinion was that the line should be retain for future public service. He also stated the only people likely to use it were tourist.

Mr Richards said council had an open mind to the subject. If it were economical proposition members would like to the line retained for tourist reasons.

Mr Keneanlly believed that travel by diesel wasn't the answer, but steam power. Tourist would be looking for a bit less comfort & more of the history of the line & the way of travel too.

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At a meeting held at Cooninda on Sunday, June 3rd 1973, attended by about 90 interested people they appointed a steering committee to carry out a feasibility study for the retention of the Stirling North - Quorn Rail link.

This meeting was convened by Mr R Mayes, who had expressed surprise at the interest shown by people from all walks of life in preserving this rail link.

The steering committee was to make a study of organisation like the "Puffin Billy Society". It had Messier Mayes, Q Smith and G. Richards both of Quorn as executive officers. There were 12 other members from local organisations, including the Commonwealth Railways on the committee.

Mr Mayes pointed out that one of the big problems was obtaining suitable light locomotives in good condition. He said that until this could be done, it was proposed to use the two narrow gauge diesel rail cars owned by the Commonwealth Railways  & stored in Darwin.

July 11th, 1973 - Transcontinental Paper - Port Augusta

On the spot inspections of the bridges, stone work & track was later done. All were most enthusiastic  & surprised at the condition of the bridges & track. Satlia bridge obviously will require some work to be done & some sleeper replacement on the track.

Photo: Jeremy Browne - June 1974

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The Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society took out an option to purchase T class engine together with 4 carriages stored in the Peterborough yard in July 1973. The cost of the T class engine was $2,000 & $350 each for the carriages. The decision to take out the option followed a recommendation from the Society's patron, Mr K.A.Smith. This followed a member of the steering committee offer of an interest free loan to make up the difference.

Photo: Jeremy Browne - May 1973

Mr Graham Richards was appointed publicity officer & Mr Trevor Ward accepted the position of treasurer.

This was all decided at a meeting held at the Senior Citizens' Club when it was revealed that donation already held was $1,650.

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Scope - September 1973 - Trevor Ward, PRRPS Treasurer going through correspondence.

Trevor Ward, (pictured above) who had taken on the treasurers job, "thought that it would be a 7 day wonder". It had really captured the imagination of the people, not only in the north, not only in South Australia, but throughout Australia. Trevor was burning the midnight oil just to keep up with all the donations that flooded in from as far as Melbourne, Sydney, Alice Spring & many other places.

The newly formed Society had purchased the T class locomotive, which other Societies had also wanted to purchase. On hearing about this, a 21 years old woman from Adelaide donated $1,000 towards the purchase.

When Trevor was asked about when the first train would run Quorn to Woolshed Flat, he said they had not finalised a date yet, but where hoping for Autumn or Spring of next year, (1974).

The technical boys told the Executive committee that it will be necessary to use the engine at least once a week to keep the boilers in good working order. They were looking at running weekly tourist trains through the picturesque Pichi Richi Pass. It looked at the time you would see weekly tourist trains a common sight in the near future.

At this point, September 1973, the Society was still a long way short of the $50,000 target. Full membership was $10 a year, & then $5.00 each year after. Family membership was 12.50 with subsequent years $7.50 & associates $2.50 each year.

A purchase a "sleeper" idea was put forward, where children would get a certificate proving their vested interest in the railway.

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By November 1973 membership had reached 268 mark, with 167 associate members. The Society had approached the state government & SA Railways looking for help in overhauling the T class locomotive.

To help the Society raise more funds, SA Society of Model & Experimental Engineers held a field day at SASME Park, Millwoods on the 24th November 73.

The Governor, Sir Mark Oliphant wrote to Mr. Ward saying it was both pleased & fascinated by what was being done to preserve the Pichi Richi railway. Sir Mark stated in his letter, that in time South Australia narrow gauge would be no more. It was important that we should preserve a fine example of our older technologies as to keep intact some of the best architecture of the past. No other part of the pioneering railway system is worthy of preservation as the remaining section between Quorn & Stirling North. He also express his interest in experiencing the inaugural run during the coming year.

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Photo: Jeremy Browne - Quorn Loco August 1973

Photo: Jeremy Browne - Quorn Loco August 1973

Photo: Jeremy Browne - Frenches Bridge

The Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society Inc was all finalised by the 24th Oct 1973, with the first working bee held the following weekend in 40 deg temp.

In 2013 Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society Inc, will celebrated 40 years since formation in 1973

Well, Today you can ride a train from Port Augusta to Quorn - Video Along the Line  or you could hire the MIC (Motor Inspection Car) 126 Hire your own train for that special occasion, school groups, Scouts or social club.

I still showing of of the highlights of riding the rails; but could I recommend it as place to volunteer?? No I find that hard to do now days.

That was the great years of working at PRRPS & helping maintaining a section of the original Ghan line. How much longer will it keep going?? Who knows with the lack of members to help maintain this railway.



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Adelaide risk-takers play chicken with moving trains

NOT PRR Related, but a dangerous habit by those kids.

Father Worked on the Pichi Richi Line

READER’S LETTER: To “Scope” Editor September 1973

FATHER WORKED ON PICHI RICHI LINE

Sir — In the July issue of Scope Ray Edwards produced a nice piece of reading on the Pichi Richi railway line, but also he made a couple of errors regarding its history. I believe he has been misin­formed by having read what had been written earlier by someone who in my opinion has quoted assumptions and not facts.

There are two statements that are definitely incorrect. The first being that the "Chinese were responsible for building the attractive stone­work of the railway bridges."

The truth of this is that the stonework along this railway line was done by stone masons and stone dressers from the British Isles. These men are the ones who should, for the sake of history, be given the credit for the work that has been so excellently done in the mortarless stone retaining walls along the embankments, as well as the perfectly-fitting stonework in the bridge abutments.
My father worked with one of these stone workers whose name was Paddy Casey. They both told me in my younger days that they had worked on the construction of the railway line between Woolshed Flat and Quorn and they had built the mortarless stone retaining walls that exist between Wool-shed Flat and the bridge under which the roadway runs, about two miles toward Quorn.

Other stone masons and cutters were known as Paddies, Micks, Taffies and Cousin Jacks, which suggests: that they were definitely from the British Isles. On the old ⁵ narrow gauge line other examples of their excellent work can be seen as far north as Oodnadatta, in bridge abutments and station houses and buildings such as the goods shed and station house at Hawker, the Beltana railway station, and station-master's house and crews rest houses at Beltana, Copley, Farina and Oodnadatta.

By no stretch of the imagin­ation can it be claimed that the Chinese were responsible for the erection of those build­ings.

The Chinese who were employed on the railway construction between Port Augusta and Quorn were laborers only and not trades­men. They did a good job by moving the material for forming the embankments and track bed, in baskets and deep pan-shaped containers.

The second erroneous state­ment is that the line between Port Augusta and Oodnadatta was taken over by the Commonwealth from the South Australian Government in 1925 the Commonwealth Railways took over adminis­tration of that line on January 1, 1926; this I know for certain as I was personally concerned in the take-over. Further proof of the correct­ness of my statement can be gained by reference to the records of the Commonwealth Railways.

The Commonwealth Gov­ernment took over the respon­sibility of the line, I believe, in 1911, when that government assumed, control of the North­ern Territory from the South Australian Government. The SA Railways carried on the administration of the railway between Port Augusta and Oodnadatta until the close of the business at midnight on December 31, 1925. I worked on the last Ghan train from Quorn to Oodnadatta in 1925 as a member of the staff of the SAR and returned on the first Ghan train from Oodnadatta to Quorn in 1926 as a member of the staff of the Common­wealth Railways. The change­over of administration oc­curred during the time I was away from Quorn on the train.

In my opinion there is a third error where it is stated that “It was on the present site of Quorn railway station that the Chinese first camped ".

Until now I have been under the impression that the Chinese ‘first camp was in the vicinity of Port Augusta, that they were brought by boat from Victoria to Port Augusta and then worked their way to Quorn in the course, of the construction of the railway station.

Harking back to the take­over by the Commonwealth Government of the line be­tween Port Augusta and Oodnadatta, I believe that the agreement between the two governments contained vari­ous terms, one of which required the Federal Govern­ment to build a railway continuing on from the then existing route, to connect with the railway that was then extending southward from Darwin. This I relieve was the reason for the present line linking Oodnadatta and Alice Springs and the reason for railway not being completed through to the one extending southward from Darwin was that there was not any completion date agreed between the two governments.

In 1926 the present line from Oodnadatta to Alice Springs was started by the Commonwealth Railways when 21 miles of track was built from Oodnadatta to Wire Creek, where a material depot was established for the construction contractors to operate from.

The Victorian Construction Company was the company to win the contract and the line was completed to Alice Springs in July 1929.

 A. C. WILLIAMS.

Kirkham avenue.
Wilsden. 5700

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PRRPS Members No 209

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'Pichi Richi Patter' - Spring 1978 

Our First Life Member

 One of the best known names in the Society is that of George Williams, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone when he was recently made our first Life Member.   George began work in the South Australian Railways in 1922, transferred to the Commonwealth Railways in 1926 and had risen to the rank of Locomotive Inspector when he retired in 1970.   With the formation of the PRRPS he again became active in railway matters and his expertise and advice has been invaluable to the Society.    It is fitting, therefore, that he should be chosen.

Printed below is George's appreciation.

I would be pleased if you could allow me sufficient space in the Patter to express my gratitude and appreciation to the members of the PRRPS for their action in bestowing on me the honour of their first Life Member.    I wish to especially thank those members who spoke so eulogistically in my favour that night and since.
I would also like to say that anything I may seem to have done to deserve this honour certainly reflects the efforts made by many of our other members as well.   I am extremely pleased to have had this great honour bestowed on me, and I am very happy to have been of help to the Society. I wish to apologise for my absence from the meeting at which it was decided to bestow this honour on me, but most members will, I feel sure, realise that my doctor's orders were being followed when I failed to attend that meeting.
I wish to inform the Society that, God willing, I hope to be of further service to them so long as I may live.

P. S.    This honour is especially pleasing to me in that it was made at the time of Quorn's Centenary celebrations