Back To The Track

[Richard Farrant]

I'd love to have a go at loading the vehicles onto a flat car.

 

Like this ? A sort of "war on line" event, this was a 7 day railway journey, plus a couple of stop over days.

[Tony B]

Lucky...... That wasn't to Checkoslavakia or somewhere in 2005 was it? We were offred an invitation to something like that but had decided to go to Jersey, for obvious reasons. Hopefully there will be a similar event in the island in 2010.

Edited August 4, 2008 by Marmite!!
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[Richard Farrant]

Lucky...... That wasn't to Checkoslavakia or somewhere in 2005 was it?

 

No, much further afield than that, and it was in 1995. We are loading the wagons in Sydney Central Station. Imagine doing that in Charing Cross or Kings Cross, it would never happen here . What was even more amazing was that we loaded and strapped the vehicles, no railway staff worrying us. At stops, we would go down the train rechecking the straps.

 

There is a long story to tell about this and a brief post would not do it justice, another forum member also took part, joining the train at Melbourne. Might have to write the story up, loads of pics.

Edited August 4, 2008 by Marmite!!
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[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

Get on with it:thumbsup:And i will do the Africa o/land.:idea:

Edited August 4, 2008 by Marmite!!
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[Tony B]

yeah I see the preference to driving! Must have been some journey, Story ! Story!.

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[lynx42 Rick Cove]

Your right Richard. It was "The Biggest Event since the Tall Ships"(Warren Brown)

A troop train loading in Sydney NSW then picking up in Melbourne Vic. and Adelaide SA and unloading at Alice Springs NT. Before a 1600km drive to Darwin.

98 Second World War vehicles took part in the drive into Darwin.

I'll have to check on the train disrance, but it was more than 4,000km and our train had 'right of way' on the line. I'll do a seperate thread one of these days.

The photos are 2 of Flinders Street Station Melbourne and one of the desert stop 40km from Coober Pedy SA.

Rick

Edited August 4, 2008 by Marmite!!
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[lynx42 Rick Cove]

BTW We were in Tennent Creek NT this day in 1995.

3 GPA Amphibs gained permission to 'put to sea' in the only water for 1000km around and in their haste, two of the owners of them forgot to put in the bungs and almost sunk. Great to watch the panic as they realized that the ingress of water was beating the pumps. Both made it to shore, but not before there was some wet feet and red faces. The Mayor of Tennent Creek was in one of the sinking GPA's.

Rick

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[Richard Farrant]

The photos are 2 of Flinders Street Station Melbourne and one of the desert stop 40km from Coober Pedy SA.

 

 

 

Hello Rick,

 

Have been waiting for you to spot my photos

 

I recollect the bus journey across the desert from Coober Pedy and stopping to get that photo at the bottom.

 

A great experience that trip was. Look forward to seeing some of your photos, and I will add a few more.

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[Richard Farrant]

BTW We were in Tennent Creek NT this day in 1995.

 

 

 

Is that right? I know where I was that night, in the RSL, getting a little drunk, being led astray no doubt :-D

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[lynx42 Rick Cove]

Not the first time and not the last. I'll have to scan a few in as well.

Rick

[Jack]

Come on Richard - write up the story!!!:kissoncheek:

[Richard Farrant]

Come on Richard - write up the story!!!:kissoncheek:

 

Funny you should ask, just about to write the first instalment :-D

[Jack]

Funny you should ask, just about to write the first instalment :-D

 

Wonderful work Richard and many thanks!

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

Funny you should ask, just about to write the first instalment :-D

Does that meen i have to do the Africa o/land in an ex military 110 :sweat:

[Tony B]

Yes. The HMVF Travelouge.

[Degsy]

Does that meen i have to do the Africa o/land in an ex military 110 :sweat:

 

 

No but I'm sure you're going to.:rofl:

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

No but I'm sure you're going to.:rofl:

Nah dont think so its a lot of work,just getin into these one or two line answers to get me rank up.:-D

[Richard Farrant]

It was at Beltring in 1994 that I first got wind of an event in Australia the following year. A car was parked in the show, covered in maps and photos promoting interest in an event to commerate the 50th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific. Two contacts were displayed on the car, one in Queensland the other in Sydney. I wrote to both, but the first positive reply came from a chap in Sydney and through discussion with him, was offered the chance to drive with him. The whole structure of the event was evolving and it was not known at time of contact, quite what was going to happen.

 

To move on..........The event was to be known as Back To The Track 1945-1995 and would be a major event in the Australia Remembers campaign which was run by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. The aim was to promote the Australia Remembers theme throughout the country to as many far flung places as possible. BTTT would be an ideal medium for doing that.

 

Without going into too much detail of how, why and where, the basics were that Australian military vehicle enthusiasts were invited to take their vehicles on a convoy run from Alice Springs to Darwin on the North coast, an important wartime port, supplying the forces in the islands, and a target for the Japanese. During WW2, there were no main highways from North to South, a narrow guage railway went from South Australia, north to Alice Springs, this was subject to the wet seasons, with the track being washed away. Trucks, troops, supplies, etc went on this railway, called the Ghan. Once in Alice, the trucks took over and convoys went North, but there were no roads and conditions were unbelievably harsh, not only on vehicles, but crews too. So the convoy run in 1995 was to trace the route of the wartime supply line, visiting old camps, airfields, towns and communities on route.

 

Obviously, getting to Alice to start the convoy was some feat, it being right in the centre of the country. The idea of a troop train came up, starting from Sydney, loading with restored military vehicles and crews, travelling to Melbourne, picking up more mv's and crews from Victoria, then on to Adelaide for the South Australian contingent before continueing to Alice Springs. As the Australian government were now on board with Vet. Affairs, plans were moving and a small group of Veteran Diggers who drove on the supply convoys, were chosen to travel on the train, accompanied by a nurse, goverment officials and two Army staff members. The train was to be pulled on the first leg of the journey by a famous steam engine, 3801. There would be a carriages for crews, veterans, admin, a generator van and flat cars for the vehicles, also some double deckers for carrying the jeeps.

 

That is the background to the event, if you are not bored already, next installment coming up, with pictures!

[AndyFowler]

Now hooked ! Please continue ! :-D

[Guest catweazle (Banned Member)]

Now hooked ! Please continue ! :-D

Ditto ditto:cool2:

[mazungumagic]

.... then on to Adelaide for the South Australian contingent before continueing to Alice Springs.

 

....and I believe, a small group from West Australia.

 

Regrettably, I wasn't amongst them but those who were there still occasionally talk about that experience.

 

 

Jack

[Richard Farrant]

Thanks guys :tup::

 

 

Just to put this all in to perspective, hopefully the attached map will show the route and stopping places.

[Richard Farrant]

....and I believe, a small group from West Australia.

 

 

 

Quite right, Jack. I know Bob and Jennie Dimer loaded their FWD on the train at Adelaide, cannot remember if any other WA guys did, some may have driven up to Alice I think.

[Richard Farrant]

To continue...........

 

The day before the train left Sydney, all the NSW vehicles and crews met at Lady Davidson Hospital to the North of Sydney, here we met the group of Veterans who were to accompany us. My new friend, Dave was taking his ex-Australian Army Land Rover 2a LWB on the trip. I soon found out that the Vets were to ride in the vehicles in convoy with police motorcycle escort down to the City over the Harbour Bridge and in to Central Station, not only that, but Dave had found something to do and had nominated me to drive one of the Vets. I had only been in the country for a few days and already getting involved. The convoy went well, the army were ready to recover any that failed. We drove through the City to wail of police sirens, peole waving, tv helicopters and such like, terrific stuff. Next job was to load the vehicles on flat cars in the station, straight off the platform, all this was acomplished without too many problems. Strapping down was done by the drivers.

 

Following day, we had to be at the station bright and early, for the big send off, speeches by government minister, dignataries, etc. bands, re-enactments of Diggers going off to war and so on. The steam engine was to take us to the first stop at Moss Vale, then a diesel would take over.

 

The pictures here are the train leaving Sydney, carriages were behind the flat cars and we were able to film from first carriage.

 

Second photo is at Moss Vale, with 3801 after it had handed over to the diesel engine.

[abn deuce]

Wonderful story please continue with all the details you can recall !