414 Miles to Griffiths Bros Teas

The railway lines of New South Wales were once adorned with blue and white signs reading a distance to Griffiths Brothers Teas, giving the number of miles to Sydney.

On the recent June 2002 Long Weekend, 3801 hauled a train to the Food and Wine Festival at Griffith, 408 miles from Sydney. The outward trip was via Narrandera, with the return being via Temora.

Griifith is a prosperous city of over 20, 000 people, and while it is in an arid area, the extensive irrigation works have transformed the whole Murrumbidgee ( River) Irrigation Area since 1919.

Sadly, there is only one weekly passenger train service, other connections being made to the Main south ( Sydney-Melbourne) services by bus.

	The Main South line abounds in short upgrades as steep as 1 in 40 and many curves of 15 chain radius for southbound trains, even after the summit has been reached in the hills behind the train. Here 3801 is climbing the 1 in 60 grade up from the Fish River, in scenery typical of the Southern uplands.
	3801 reaches the top of the 1 in 60 grade. This area still has automatic upper quadrant semaphore signals. Just ahead, and to the left of the loco, is a kilometre marker post. The curve ahead is of 20 chains radius.
	Drawing into Yass Junction. This station still has a water column, and the train stopped here for 90 minutes ( scheduled for 5 minutes) to water, as water had not been available at the intended location, Goulburn, 100 kms to the north. The two storey station building formerly had bedroom accommodation on its upper floor.
	While 3801 was taking water, the Melbourne-Sydney XPT arrived, here crossing Bango Creek. The third passenger car has a buffet section, hence the absence of windows.
	In these two photos, 3801 is climbing the 1 in 44 grade beyond Bango Creek, on the southbound climb from Yass Jct.The light had faded during the long stop at Yass Junction, whence a standard gauge rural tramway operated to Yass Town until 1988.
	Yass is the centre of a rich wool growing area. The tramway had one man operation of its 4-4-2 Tank locomotives, and these locomotives worked the line until the 1960's.
	It is almost dark as 3801 rounds the sweeping 20 chain curve at Goondah.
	Night has fallen as 3801 steams towards Galong.
	Junee Junction is at the half-way point between Sydney and Melbourne. The station area, indeed the whole town, has significant heritage interest. The station building is on the right; the painted two storey building is the old Refreshment Room, with the bedroom accommodation above, and in the brick extension to the left.

This section is fairly flat once the plains are reached, but there are some heavily graded sections.
The tree growth indicates a feeder to the Murrumbidgee River is nearby.
It was often a matter of catching the sun rather than the train.
There is a grade of 1 in 50 approaching Narranderra. The sun was shining lower down the grade, and here 3801 lifts its train off the plain seen in the distance by a 1 in 60 approach grade.
Further along the 1 in 60 grade.
The train has arrived at Narrandera for a servicing lay-over, and to allow the weekly passenger from Sydney to overtake.
Running a little late, the Xplorer arrives at Narrandera, which is now an unattended station. It is a fine example of a Whitton station building.
The Explorer pauses at Leeton, in the heart of the Irrigation Area. The self-propelled railcars have a maximum speed of 145 kmh.
Preserved in a park at Darlington Point is this wondrous machine: a Bycrus irrigation ditch-digger of 1935, from Erie. It has a 5 cylinder Ruston diesel engine, and was " walked" to its present location from the Murray River in 1958. It is still in working order.

	The train departs Griffith on this wintry morning, passing through vineyards.
	Although Griffith is in a dry zone, the flat irrigated plains are ideal for rice and citrus cultivation.
	3801 passes the wheat silos at Barellan.
	The Griffith-Temora-Cootamundra line is now freight -only, mostly wheat.
	The train passed the silo at Kamarah without stopping, with the driver eager to make a run at the rising 1 in100 grade.
	Speed is 80 kmh on the 1 in 100 grade.
	The speeding train was a fine sight on this cold overcast day.
	There was a pause at Ardlethan for safe-working.
	All along the route the local population turned out to see the first steam hauled train over this route in many years.
	Departing from another safe-working stop at Ariah Park.
	There is a 1 in 100 climb beyond Temora.
	3801 surmounts this easily with a 300 tonne load.
	Arriving at Stockinbingal. The line on the right is another cross-country line to Parkes, junction for Broken Hill. Trains for Perth in Western Australia sometimes use this route when the Main West is not available.