Great Australian Railway Stories

by Bill "Swampy" Marsh

Where explorers and settlers went in Australia, the railways followed. Small towns were linked like beads on a string by the railway: it was the way these communities stayed alive. The railways had their own mystery and their own language, and of course their own stories and yarns.

But before all the old stories and the humour vanish in a cloud of steam, Bill Swampy Marsh, whose mother was a ganger’s daughter, has brought together another enthralling collection of first hand accounts, of tales from the tracks and the railway sidings, from the engines and the guard boxes, the pubs and the carriages.

So vivid is this collection that you ll feel as though you are riding along with Swampy and his larrikin spirited railroad pioneers, feeling the rhythm of a train, smelling the coal and blinking a cinder or three from your eye as you travel deeper into Australia's wonderful and extraordinary past.

Poignant, inspiring, tragic and often downright hilarious, your travelling companions in Great Australian Railway Stories range from train drivers, gangers, fettlers, guards, firemen, publicans, a mysterious traveller called Brer Rabbit, the one legged corpse, the old driver who cooks his breakfast in the firebox ...

Just as he did in Great Flying Doctors Stories, Great Australian Shearing Stories and Great Australian Droving Stories, Bill Swampy Marsh helps us remember who and what we were as a nation on this journey you’ll never forget!

Genres: Nonfiction

273 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good stories and yarns which are entertaining. I found some of the readers over acted a bit on this audio book which was a shame.

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 4 out of 5]

In these frustrating days of semi-automated electric trains, it is hard to remember the smell of coal smoke, the hiss of steam, and sting of cinders flying into your eyes as you hung out a window. there was romance then, in working and travelling on the Australian railways, and hardship. With his passion for the olden days worn on his sleeve and his famous ear for a good yarn well pricked, Bill 'Swampy' Marsh has found stories from drivers and gangers, stokers and crossing guards, their families and everyone in between, to create a collection of adventures that tell in their authentic voices of the funny, dramatic and hilarious times of a world long past.Railways in Australia date from the 10 December 1831 when the Australian Agricultural Company officially opened Australia's first railway, located at the intersection of Brown and Church Streets, Newcastle, New South Wales.Until the middle of the 1800s, people travelled around the colonies of the Australian continent by horse-drawn transport and by coastal shipping services.Rails transported people and goods all over.The independent development of the State rail systems led to significant incompatibility problems, not only in relation to gauge but also equipment and operating practices.This incompatibility of the State rail systems was brought to a head during World War II when the war effort required large quantities of goods and personnel to be moved quickly throughout Australia. Rail were almost going to go due to the rise of alternative transportation of cars and airplanes, but thankfully, due to several factors including environmental,better operational policies,and some capital investments in rail infrastructure,trains are here to stay.Steam locomotion was used until the 1950s when diesel-electric locomotives began to take over.Thousands of people were needed in order for the trains to run on time. Employment with the Railways covered a large range of positions, driver, cleaner, fireman,engineer, call boy,draftsman, inspector, timekeeper, porter, ganger,fettler etc.

[Alayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most anthologies, this was varied in the strengths of its stories. It was a very interesting series of anecdotes of lives spent working on the railways, mostly steam trains, but some more modern with the diesels. Enjoyable.

[SWC · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you only called people by their last names, would you make an exception for Charlie Darling?

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as interesting to me as the other books in this series however good light reading if that is what you are seeking.

[ANCOLUFE]

These book is very fantastic.

[Sri Gopalan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of short stories / episodes from the nostalgic world of trains. I loved the uniqueness of the stories, some funny, some poignant. A quick read, but nevertheless an enjoyable one. Takes you back to the Straya of old.