Virtually every old, and not so old, local railway man and rail enthusiast, was at Narrabri railway station on Friday to see the 36 class steam locomotive 3642 chug in on Friday.
They were joined by spectators of all ages, most of whom had never seen a steam train and certainly not at Narrabri station.
Interest in the 1926 steam loco 1930s carriages was high.
Among the crowd on the platform were many with comprehensive knowledge about the era of steam, as former drivers and firemen and certainly as passengers.
Narrabri, or more accurately, Narrabri West, was once an important railway town with the West rail yards and Narrabri infrastructure playing a key part in the railway system for the north west.
In years past, the trains’ role has ebbed and flowed, with branch lines closed, the West railway station demolished and the former railway barracks now a private home. Narrabri was a hub for Pilliga sleeper cutters and many jobs were provided directly and indirectly though the railways.
The yards at Narrabri West remain an important part of the rail network.
However, the railways don’t play the same pivotal role they once did, much to the disappointment of the generations which saw everything from livestock to lumber hauled by rail.
The regular arrival of the passenger trains, the ‘day train’ and the North West Mail sleeper train at Narrabri were part of everyday life.
School kids and sports teams boarded the trains for excursions, school trips and sporting meets in neighbouring towns and most people travelled to Sydney by the train.
“Not everyone had a car like they do today and the roads to Sydney were not very good,” said one senior community member Dick Houguet recalled.
“We envied other country passengers because they had buffet cars on their trains. We didn’t have buffets on the North West Mail, although the day train did.”
Mrs Gwen Keft (Kearin in those days,) was one of the team at the Ref rooms, that is Refreshment rooms, at Narrabri station.
“We would receive out meal orders by phone from Werris Creek and they would be ready for the passengers when they arrived in Narrabri,” said Gwen.
“And we had the best coffee in town.”
The trains stopped for 20 minutes at Narrabri before continuing their journey. “We served 45 meals in 20 minutes,” recalled Gwen.
Apart from the interested spectators of all ages, there were many with links to the glory days of steam trains including Laurie Gilbert who was on the railways for 43 years as driver and fireman as was his father Ted for 47 years before him.
On Friday, the toot of the whistle from the 3601 engine as it rumbled across the Maitland street rail over bridge brought back many memories for many people.
Locomotive 3642 was making its journey from its home at Trainworks at Thirlmere on a nostalgic trip from Tamworth to Narrabri and back on Friday.
The 36 loco has hauled passenger carriages across NSW, though not to Narrabri, for almost 90 years, and nowadays is part of the Transport Heritage NSW collection of engines and carriages.
Locomotive 3642 was built by The Clyde Engineering Company Limited at Granville and entered service in 1926
The 1930s carriages, a mix of seats and tables and some ‘dog box’ compartments were very familiar to many of the hundreds of interested spectators who waited at the station for the train to pull in.
Spectators parked at the end of Maitland Street to watch the steam loco and its carriages trundle over the rail bridge.
Passengers had booked out of Tamworth for the journey and others joined the train along the way at Werris Creek, Gunnedah and Boggabri.
Fairfax School pupils, Boggabri pupils and Narrabri West pupils climbed aboard the train.
The visiting train carried 30 volunteer staff from Transport Heritage and about 160 passengers.
Some disembarked at Narrabri and others stayed aboard for the return journey to Tamworth and all stations in between. And enthusiasts are now looking forward to the next visit and another blast of steam from the past.