The Gulflander Normanton Queensland Australia
The Normanton to Croydon railway in the Gulf Country of North Queensland Australia.
In the late 1800s after copper was discovered in the Cloncurry area the solution to the transportation problem was to build a railway to Normanton on the Norman River which would give access to the Gulf of Carpentaria for shipping. The government had a policy at the time, of extensive railway building; surveys were completed and contracts for rails and steel sleepers for the proposed line were let.
Rail and sleepers were landed at Normanton, but about this time, gold was dicovered at Croydon, some 93 miles to the east of Normanton. Plans were quickly changed and the railway was hastily rerouted towards Croydon; and plans for the line to Cloncurry were put aside. The line between Croydon and Nomanton was opened by the middle of 1891.
Steam locomotives provided all the original power until the first railmotor that worked on the line, arrived in 1922 from Townsville. It had been converted from a Panhard Levassor road wagon at Ipswich railway workshops in 1918, it weighed nearly four tons, and was fitted with a 20-24 horsepower petrol engine and could carry ten passengers.
Railmotors replaced steam hauled trains which were expensive to run. The last steam train ran to Croydon in February 1929 hauled by B13 161 with twenty tons of goods.
RM32 worked on the line between 1945 and 1960. RM32 was transferred from the Cooktown to Laura line when that line closed and was nicknamed 'Endeavour' after Captain Cook's sailing vessel. The chassis frame of Rail Motor 32 is on dislay near Normanton station.
RM60, was in service on the line 1960-1964. RM60 is a 45 horsepower petrol powered AEC, built Ipswich Railway Workshops 1931. After falling into disrepair while RM74 was in use, it has now been restored to running order for special occasions.
RM74 arrived at Normanton in 1964 and remained in service until 1982 when it was replaced by the present RM93. RM94 was originally a 100 horsepower AEC railmotor. It was built at Ipswich workshops in 1934 and was later fitted with a 102 horsepower Gardner diesel engine similar to that in RM93.
The Gulflander Railway | Normanton , QLD
An extract from video 7 of the Trip series. Also known as the ‘Tin Hare’, this legendary rail motor is one of the last great characters of the rail world. From wetlands and grasslands to arid Savannah territory, the Gulflander travels through countryside that most people will never see. This nostalgic rail journey is the perfect way to discover an area steeped in pioneering history and heritage. Normanton was the port for the Croydon Gold Rush and is a terminus of the Normanton Railway Station which features preserved Victorian architecture. Croydon is a small town with a big history which started with the discovery of gold in 1885. With Barramundi fishing year round, As the Gulflander only carries a small number of passengers, you will experience a friendly atmosphere which adds to the charm.
Vintage RM74 running the Gulflander Croydon to Normanton Qld 1972
Taken in 1972 of the Gulflander on a journey between Croydon and Normanton. As the driver is Stan Tuesley, this film is older than the documentary Bill Peach made for the ABC about the Gulf country
in the later 1970s which includes footage of the Gulflander
as the driver was Charlie Honey at that time. Charlie was always seen with a rolled cigarette and it was said that the train did so many miles to the tin of log cabin tobacco. When I first visited Croydon in the late 1960s the railway station was covered with a huge canopy as at Normanton. At the time this 8mm film was shot the canopy had been destroyed by a cyclone and there was no trace of it left. The train is seen at and departing Croydon which was reduced to a simple country like station. The tourist boom in the area has led to the building of another canopy which again covers the station an railway.
The Gulflander meanders along at a sedate speed ideal for the line and its condition. Photographing it in many places is thus fairly easy if driving. On one trip up there about 1986 with Charlie Honey at the controls though, the train was very hard to catch up to after each photo, and indeed Charlie must have thought he was driving an XPT express. Didn't therefore get much in the way of pictures and to make it worse we had to leave our caravan in Croydon to make the photographic expedition possible and had to go back to pick it up. The Gulflander though, must have made it to Normanton in record time that day. There is a story on a web site page I visited that mentions a person who met Charlie Honey innocently asked - Why do you have honey written on your bag. The reply came in a the slow drawl which was a feature of the former Officer in Charge
of the railway, - cause that's me name.
THE GULFLANDER
This clip is of the weekly run of the Normanton to Croydon railmotor in the Gulf country of Nth Queensland. The railmotor is shown leaving Blackbull then further down the track.
A JOURNEY ON THE GULFLANDER
This clip is an impression of a trip on the weekly railmotor on the isolated Normanton to Croydon line of the Queensland Railways. We have a look inside and outside before leaving Croydon on the return. The final shot is leaving Blackbull after the smoko stop. The railmotor has a crash gearbox and was built in 1950.
NORMANTON GULFLANDER TRAIN
This video is about NORMANTON GULFLANDER TRAIN
The Trip 7 | Normanton , Sunset Crocodile Tour and Gulflander Rail Journey , QLD
Part 7 of a 12 part series. In 2008 A good friend and I embarked on an epic 4wd journey starting in Adelaide then Travelling up through the center of Australia via the Oodnadatta track, and across to Ayres Rock, Kings Canyon, Devils Marbles and then going right up into the Gulf of Carpentaria then across the tablelands to Cairns before following the east coast of Queensland down into New South Whales before heading inland again and travelling through the outback along the Darling river and then returning to Adelaide. The Adventure took approximately 6 weeks and was a truly awesome experience.
The Gulflander RM93 to Croydon Queensland Gulf Country,
Following RM93 running the Normanton to Croydon Gulflander including views along the way driving alongside, arriving at Croydon, and turning of the train on the Y or triangle at Croydon railway station ready for the return journey to Normanton the next day..
Leaving Normanton on the Gulflander Train
Video taken from the Gulflander Train leaving Normanton Station using a Gopro Hero 3 stuck onto the front windscreen. Just look at the track......
Normanton
The Carpentaria Shire continues to position itself as the place of importance
for the Gulf region and is continued to being recognised by governments,
investors and tourists alike.
At present the towns of Karumba and Normanton are experiencing keen
industrial and residential land sales at steadily increasing prices, government
and private infrastructure commitment and proposals, developer interest
and improved services to this region. For more information about investing in, living in and visiting the Gulf please go to gulf-savannah.com.au or download our app
Gulflander 26/08/19
The Gulflander as it ambles back into Normanton.
Qld/Normanton - on the Gulflander... by Sue
A trip from Normanton to Critters Camp, Far North Queensland
The Gulflander
Want to see what train travel was like in the 1950's? The Gulflander train will give you that experience, plus you get to see a little bit of the Queensland outback.
Sound check Normanton Qld
Normanton Rodeo Grounds
Femina Australis @ Normanton QLD
What happens in the Femina Australis Workshops?... Here is Normanton State School with the song they wrote!... plus Greg & Elvis playing in the local pub, the Normanton Rodeo & the Street Parade - and Kris The Croc!!!
A Ride on Antique RM60 Gulflander Railway Normanton
A Ride on Antique Railmotor RM60 Gulflander Railway Normanton
to 5 mile out triangle and back. Arriving back at Normanton someone drove their motor car in front of the train at the level crossing but the train driver anticipated the event and stopped in time and even had words to the motorist.while we all waited
The Gulflander
Riding The Gulflander Normanton to Croydon Railway. QLD.
5 hours to do 150 klms.
Never boring, with excellent commentary from Ken, (the driver), good scenery and a nice break for morning tea at Blackall
Discover the Gulflander
Take a journey through frontier country from Normanton to Croydon as you step aboard the iconic Gulflander. Also known as the ‘Tin Hare’, this legendary rail motor is one of the last great characters of the rail world.
The Gulflander plus bonus train at end
A look at the unique isolated 3 ft 6 inch gauge train that runs between Normanton and Croydon in far north Queensland, Australia, also a quick look at Australia's most remote railway at Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula
gulflanderStacja
The Gulflander train I took from Normanton to Croydon. North Queensland, Australia.