Thread by @ozbob13

North Australian Railway (NAR)
Birdum - Darwin 1067 mm (3' 6" gauge)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Aus…

NAR oft under recognised for its contribution particularly in WW2
Monument Australia
monumentaustralia.org.au/display/80164-…
Lest We Forget ..
As many as 247 trains ran per week in 1944.
Incredible for an aging fleet of steam loco second hand from WA and Qld, SA. They soldiered on!

Ryan Park, Katherine
This plaque acknowledges the contribution made by many civilians in the development and operations of the NORTH AUSTRALIA RAILWAY in the Katherine region through peace and war
monumentaustralia.org.au/display/98030-…

NGA 110 (later recoded to NFC 71) ex WAGR G110
on the NAR
comrails.com/pic_common/b13…
12.5.1943

"Snow Drop". Northern Territory Ambulance train engine. Engine number 66
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/337
This NFC 66 and date is c. 1943

Hospital train going north to Darwin from Katherine.
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/7783
Carriages were converted cattle trucks.

It seems the NGA/NFC locos were used for the hospital train as first choice, probably the best of the aged locos battling on for Australia.

NAR Hospital train Bob Anthony and fireman on the railway
NGA 110 1942
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/28219

Sisters E M Quinlan (SX26972) and Lorna F Laffer (SFX26124) with CCS men. Group standing beside Ambulance Train 183 Mile (N.T.)
territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/handle/1…
Interesting article in the Argus 14 Oct 1942 Page 2
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti…
'Leaping Lena' now famous.

Sandfly, at the Darwin station 1939
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/15526
NA1 'Sandfly' 0-4-0T Baldwin 1885 shunt engine
In service May 1887 for construction work Palmerston to Pine Creek
Sold to SAR 1890
CR 1911 > NA1
Withdrawn 1950 - entire service on NAR

NA1 - Digger having a photograph with Sandfly.
Probably during WW2, possibly Katherine.
@SLSA collections collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+3…

The 'Sandfly' railway engine at Katherine for overhaul, with shed staff - wartime railwaymen c. 1940
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/528

Ex WAGR G class locos on NAR, Adelaide River.
railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/…
World War II, 13 were loaned to the Commonwealth Railways for use on the North Australia Railway as their Nfc and Nga classes.
1940 J L Buckland

Birdum rail terminus,
from the water tank, showing the railway tracks going north, the locomotive shed, various other facilities, and the homes of the railwaymen at left.
territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/handle/1…
Birdum was the end of NAR line from Darwin

EVACUATED WORKSHOPS Katherine c.1942
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/2359
Two NFs left ?
'Built to accommodate railway workshop function from Darwin 1942 to 1946 - hive of activity during WW2 keeping ancient steam locos operational to service the heavy demands placed on the NAR'

Leyland - titan truck
Leyland Titan truck was converted to a railcar by order of the Army 1941 for use on NAR.

Commonwealth Railways Leyland - titan truck (Chris Drymalik Collection)
comrails.com/pic_common/b13…

NFB class 2-6-0
18 ex SAR Yx class locos obtained 1941-44
All built c. 1890s as Y converted to Yx c. 1910-20
Worked NAR to assist with huge increase in war time traffic
NFB 43 to 49 51 88 to 97
Y108 > CR NFB 94
@SLSA collections collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+467…

The North Australia Railway (NAR) was very important in the Top End WW2 build up. Up to 240+ trains per week !
Station master office alongside railway transport office, Larrimah, 9 km north of Birdum.
Main rail head during WW2
nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147919…

NFC Class railways locomotive. "Alex on troop train"
Picture NT
hdl.handle.net/10070/1952
c. 1942
This is actually NGA 53 which was subsequently renumbered NFC 69

DARWIN AREA, NT. 1943-06-20. PETROL DRUMS ON RAILWAY TRUCK SET ALIGHT BY JAPANESE BOMBS DURING AIR RAID.
AWM
awm.gov.au/collection/C16…

NF6 was shunting the wharf at Darwin when enemy bombed Darwin Feb 1942. NF6 was blown off the wharf due to the enemy action and lost.
NF5 (W53) was withdrawn in 1945 and was spared the scrapper. On display at Darwin various locations.
1978 at Darwin
hdl.handle.net/10070/5722

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA, 1945-10. MEMBERS OF THE FORCES ABOARD THE HOSPITAL TRAIN 'LEAPING LENA' EN ROUTE TO DARWIN.
@AWMemorial awm.gov.au/collection/C42…

Evacuees at Birdum siding (mostly from Darwin and Katherine) waiting for army convoy to take them to Alice Springs. This is the goods train Pine Creek people travelled in. 29-Mar-1942
hdl.handle.net/10070/35045

Darwin Railway Station, train approaching. 1941
hdl.handle.net/10070/30584

' "Birdum - Darwin express" - train on North Australian Railway, at siding. Shows military huts ? opposite train. Location possibly Katherine railway station. '
1-Jan-1941
territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/handle/1…

All good things must end ...
In 1954 the NAR took delivery of diesel-electric locomotives made by SULZER in the UK to replace steam locomotion in the Top End. NSU64 which was to bear the name of Paul Hasluck coming in to the Darwin Station
hdl.handle.net/10070/10441

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