Chris Tarrant is currently doing a series entitled "Extreme Railways" on , I think, UK Channel 5

It may be a repeat but it's new to me.

I've just watched an episode about the Ghan Railway through the Australian outback from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs.

Well worth watching if you get the chance, both for the history of the line and to gain some understanding of the sheer size of Australia !!

Peter, it's great! This series is not a repeat to my knowledge.  The first episode last week was filmed in the Congo.  Unlike the Michael Portillo series, which is really about the places through which the railway runs, the Tarrant series is more concerned with the railway itself.  Even my wife has found it interesting and she, like most wives, is no great lover of all things railway. ( Women!  Can't live with them. Can't live with them!)  Next week's programme is about Indian railways.

Terry

I'd agree with you there Terry - (about women I mean, although I think I'm slightly less positive about living totally without them - yes, much easier since they invented washing machines and dish-washers,  but eating out is too expensive to do all the time…………..:roll:)

As you say, it's far more about the railway itself rather than the "local interest".  I always wondered what liquorice had to do with trains when I watched Michael Portillo's offering about Yorkshire ………….:shock::shock:

Even Liz looked in on the Congo one.  She too enjoyed it saying "we must watch next week's episode".  It's on the list to record in case I forget …………

p.s. From the first paragraph, you might have guessed, Liz is not here as I write this ……………..:roll::roll: (She's just gone to take the sun in Australia of all places……….leaving me to do all the chores …….:twisted::twisted::twisted:)

Peter, I'm sure that all the chores will keep until she gets back! 
Terry

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Liz is not here as I write this ……………..:roll::roll: (She's just gone to take the sun in Australia of all places……….leaving me to do all the chores …….:twisted::twisted::twisted:)

forecast for Brisbane from Tuesday

Tuesday
Possible shower or gusty storm.
Min 24
Max 33


Wednesday
Possible shower or storm.
Min 24
Max 31

Thursday
Shower or two.
Min 22
Max 31

 
Friday
Shower or two, possible storm.
Min 22
Max 31

 
Saturday
Shower or two, possible storm.
Min 21
Max 28

 
Sunday
Shower or two.
Min 21
Max 2

Thanks for that Sol …………….:roll::roll::roll:

She's actually going to Noosa so hopefully, that will be better (closer to the equator …….;-)).  At least it's warmer there than here - their minimum is around double our maximum (although Sunday looks cool !!! :shock::shock::shock:)

Hi Petermac,

I remember seeing a doco on the Ghan where the old line (via Oodnadatta) used to flood, wash away, be covered in sand etc etc. There was one episode I saw was where the train rolled into town (you wouldn't call it a town, more like a siding), an hour before it was due, but in reality, it was actually a week or so late ! That particular train probably has more stories associated with it than any other train in Australia.

Cheers, Gary.

I was a young pleece cadet stationed in Oodnadatta in the 'sixties.

We used to have two trains - the Ghan and the Tea and Sugar.  If they came each week, they were on time.   :cool:

There were some very interesting old photos on the programme showing washed-out parts of the old line following floods.  I seem to recall they said it took 50 years to build the original although much of that time was spent re-building what nature did her best to dismantle ………….

When we were in Alice Springs a few years back, the Ghan had come through that very day with much excitement (although having only got there in the evening ourselves, we didn't see it).  A bit like the excitement when you got a seat on the 7pm Friday evening Kings X - Edinburgh train !!!!

Hi Petermac,

Here is a link to a video (part 1 of 4) about the 'old' Ghan.


Cheers, Gary.

There was a yarn about a young lady who kept on pestering the Guard about when the train was going to get to Alice Springs and the reply was "all in good time"

Finally the young lady in desperation said to the Guard that she was about to give birth. "You should not have got on the train in that condition" said the Guard. To which the young lady replied "When I got on the Ghan, I wasn't in this condition!!!"

Nice one.  :thumbs