| Historical notes: | Aboriginal land
This area was the traditional land of the Gandangara people (Garran ,1978, 530). The area is home to the Tharawal and Gundungurra people (Robinson, 2008).
Gundungurra or Gandangarra people lived in the Southern Highlands area, which includes Mittagong, for many thousands of years. People who spoke the Gundungurra language lived in the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and the Goulburn Plains of New South Wales. They lived in small groups of extended family members, who were attached to particular areas of country (Di Johnson: 2004 in SHR database 5045486).
Gundungurra groups left archaeological evidence of their occupation throughout their traditional lands, including scarred trees where bark was removed for use as a boat or other object, grinding grooves on rocks where axes were ground, and occupation sites which include middens. Well-worn Gundungurra pathways on ridge tops were often the routes used as the first roads by colonists (Di Johnson 2004). Possibly this could have been the origin of the Old South Road... (SHR database 5045486).
One of the first places in the Gundungurra traditional homelands that most appealed to the Anglo-Celt settlers were the river flats of the Burragorang Valley (now flooded under Warragamba Dam). Even before the valley was officially surveyed in 1827-8, many early settlers were already squatting on blocks that they planned to officially occupy following the issue of freehold title grants. From the Burragorang Valley and using Aboriginal pathways, other valleys to the west were occupied and developed by the settlers with construction of outstations and stock routes. These cattle entrepreneurs were then followed by cedar-wood extractors and miners (Johnson, 2009, 4).
After Anglo-European settlers caused displacement of Gundungurra people, they often worked on farms or grazing properties within and adjacent to their traditional land (Di Johnson: 2004 in SHR database 5045486).
The Gundungurra traditional owners resisted the taking of their lands, and, relying on various laws of the colony at the time, continually applied for official ownership. Although their individual claims failed, in some kind of recognition of the significance of the designated tracts of land claimed, six Aboriginal Reserves (under the control of the NSW Aborigines Protection Board) were formally declared in the Burragorang Valley. Even after these reserves were revoked, many of the traditional owners remained, quietly refusing to leave their traditional homelands (ibid, 2009, 4).
Finally pushed into the 'Gully', a fringe development in West Katoomba from about 1894, the Gully community stayed together for more than 60 years until dispossessed of the Gully by the then Blue Mountains Shire Council so a group of local businessmen could develop a speedway that became known as the Catalina Race Track. The Gully people kept talking about areas of land they had walked in as children - the nearby Megalong and Kanimbla Valleys and the Burragorang Valley. They knew of the profound significance of these valleys for their parents and grandparents (ibid, 2009, 4).
Camden & the Cow Pastures:
The area is associated with the early history of the colony of New South Wales. Governor Hunter named it 'The Cowpastures' after cattle which had strayed from the Farm Cove settlement were discovered there in 1795. Due to the early European settlers, namely the Macarthurs, who established flourishing wool, wine and wheat industries here, the area is said to be 'the birthplace of the nation's wealth' (ibid, 2008).
Thirlmere and Railway history:
Thirlmere is located on the Main South line. The 'Great Southern Railway' originally opened from Picton to Mittagong via a loop line in 1867. In 1919, the Main South line from Picton was deviated to Mittagong to ease the grades. The new line virtually follows the line of the Great South Road taking the main line away from Thirlmere, Buxton, Balmoral and Hilltop and passing through Tahmoor, Bargo and Yerrinbool.
Rail Buses - Origins:
The first group of rail buses, of which FP1 was the first, were built in 1937 to an overall design of the NSW Railways' Road Motor section, by coach-building firm Waddingtons Pty Ltd, Granville (subsequently to become Commonwealth Engineering).
Although essentially similar, in being constructed on a truck chassis with Ford mechanicals (V8 petrol engine and gearbox), the bodies of this group, numbered FP1 to FP6, differed somewhat. No's 1 and 6 were single ended, and originally had to be turned (using a locomotive turntable or a triangle junction) at each end of a run. Despite their design similarities, FP1 was different in style from FP6, while both the single-ended buses were different from Nos. 2 to 5, which were substantially identical. As well as having driving controls at both ends, buses Nos. 2 to 5 were slightly larger, and had a door on both sides, originally accommodating 18 passengers.
The rail bus concept was intended to provide a passenger service on minor branch lines where the available traffic did not support economic use of a conventional steam-hauled passenger or mixed train, or even a rail-motor service provided by one of the relatively new '42 footer' CPH 'tin hare' motors. FP1 entered service on 7 July 1937, and apparently operated in the south-west of the state, with some evidence that it suffered a failure at Grenfell on 29 November. The rest of the fleet entered service in September 1937, Nos. 2, 3 and 4 on the 27th. The others may well have entered service on the same date, but this is not recorded.
It appears that the rail bus concept was less than successful, because all were withdrawn from passenger service, to be used as pay buses, within a year or two of their commissioning. It is not recorded why they were not successful, but it is likely that the depressed economic circumstances of the time impacted on the number of available passengers, while road transport was by that time emerging as a serious threat to rail, particularly for passenger services - the road bus concept being by then quite well established.
Information on when FP1 and its sisters were converted to pay buses is sketchy. FP1 is thought to have been converted in September 1937, so that its career as a passenger vehicle was very brief indeed, but it has also been suggested that the conversion occurred some time after its failure at Grenfell in November, possibly in conjunction with repairs. In any case, it had certainly become a pay bus by 30June1938, as it is noted as such in the Railways Department's Annual Report for 1937-38.
It is believed that the other buses of this group entered service variously at Harden and Cowra (still in 1937). Most sources state that they began, as with FP1, as passenger vehicles, but there is also a suggestion that they never entered this service at all, being used as pay buses from the outset. In view of the record in the Annual Report for 1937-38 of only one pay bus, it seems likely that the conversion of Nos. 2 - 6 occurred after June 1938, so that they were all commissioned as passenger buses.
In Service
David Cooke's book 'Rail Motors and XPT's' indicates that the Railways' 1938-39 Annual Report records a general overhaul of FP1 in October 1938, carried out mainly to ascertain the degree of wear, as the vehicle had travelled some 46,000miles since it entered service. Apparently the results were pleasing, as cylinder bore wear was negligible.
The most significant event involving a pay bus was the infamous Yanderra pay bus incident of 8 December 1941. At approx. 11.40 a.m. Pay Bus FP5 was heading in the down direction south of Yanderra Station on the Main Southern line, when explosives placed under the line by intending thieves were detonated, de-railing and severely damaging the bus. The crew of three were all killed.
The culprits, believed to be two men, escaped with some (Pounds)2000 in loose notes and change, but most of the money carried remained in the safe, which was fixed to the bus chassis. The bus was so badly damaged that it was written off (in November 1942). A replacement, again built by Waddingtons, entered service in September 1945 as No.5 (2nd). This new bus was single-ended, being patterned on No.6.
All the surviving pay buses were transferred to the Mechanical Branch in 1942, presumably as part of a reorganisation - possibly the original Road Motor section being absorbed into the Mechanical Branch. All except No.2 (and of course also excepting No.5) were transferred on 23August that year, with No.2 apparently following on 5October.
FP1 received another general overhaul in June 1943, and again in 1949 after it was submerged by floodwaters at Maitland.
Modifications in Service
Apart from the minor changes required to convert them to pay buses, these vehicles received various modifications during their life. Nos.3 and 6 suffered accident damage in 1940 and 1942 respectively, and it is likely that subsequent repairs involved minor modifications. No.4 was fitted with a canopy or double roof in 1947, while it appears that at least Nos.1, 5 (2nd) and 6 were similarly fitted at some stage. From photographic evidence, it is certain that at least No.5 (2nd) was so fitted by 1956 (and of course No.1, which still has this feature).
Nos.4 and 6 are recorded as having chassis fractures repaired in the 1960's, and this may have entailed some degree of modification - e.g. strengthening.
It has been stated that the engines originally fitted were of the Ford Mercury type. However this is unlikely since this model was not introduced until 1939. In all probability the original engines were the 1937 Model 78, with 21-stud cylinder heads. These were to the basic 221cu.In. (3.6litre) side-valve V8 design introduced by Ford in 1932.*
All the buses were originally fitted with a pair of headlights at waist level at each end, together with circular marker lights, but by c. 1950, and probably earlier, these had been removed and replaced with a single roof-mounted headlight at each end, and these remained throughout their life. For a brief period, some buses, including FP1, had both the twin lights and the roof mounted light at the same time, as a transitional arrangement. At around the same time, new marker lights with twin lenses were provided. It appears that the single-ended buses did not receive their headlight at the rear until they were modified for reverse running. Although no external horns were fitted originally, photographic evidence suggests that all the buses had twin air horns fitted on the roof from circa 1939-40. Again from photographs and comparison with FP1 in its present configuration, it is evident that the radiator grille was changed at some stage.
Some time after conversion to pay buses, the single-ended buses were modified to allow reverse running. This entailed body modifications (retractable air scoops) to provide engine cooling, and mechanical changes including to the transmission (addition of a supplementary reversing gearbox). The driving position (and location of the instruments) was also altered. All sources are silent on when this modification was made, but it seems likely that it happened fairly early in their life, as turning such a small vehicle using a steam locomotive turntable must surely have seemed like overkill.
During the 1950s, some of the buses were fitted with visors above the windscreens to reduce glare when travelling into the sun, but it is not clear which units had this modification. It is uncertain whether No.1 was one of the buses which received this addition; there are no photos showing it, there is no evidence of such a fitting, and it is not fitted now.
Relatively late in their lives, several of the rail buses were apparently fitted with English Ford Thames engines, probably because the US version was no longer available, having been displaced by an overhead valve design in the early 1950's. FP1 received its new engine in December 1964, FP3 in August 1969, and FP6 in January 1962. The Thames engine was of the same basic Ford side-valve pre-war design, but reverted to 21-stud cylinder heads, the same as the original 1937 version. The engine currently fitted to Pay Bus FP1 is of this type.
Livery
All the original rail buses were painted green and cream, but the livery design varied. The photo on Page 2 shows the original livery for FP1, with sweeping curves in cream over the wheel spats and a cream flash under the windows, in what would now be called art-deco style.
The double-ended buses were originally painted in a much simpler style, with cream down to the waist-line, sweeping down at the ends to the bottom of the grille.
Later, circa 1939-40, the double-ended buses were painted in a simplified scheme, green, with cream down to the waist without the flaring down at the ends. This change seems to have occurred at about the same time as the roof-mounted headlights and horns were fitted. This is shown in the photo of No.2 on Page 8.
Another green and yellow scheme was used at least on FP1, and photos exist of it in a darker green all over, with cream or yellow window and windscreen surrounds. It has been suggested that at some stage in the 1940's, FP1 at least was painted in yet another green/yellow scheme, being overall dark green, with yellow lining above and below the windows. This scheme is similar to that shown in the cover photo, applied when restored by the Rail Transport Museum circa 1970.
The final in-service livery carried by these buses was an all-over Indian Red scheme with Chrome Yellow lining, thought to have first been applied in the mid 1950's, when Indian Red livery became the NSWGR standard for the new main-line diesel-electric locomotives then being introduced, the 42 Class (1955). This scheme is shown in the photo of No.6 below. (Note: Indian Red is sometimes called Tuscan Red, but the two were different.)
Themes
Rail Pay Bus FP1 and its sisters obviously fit into the state historical theme of transport. It could also be argued that these buses made a contribution to technological development, as an early attempt to apply road bus technology to rail transport. The first such attempt was Rail Motor No.1, which in 1919 involved the conversion of a road truck chassis and drive-train for passenger transport by rail, with a classic timber carriage body based on railway practice. However the FP series rail buses were much more strongly based on road buses, both in technology and appearance. Through their role in paying remote Railway personnel, the Pay Buses were also part of an important social institution in rural communities around the state, where the Railways were such an important (and paternalistic) employer and a vital element of country life in particular.
Scrapping
All members of this first group of rail buses, except of course No.5 (1st), were withdrawn from service between 1968 and 1970. FP1 was withdrawn on 3October1968. All except FP1 were scrapped in December 1970. Pay Bus FP1 was designated for preservation and placed in the care of the NSW Rail Transport Museum on 27March1969.
Withdrawal and subsequent scrapping of the original group was enabled by the commissioning of a new group of six pay buses (plus, remarkably enough, one 18-seat passenger bus of the same basic configuration) in 1968. Designated FP7 to 13, this group were built by Commonwealth Engineering Pty Ltd, Granville - the successor to Waddingtons. Although now withdrawn from service and sold, following the introduction of more modern methods of paying staff, several of the later group still exist in preservation, including the RTM's Nos. 7, 10 & 12..
Rail Pay Bus FP 1
The Rail Transport Museum having taken custody of it in 1969, FP1 was first moved, under its own power, to the RTM's initial site at Petersham. Then when space was made available for the Museum at Enfield Locomotive Depot, FP1 was moved there, again under its own power. While it was at Enfield, Rail Transport Museum personnel cosmetically restored it by repairing body rust and minor panel damage and re-painting it in the livery seen in the cover photo. FP1 was placed on display when the Museum opened to the public on 22October1972.
In 1975 the pay bus was moved to the new Museum site at Thirlmere along with other exhibits, and initially placed on display on a short section of track under a car-port roof. It is said that it may have once ventured onto and run on the Loop Line (now the Thirlmere Heritage Railway). It has not been worked on since, nor has it been on display since it was superficially damaged in a shunting accident c. 1982.
(CMP 2002)
Thirlmere Railway Museum:
The historic rail line linking Wollondilly to the Southern Highlands will soon be back on track. Transport Heritage NSW yesterday announced that Thirlmere's NSW Rail Museum received several deliveries of second-hand rail which will be used to build the Picton-Colo Vale Loop Line. The organisation's operations manager Daniel Page said the 110m length rails would be used to repair the current track and revive sections which had long been unused. He said the rail, which was unloaded at Buxton, was removed from the Junee to Griffith line. "The rail is around 80 years old and is being repurposed or recycled onto our network where it will be used for decades to come," he said. "Once the rail has been assessed it will be gradually unloaded and installed along sections of the Picton to Colo Vale Loop Line - firstly between Couridjah and Buxton where we are dealing with a 30 year legacy issue of crippled joints, where then ends of the rail are slightly bent down and can't be stratightened up again. "This long welded rail enables us to have a smooth track surface which will minimise maintenance wear and tear both on the track and the trains." (Osborne, 2021).
The 34-kilometre single track loop line was established during the 1860s, but has not been used for 44 years. Wollondilly MP Nathaniel Smith had long touted the idea of reviving the long lost track before being elected. And back in 2019 Mr Smith was able to secure $5.5 million in state funding for the project. "It's not a huge project like the new Picton High campus or the upgrades to Bowral Hospital - but it is something that could be very big for tourism in Wollondilly. "People will be able to come to Thirlmere, get on a steam train and head out to other town's along the way. "And the rail that has been received will be able to take some of the bigger steam trains as well." Mr Smith said additional funding was needed to complete the entire track, but the first round of funding would be used to repair some of the track which was damaged during the Green Wattle Creek bushfire. "Some of the towns along this line absolutely copped it during the bushfires - like Buxton, Balmoral and Colo Vale," he said. "Repairing the track will bring more people out to these towns and help to support their recovery. (Osborne, 2021). |