Old & Short/Unrelated Stories

Australian Free Immigrants - English Diligence Task

Tis' was a brutal voyage, over a month on the ocean on a two stacker steamship to that southern land near the Dutch East indies. Laid off I had been, the London and North Western Railway, an experienced locomotive fireman of 10 years I had been.

Fortunate' I was, that former penal colony called New South Wales, with her expanding rail lines from Sydney to the harsh flatlands, interested in experienced train crews they were, the workers down there were without that expertise.

Relieved I was for that opportunity, had nothing left back home, father died his train had a swim and mom died when I was a young lad. I sold the house, packed my belongings, got my ticket and boarded that steamer. Never knew how much I hated the sea 'till I was out there.

Battling the waves she did, always standin' her ground. Relieved I was to be in the bay, Sydney the place was called. Once my luggage had been collected, I headed off to find a roof over my head, before heading to the railway station.

Experience I had won them over and was assigned to work at this town called Goulburn, and took my first train down to the place, a C79 class I believe. Could not tell you how long it took, to me it seemed to be as long as some of the longer journeys back in Derbyshire.

That C79, for being an outside cylinder 4-4-0 was mighty powerful with a good turn of speed, my driver for that run mentioned that these locomotives could go almost anywhere on the network, elegant, go anywhere workhorses I'd call 'em.

There is so much to get used to in this new land, the dry surroundings being one of them, and many of these place names are quite unusual, a town called Bong Bong comes to mind.

Arrivin' at Goulburn, I can see why the upper-class at Sydney had me be here. This place will become a major railway station in the future and someone has to whip these juniors into professionals.