Australia: Two faces of a class 38

[Steve Appleton]

Posted for the photographer, Dennis Mitchell:

This is a couple of faces of a 38.
1. This excellent shot by Greg Nowland is of No 3813 doing what 38s did best from 1947- 1970. It shows 3813 accelerating up Fassifern bank after the stop at Fassifern with the No 71 the midday Sydney-Newcastle flyer. The 38s and the airconditioned HUB + RUB sets had a 23 year partnership, and during the late 40s and early 50s any train worthy of the name had a class 38 and RUB or HUB set (exceptions were the sleeping car expresses to Melbourne and Brisbane). This is the twilight of such operations, but a green 38 and an airconditioned set took a lot of beating!!
2. No 3813 is battling upgrade at Hawkmount at about 15 m.p.h. on the No 347 goods. It's not the work that she would like to be doing but by now is quite used to. From about 1960, the 38s found themselves working a lot of freight as the diesels got their former express glamour jobs, with diesels saving time on water and coaling stops. But on the shorter runs (Sydney-Goulburn, 225 km; Lithgow-Dubbo, 304 km; and especially Gosford-Newcastle, 88 km) the 38s could hold their own with the diesels and some timetables (such as the flyers) had to be slowed for the diesel to take over. That's why the Flyers stayed with steam so long. A 38 in full cry was indeed a majestic (albeit very quick) thing to see!!!
The fastest run I think I ever timed personally with a 38 was Campbelltown to Liverpool, start to stop 22.65 km in 9 mins 33 seconds on the No 18 fast passenger. The fastest I ever did with a diesel on that train was 13 mins 12 seconds. I don't know how fast we were going but the level crossing gates at Ingleburn hadn't even started to drop as we flashed through!! The diesels had speed recorders and were limited to 71 m.p.h. (115 km/h). The 38s didn't have any such luxury (limitation!).
P.S. And the fastest with a Tangara (electric suburban stock empty cars) was 12 mins 25 seconds and the speed recorder was fluttering around 140 km/h.