Great Western - 6. GW Chap 6

“This train, when did it arrive in Western Australia, and were has it been stored?” one of the reporters asked, “The train arrived by ship here in Albany, just over a month ago, and has been stored in a shed, while we wait for State Government approval for the passenger service,” Dad replied.

“Sir, who is the young man standing next to you, and what is his role in this project?” another reporter asked, “This is my oldest son Vern, he has been with me, when we were doing the testing of the train in northern Switzerland, and he has been present at the meetings with the State Minister for Transport, and the Infrastructure Manager of the City of Greater Geraldton and he is my executive assistant.

I might add that although I am a qualified engineer and driver, I have my own team of train crew with us today, three train drivers, a senior porter and 2 stewards, with more staff to join us when their training is complete,” Dad replied.

“Apart from making this media report today, what else will you be doing to try and encourage the State Government to assist you to provide this passenger service?” a reporter asked, and giving my dad a light nudge with my shoulder, Dad looked at me and nodded his head.

“With the assistance of the Westnet Rail Freight company, giving us permission to use their rail line, and with the local Mount Restaurant, supplying us with food and drinks, we will be leaving here at exactly 12 noon today, for the inaugural train journey to Geraldton, arriving there at 7.45 pm tonight, and we invite any members of the media and the public, who can pack and get back here by 11.45, to join us on this free journey, but meals and drinks will be extra, plus you will need to arrange your own overnight accommodation in Geraldton,” I announced.

“That is some offer your son has just made Mr Ashburton, is this legit?” one of the reporters asked, “yes, it is as my son stated, anyone who can be packed and back here by 11.45 today can join us, we have 138 upright seats available for the general public and 36 seats for media and officials to join us for the journey, with the cost of meals and drinks not included in the free return journey, and the return journey leaving Geraldton tomorrow at 12 noon, will be getting back to Albany at 7.45 pm tomorrow,” my Dad said.

“Mr Ashburton, can you confirm, that it is your family that has recently purchased The Rocks mansion on Grey Street West?” a reporter asked, “Yes, I can confirm that my family, do indeed own The Rocks, that is all for now, all those who wish to join us have approximately one hour and fifteen minutes to get packed and back here to join us on the journey,” my Dad said, and we followed the staff back into the train.

I indicated for the Westnet Rail employees to follow us onto the train, which they happily agreed to. “Gentlemen, welcome to the Great Western,” I said to the two Westnet Rail staff, let me give you a quick tour of parts of the train before we get inundated with guests.

Forty minutes later the two Westnet Rail staff thanked me for the tour, and as they stepped onto the platform, from the fourth car, near the buffet servery, there was a large crowd starting to gather in a line, which surprised me a little. “Ladies and Gentlemen, if I can have your attention please” I began, and I quickly tried to think things out in my head before continuing.

“Those who are from a media organisation, or dignitaries, from the local council, heads of community groups and service organisations, can you please line up at car six, that is the last car at the end.

All members of the general public, can you please gather at the back doors of cars two and three, thank you” I said, and soon there were three groups forming lines, with the group at car six being much smaller.

I stepped back inside the train and went into the servery area and picking up the internal phone I pressed PA, “Mr Ashburton and all hospitality crew to Car 5 conference room please” I announced and hung up the phone, before heading back to Car 5.

Once everyone was gathered, I looked at Dad, who just smiled and indicated for me to go ahead with what I had to say. “It looks like we will have quite a large crowd of guests for our first run, I have asked the general public to line up at the rear doors of Cars 2 & 3, and the media and dignitaries to gather at car six.

The porter and I will make sure that only 92 general public guests are permitted at each entry point, and that any children and teenagers are accompanied by at least one adult, that is related.

Stewards, can you make sure everyone is seated, and that there are no extras, lock all bathrooms, plus the kitchen, buffet servery and crew lounge doors, until we start moving, so this can be guaranteed, and lets’ make this an enjoyable experience for crew and passengers.

Papa, can you please arrange for a clipboard and some paper, so we can record the names of our first passengers please, and deal with the dignitaries in Car 6. Crew, to your stations” I said, and everyone left the room, and Dad smiled broadly, before pulling me into a hug.

About fifteen minutes later, I stepped onto the platform from car 3, and saw the porter standing at the door of car 2, and I gave him a wave to indicate to start allowing the passengers on. I let onboard a total of 62 passengers, of mixed ages, some were seniors, others where single or couples, and we had a few families also.

At 11.55, with the train nearly full, and still lots of people on the platform, we announced that we have reached capacity, as I stepped onboard, closed and locked the door, and went to the rear servery on car 4, where a steward was checking everything. I reached for the phone and pressed PA, “Attention Crew, close the doors and prepare for departure,” I announced, before hanging up the phone, just as there was applause coming from the passengers.

Walking through to car 5, I passed through the kitchen area, and entered the Platinum class seating area, and found a few people present, which surprised me, and I saw Dad speaking to a couple. “Mayor Jacobs and Mrs Jacobs, this is my oldest son, Vern,” Dad said making the introductions, “It is an honour to have you join us for this journey,” I said politely, as the train began to move forward, and I began walking further back, passing through the conference room and entering Car 6 and the executive lounge, where I sat down.

When Dad arrived about ten minutes later, he sat down in the lounge seat next to mine. “How many passengers in your section?” he asked me, “62 in total in cars 3 & 4” I replied, “the Porter informed me that he has a total of 82 in cars 1 & 2, and we have 6 VIP’s as you saw and 22 executives from community and service organisations, plus 6 members of the media in this car,” Dad informed me.

“Apart from snack foods, and a heap of microwave meals, I also bought disposable plates, spoons and forks, napkins, fresh fruit - apples, oranges and bananas, packets of different dried fruits – dried apricots, apples, prunes and mixed dried fruit, mixed and individual nuts, and small containers of various fruit juices” I said to Dad.

The porter entered the lounge a few minutes later. “What would you like for lunch, Sir’s? We have grilled chicken with roasted vegetables, or Grilled Salmon, with a dill sauce and steamed vegetables” he asked us, “They both sound delicious, I will have the Salmon please” my Dad replied, “I will have the Chicken please” I added, and the ported headed off to place our orders.

“Looks like this restaurant went all out to pleased us” Dad commented, before a steward appeared, “Would you like a drink of any kind?” she asked, “A shiraz for my father and a lemon squash for me thanks” I replied before Dad could speak, and he just smiled.

The steward returned a few moments later, and she had the fold away table raised and locked into place, that is low enough for us to stay seated and eat from where we are seated, before she placed a crisp white table cloth over it, then 2 sets of silver cutlery and two water glasses, which she poured some chilled water into them.

As we ate, and watched the countryside pass us, we were soon heading in a northerly direction, after 15 kilometres of heading west, and as we approached the locality of Elleker, we were surprised to see a group of locals waving to us as we passed, and the same again in the locality of Redmond.

“It seems that the word has got out about the new train” I commented, as we passed the crowd.

“All good publicity and it will put pressure on the state government” Dad added. We had finished eating before we approached Mt Barker, and we slowed as we passed the Mt Barker Train station, we were shocked to see a huge crowd of people gathered to wave to us, and we heard the driver toot the horn in response to their waving.

“I hope our travelling media are taking not of these crowds, how about we go back and see how things are going back there” Dad said to me, and we exited the lounge, which leads into a short passage formed by tow sections of the kitchen, and as we entered the passenger area, we received a burst of applause.

“Mr Ashburton, as we have witnessed, you have a following of fans from the communities that we have passed so far, how does this make you feel?” one of the reporters asked, “Very pleased and proud of our team, for what they have done so far,” Dad replied. “I must compliment you sir, on selecting a local restaurant that has provided us with a wonderful first meal onboard the Great Western,” one of the dignitaries stated.

“Thankyou, but it is the Mount Restaurant and their staff who should be thanked, we are grateful for the owners, allowing two of their kitchen staff to join us for this journey,” I responded. “Will we be able to have a tour of other parts of the train during the journey?” another reporter asked.

“Cars 1 to 4 are what we call Bronze Class, and are all the same, Car 5 is Platinum Class, where the VIP’s are seated, and you are in Gold class, we will allow you the opportunity to explore the train, once we have arrived in Geraldton, and most of the passengers have disembarked, for their morning to explore Geraldton,” Dad announced, and we headed back the way we came.

“What are we doing about Geraldton, with no train station available?” I asked Dad once we were back in the lounge. “For the past four days and today, a building company has been very busy building us a platform, in preparation for our arrival. Using large limestone blocks, they have been building a platform, filling it with yellow sand, compacting it, and topping it off with paving, so it will be ready by the time we arrive” Dad replied.

As we continued north, we passed communities and towns, who all gathered to check out our new train, with a huge crowd gathering at Katanning, as we slowed right down, to allow them to have a good look at the train, and wed were now just over two hours away from arriving in Northam, were we will stop at the Avon Yard, and switch tracks, and from the other driver cab, head to the Northam train station, and then north towards Wongan Hills and Dalwallinu, were we will be at the front of the train for the second half of the journey.

Dad had informed me that Westnet Rail, was working on establishing a very tight turn connection, so that we won’t have to worry about stopping and changing driver ends, but it wouldn’t be ready for this first return journey, as specialist tools were required to bend the railway iron into the tight curve, although it was doubtful if such a tight curve could be made.

When we arrived at Avon Yard, just before 4pm, there seamed to be a long delay, so I went to the internal phone and called the driver cab. “Vern here, what is the delay for departure driver?” I asked, “Sorry sir, we have another two passengers joining us, the Shire President of Northam, and the CEO of the Chamber of Business and Industry for the Avon region,” the driver replied.

I quickly ended the call, and told Dad what was happening, and we headed for the nearest door, arriving as the two men were climbing up the steps to the back of Car 5, so we headed in that direction, arriving as the other VIP’s were meeting each other. “May I present Mr Christopher Ashburton, and his son Vern, who own this magnificent train, Mr Ashburton this is Mr Frank Holland, the Northam Shire President and Mr Dave Peterson, CEO of the Avon Chamber of Business and Industry,” Mayor Jacobs said.

“Mr Ashburton, you are big news at the moment, ABC Radio state wide has been broadcasting news of your train and where it is travelling since you left Albany at Noon,” the Shire President said to Dad as they shook hands. “Yes, we guessed something like that may be happening, as we have been seeing crowds of people in small communities and main towns, turning up to wave to us,” Dad replied.

“Because of this large amount of interest, we are wanting to resolve this issue with linking the southern track with the East West track, and we may have come up with a solution.

At Fernie Street, just before the railway line crosses Newcastle Street, there is a triangle of council land, we have spoken to Westnet, and they agree with our planned deviation, which gives a longer and safer curve to join the other line.