Echos of the Past

Echos of the Past (Steam Locomotive NM25 on the Pichi Richi railway) Original Oil on Canvas Board 75cm x 50cm – SOLD

John’s painting depicts the steam locomotive NM25 on the Pichi Richi railway, crossing the steel lattice girder bridge and pulling an excursion train, looking much like a typical early Ghan train.  The NM class locomotive #25 has been completely restored by the Pichi Richi railway. This restoration took place between 2000 and 2003 and was a massive undertaking but deemed worth the effort as it is only one of two original steam locomotives which were part of the very first Ghan trains.

Built in 1925 by Thompsons of Castlemaine in Vic., it was one of the first batch of locomotives of the class. A further eight were subsequently ordered and spent their life tramping up and down the line from port Augusta to Alice Springs. NM25 was one of the last to be in service and survived partly because it was kept as a standby to assist trains through the occasional flooded creek when the diesels could not get their traction motors wet. It was eventually transferred to port Augusta where it maintained its existence as a stationary steam plant for cleaning at the Roundhouse.

By the time the locomotive was acquired by the Pichi Richi railway, it was in a fairly sad and deplorable condition and it was determined that amongst other work required, the boiler, frame, smokebox and tender would need replacing. In addition to this work new cylinders had to be cast and machined and all bearings re metalled or replaced.

Volunteers of the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society continue to restore and run the railway and have done so continuously since 1973. The railway is one of the Flinders Range’s top attractions and runs half and full day nostalgia journeys aboard restored steam or heritage diesel trains on the original Ghan route between Port Augusta and Quorn.