Small objects
When thinking about NSW railway history it is easy to focus on the big infrastructure items such as locomotive and signalling. However, there are many small items from tea cups, neon signs to uniforms and bicycles that also have a fascinating story to tell. Scroll down to have a better look at some of our treasured smaller items.
- Southern Aurora® illuminated sign
- First aid box c1940
- Railway band uniform
- Models
- Bundy Clock
- Clock Hands
- Seth Thomas Clock
Southern Aurora® illuminated sign
The Southern Aurora® operated between Sydney and Melbourne from 1962 for almost 30 years. It’s gleaming stainless steal pioneered luxury overnight rail travel. The signs were displayed at the Sydney and Melbourne platforms to mark the departure point as well as at the end of the train.
Today, the NSWRTM operates the Southern Aurora on selected special tours to destinations across the State and interstate.
First aid box c1940
In the 1940s every railway work location was provided a first aid box. The Railways ran annual staff first aid competitions to encourage awareness and proficiency.
From 1882 first aid training was provided to railway employees and from 1885 the railway ambulance corps was formed. By 1894 the Corp had over 850 members. By then each passenger training running outside the Sydney suburban system and mixed trains on branch lines were fitted with a medical chest and similar to this box.
Although railways have a significantly lower accident rate than roads for instance, a significant number of employees have lost their lives or been severely injured in work-related accidents on the NSW Railways since 1854. The Australian Railway Monument at Werris Creek is a memorial to those who lost their lives on the railway and exposes the untold social history.
NSW Railway Band uniform
The NSW Railway Band, also known as the Railway Military Band, was formed shortly before 1894, with members drawn from railway staff. Their repertoire includes marches, swing and orchestral pieces.
The Railway & Tramway Institute's senior administrators organised the band and sought to engender staff loyalty, as well as bettering staff wellbeing through the Institute's wide ranging cultural programs. A Railway Eisteddford was initiated in 1925, and opened to the public in 1931. The brass band was accompanied by a concert orchestra, stringed instrument band, a harmonica band, and a Scottish Pipe band at various times. The Australian Railways Union formed its own band during the early 1930s.
The Band continues to play at a range of social, sporting and commemorative functions.
Models
1st Class Lounge Car and Roomette Sleeping Car large scale models are thought to have been built around 1960 in the Railway's workshops. The models were produced to be put on display at major public exhibitions, such as the Royal Easter Show, transport trade displays, local council festivals, and specialist shop displays.
The models depicted then recent developments in passenger carriage design, and were used as marketing aids to show to potential customers that in comfort and style, if not speed, rail travel could be competitive against air and bus for long distance passenger travel.
The models sit on 5¾inch gauge track, and were built to a scale approximating 1 in 10. They were built for static display.
Clock collection - marking time
In the late 1800s, when the construction of the railways was gaining momentum throughout the world, one man proposed a revolutionary new system of time all because he missed his train.
Scottish born Canadian Engineer and the father of standard time Sir Sandford Fleming, proposed a new system time using the Greenwich Meridian as the starting point for the International time zones we have today. This was a crucial development for not only the NSW Railways but for the Railways internationally, allowing for a more reliable train service.
On February 1st 1895, New South Wales adopted this ‘standard time’ a system of time to which every clock is now set. This was of further social and economical significance as prior to the 1900's when owning your own watch was rare, railway clocks had an important role, not only for railway personnel, but for the community. Two important items from our clocks collection include:
Bundy Clock
Williard LeGrand Bundy patented his invention of the first employee time clock in November 1888. Since then it has been adopted as the common name for all sorts of employee time recording devices.
Seth Thomas Clock
A standard wall type ‘Seth Thomas' Clock was hung in virtually every station across the state. These clocks were imported from the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Connecticut, Wisconsin USA from the late 1880's.
'Southern Aurora' is a registered trademark of New South Wales Rail Transport Museum - ABN 25 000 570 46