Retired train drivers follow the tracks back to the Orange depot

Retired train drivers and signalmen came from all over for a reunion at the Hotel Canobolas on Friday, October 6. 

For many of the former work colleagues, it was their first time being together in over 30 years. 

“The depot closed in 1989 and most of the drivers haven't seen anybody at all since that time,” retired train driver Philip Tratarinov said.

Philip made the journey from his home in Brisbane for the weekend reunion.

“Fantastic to see these guys… 26 blokes, with an average of 40 years experience each, it comes to 1040 years of total experience on the footplate with NSW Railway!

“I met one of my old mates, Peter Naven yesterday, we swapped so many yarns. Peter is actually from the steam era too. History yarns, the blokes that were around, remembering the blokes that are now dearly departed and gone to the roundhouse… 

“It’s just a lovely little reunion and we plan to have some more later on because a couple had to drop out due to health issues.”

Philip, who got the nicknames “Tetanus” or “Tarantula” as a driver, actually began his career in Orange as a young railway fireman, moving up through the grades to get his driver’s ticket.

“It was a little blue fold-out and they put your name and once you've got that you were over the moon!” he reminisced.

“You did five years of hard study, got through and now you're a driver!”

After a night of catching up at Hotel Canobolas the old colleagues met up again on Saturday morning for a tour through the Orange East Fork deport, which is now home to heritage rail group, the Lachlan Valley Railway.

 “Just a huge ‘thank you’ to John Healy and Bondy at the depot with the LVR for letting us do the tour on Saturday, It was terrific!”