The Old Ghan Line

Description

George Williams joined the South Australian Railways at Quorn in 1922, but was immediately sent to Oodnadatta as a youth labourer to the pumper. After 14 months he was transferred to Quorn and worked as a cleaner in the Loco Workshops.
On the 1st January, 1926, he signed over to the Commonwealth Railways and in the same year qualified as a fireman. George qualified as a driver in 1929, but was not classified until 1938. From 1929 to 1933, he drove goods and stock trains on the Port Augusta to Alice Springs line in the busy March to September period and fired for the balance of the year. In the period 1934-1937, he drove continuously on the Trans line between Barton and Rawlinna. In September, 1937, he returned to Quorn and continued driving on the Central Australian Railway until 1955 when the old narrow gauge to Marree was closed.
He was then transferred to Port Augusta and worked the Alice Springs line (standard and narrow gauge sections) and also the Trans line from Port Pirie to Rawlinna. He became a Loco Inspector in 1961, and retired in 1970.