The Ghan: Australia's Greatest Train Journey (2018) - full transcript

The Ghan is an innovative three-hour documentary that takes the viewer on an immersive, visually stunning journey on Australia's most iconic passenger train. In Australia's first 'Slow TV' ...

BIRDSONG
TRAIN HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

Well, good afternoon, ladies and
gentlemen. Welcome aboard The Ghan.

My name's Bruce Smith,
and I'm your train manager

on today's journey through to
Alice Springs and then on to Darwin.

On behalf of our crew,

certainly like to give you a very
warm welcome aboard The Ghan.

Over the next three days we will
be travelling from the bottom

to the top of Australia.

That's a distance of some 2,979km.

Stopping at Alice Springs and
Katherine on the way.



For our guests that may be
interested in statistics...

..we are 902 metres long.

We weigh 1,773 tonnes.

And we have 38 carriages
on board today.

Two locomotives at the front.

4,000 horsepower each.
Our lead loco is NR 109.

So, once again,
ladies and gentlemen,

welcome aboard The Ghan.

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

STEAM LOCOMOTIVE SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS



CHATTER

INDISTINCT CHATTER

HORN SOUNDS

BELL CLANGS

And good afternoon,
ladies and gentlemen.

If you cast your eyes to the
left-hand side of the train,

in direction of travel, you can see
what is known as the Barunga Ranges.

And atop the Barunga Ranges is
South Australia's largest wind farm,

some 130 Commission wind turbines.

We also happen to be
ten minutes away from

the very small township of
Snowtown.

As we pass through
the township itself,

if you look to the
right-hand side of the train,

once again in the direction
of travel,

you can see mounted in
roughly the centre of the township

one of the blades from the turbines.

And it just gives you some idea
as to the size of these turbines.

They're quite large,
ladies and gentlemen.

So, the Barunga Range is on
the left-hand side of the train,

in the direction of travel,
South Australia's largest wind farm,

and as we pass through
the township,

one of the turbine blades
mounted there.

Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen,

if you look out to the right-hand
side now in the direction of travel,

in the next seconds you can see
the train in its entirety,

from whatever position you
are on the train.

Please have your cameras ready,

right-hand side of the train.
Thank you.

FAINT ARCHIVE RECORDING OF SONG

TELEGRAPH CLICKS

TELEGRAPH BLEEPS

INSECT BUZZES

Ladies and gentlemen,
a very good afternoon.

I trust you have enjoyed
the first section of our journey

from Adelaide to Port Augusta.

We will be arriving into
Port Augusta very soon

for a short moment where we will
have a driver's change, thank you.

HORN SOUNDS

ECHOES OF CHATTER AND ANIMAL SOUNDS

ISLAMIC CALL TO PRAYER ECHOES

And a very good morning to you all,
ladies and gentlemen.

Certainly trust you had
a restful night's sleep

during the night last night.

We do have an anticipated
arrival time of 1:45,

an on-time arrival time...

..this afternoon into the lovely
city of Alice Springs.

Thank you.

Wahey! N40 TSR coming up.

Must've been a bit of rain. Yeah.

A few puddles hanging around.

If they closed the Birdsville track
they must've had a...

Oh, did they?

Yeah, last week, I think it was
closed.

The Oodnadatta-Birdsville track
was all shut.

I've never seen any water
in this, ever.

The day I see water in it,
then I can retire. And I'm thinking,

well, you might work
for another 50 years.

One time when I was travelling
with Shane, there was...

We went through a fair bit of rain,

and the next day found out from
the length runner that travelled up

after us that every single creek
was flowing

between Kulgera and Manguri.

That's a lot of water.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Good morning. How is everyone?
Had a nice morning today?

Good.

Can I get anyone some drinks
to start with?

I'll have an orange juice.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION CONTINUES
MUSIC PLAYS

GENERAL CHATTER

Train manager NR 109.

INDISTINCT RESPONSE OVER RADIO

Yeah, Bruce, approximately
10 minutes to the border. Over.

INDISTINCT RESPONSE

Good morning again,
ladies and gentlemen.

The locomotive drivers have
just informed me we are

approximately ten minutes away
from the

South Australian-Northern Territory
border.

If you cast your eyes to the
right-hand side of the train

in approximately ten minutes' time,

there is border signage on the
right-hand side of the train.

So, ten minutes' time,
ladies and gentlemen, the

South Australian-Northern Territory
border. Thank you.

SLOW BLEEPING

RAPID BLEEPING

SLOW BLEEPING

SUSTAINED BLEEP

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

The locomotive driver's
just informed me

we will be passing the...

What is known as the Iron Man.

Located on the right-hand side
in direction of travel.

And the Iron Man is a...

..statue erected by the...

..track layers when they built the
Tarcoola to Alice Springs rail line.

It stands about six foot high,
ladies and gentlemen. Easily seen.

But as I said, it commemorates
the laying of

the one millionth concrete sleeper
on the,

what was known as the Tas line -

Tarcoola to Alice Springs
rail line, back in the mid-'80s.

HORN SOUNDS

Green Arrow. Roger. Green Arrow.

Ah, there's all the cows.
They're over here.

All 20 of them.

MOOING

HORN SOUNDS

FLOCK OF BIRDS CAWING

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

our next item of interest is
the Finke River.

The Finke's a fairly large river,

and so it is certainly
able to be seen

from both the left and right-hand
sides of the train.

How many people are going to run the
gauntlet today, you reckon, Scotty?

Taxi just did, he wasn't going to
get stuck. Here comes another one.

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

Good boy!

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

NR 109, this is good
with you all, now?

Yeah, NR 109 receiving. Over.

INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER

RADIO BEEPS

Yeah. Roger, over.

Loco driver NR 109 -
we're across Bradshaw Road.

BELL RINGS

Roger, over.

HORN SOUNDS

BIRDSONG

DISTANT SIREN WAILS

BIRDSONG

METAL SCREECHES

INSECTS CHIRP

BIRDSONG

INSECTS CHIRP

DOG BARKS

INSECTS CHIRP

BIRDSONG

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

CREAKING

CREAKING CONTINUES

CREAKING CONTINUES

Train manager NR 109 - loco's just
coming up to the station now. Over.

Roger. Train manager NR 109.

Just going past the station now.
Over.

OK. Roger, mate.
Yeah, I've got that. All right to...

CREAKING

That's going to squeal at you now,
isn't it?

NR 109, you have six to go.
Thanks, mate.

Roger, and six to go.

CREAKING

CREAKING CONTINUES

NR 109, yeah, they are
in place for you. Over.

Yeah. Roger. Thanks, Dave.
See you shortly.

And four to go, 109.

Roger, and four to go.

CREAKING

Three to go, 109.

And three.

Two to go, 109.

And two.

CREAKING

One to go, 109.

And one.

Go on, Brucie.

And a half. It's there now.

METAL SCREECHES

And red light.

MACHINE BEEPS

WIND HOWLS

WIND CONTINUES HOWLING

ENGINE RUMBLES

INSECTS CHIRP

CHIRPING CONTINUES

And a very good morning to you all,
ladies and gentlemen.

I trust you had a restful night's
sleep aboard the Ghan last night.

You might have woken up
at some time during the night,

and find we had been stopped.

That was at Tennant Creek,
ladies and gentlemen -

a brief stop there whilst
we had a locomotive crew change.

We're currently running on time,
with an anticipated arrival time

into Katherine this morning of 9am.

I'll certainly update you
with the outside temperature

and the weather forecast
for Katherine itself.

Thank you.

BIRDS SQUAWKING

BIRDSONG

LOUD RUMBLING

BIRDSONG

BIRDSONG

BIRDS CHIRPING

METALLIC CLANKING

BIRDSONG

TRAIN RUMBLES

INSECTS CHIRP

TRAIN SCRAPES AND THUDS

RUMBLING

RUMBLING GROWS LOUDER

BIRDSONG

RUMBLING APPROACHES

HORN SOUNDS

HORN SOUNDS

BIRDS CAWING

BIRDSONG

RUMBLING

BIRDSONG

HORN SOUNDS

LOW RUMBLING

METALLIC THUMPING

And good morning again,
ladies and gentlemen.

We do ask that all guests
please do remain seated

as we approach Katherine.

There can be some jolting
as the Ghan comes to a halt.

Also, we do ask that when
you take or go off on your

off-train excursions this morning,
please take a hat with you,

some sunscreen, and certainly
plenty of water to drink.

The outside temperature
as we speak now is 23 degrees,

and we have a maximum of 33 degrees.

And the forecast is two words today,
ladies and gentlemen,

and it is "mostly cloudy".

Please make sure you are back aboard
the Ghan no later than 12.30.

We do depart for Darwin at 1pm.

Thank you.

BIRDSONG

MACHINE BEEPS

INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER

Uh, on the crossing loop
at Katherine at 08.59.

Train manager NR 109 calls, over.

Should be pretty much on time...

MACHINE BEEPS

Yeah, receiving, Nathaniel.

Roger. If all movement's stopped
at the back, it is all yours. Over.

Yeah. Roger, mate. Rolled back
a bit, but a little check

and I think we're all right again.

Roger.

INSECTS CHIRP

RUMBLING

HORN SOUNDS

All right.
DOOR CLOSES

MACHINE BEEPS

CREAKING

CREAKING

AIR HISSES

HORN SOUNDS

And, ladies and gentlemen,

we are now starting the final leg
of the Ghan's journey

from Adelaide,
Alice Springs, Katherine,

and finally through to Darwin.

I've just spoken to
the locomotive drivers,

who informed me that we are looking
at an anticipated on-time arrival

of 5.32 at the Darwin terminal
today, ladies and gentlemen.

Should that change in any way,
shape or form,

I'll certainly keep you informed.

CREAKING

RUMBLING

INDISTINCT SHOUTS ECHO

LAUGHTER

RUMBLING GROWS LOUDER

RUMBLING

BELL CHIMES

CROSSING CHIMES

CROSSING CHIMES

Here we are...

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Ohh! It's a bloody white one.
Never seen a white one before.

Oh! OK.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

I think I might have had too many
wines. I didn't see anything.

Yeah. Ah...

A white camel. Uh?

No, no, white elephants.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

What I had for lunch today. Oh.
Buffalo. The buffalo? Yeah.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

So all we have to find was the
number that goes on the front.

BIRDS SQUAWK

SQUAWKING CONTINUES

TRAIN HORN BLARES

HORN TOOTS

BIRD SQUAWKS

TRAIN TONE SOUNDS

BIRDSONG

TRAIN HORN

BIRDSONG

TRAIN TONE SOUNDS

ANIMAL SQUAWKS

BIRDSONG

We're coming up to Union Reef.
Union Reef.

Proceed to Verrama.
Proceed to Verrama, correct.

Terrain is looking good there,
Mick. Roger.

HORN SOUNDS

BIRDSONG

HORN SOUNDS

BEEPING

BIRDSONG

BIRDSONG

INDISTINCT

Sorry? Yeah...

INDISTINCT

Well, they change colour.
In the dirt.

INDISTINCT

Darker if it's in the shade. Uh?

We must be getting to a crossing,

because the road's
getting closer to us.

INDISTINCT

The roadway between those two.
INDISTINCT. Yeah.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

TRAIN HORN

INDISTINCT

HORN SOUNDS

VEHICLE NOISES

HORN SOUNDS

CROSSING BELLS SOUND

CONVERSATIONAL MURMUR

AIR RAID SIRENS ECHO

AIRCRAFT NOISES

BOMBS WHOOSH

AIR RAID SIRENS

HORN TOOTS

BIRDSONG

CROSSING BELL CHIMES

CROSSING BELL CHIMES

BIRDSONG

HORN TOOTS

BIRDSONG

TRAIN HORN SOUNDS

CROSSING BELL CHIMES

We're going to be five
minutes late, Shane.

That's that block at the...

I think you might be right there.

HORN SOUNDS

TRAFFIC HUM

Blocking everyone up
for the second day.

That road crosses
the railway line twice.

Catch it at the first crossing,
you catch it at the second.

BIRDSONG

INDISTINCT CHATTER

CHEERING

BIRDSONG

RADIO: 109, you've got 11 to go.

Received that. 11 more.

RADIO: Ten to go.
And 10.

RADIO: And nine.

Nine more.

RADIO: And eight.

Eight to go.

RADIO: And seven. And seven.

RADIO: And six. And six.

RADIO: And five. Five more.

RADIO: And four.

Four more.

RADIO: And three.

Three to go.

RADIO: Two to go. And two.

RADIO: You've got one to go.
And one.

DRIVER LAUGHS

RADIO: Half a carriage.

RADIO: 12 feet.

RADIO: Six feet.

RADIO: And red light.

DRIVER: And all safe.