Great White Train

The Great White Train was an effort in the 1920s by Sydney based industrialists to convince Australians to 'Buy Australian Made'.

The train was created by the Australia Made Preference League with the New South Wales government contributing £5000 to the project Harv | Hall |1971.

The movie Undercover made about the Berlei company contained a segment on a recreation of the train.

Composition of the train

The train had fifteen exhibition coaches Harv | Barrett | 1994 in which the various companies displayed their 'artisans' products..

The radio station 2XT was part of AWA's contribution to the train. The station was set up at each town and broadcast to the local community but was heard as far away as New Zealand with a clear signal. Harv | Shackle The sale of crystal radios to rural customers was one of the results but on the train's departure they had to make do with static filled reception from Sydney. Harv | Harte | 2002

Exhibitors

The exhibitors were Harv |Newland|1993|p=272 :Aeroplane Flour,Ashton Soap and Candle,Australian Forests Ltd.,
Angus and Robertson Ltd.,
Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited (AWA),Australian Linoleum Co. Ltd.,Ball Phonograph,
Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd.,
Berlei Ltd.,Beale and Co. Ltd.,Bebarfalds Ltd.,Berger, Lewis and Sons (Aust) Ltd.,
Bond, Geo. A. and Co. Ltd.,Caldwell's Wines Ltd.,Clifford Love and Co. Ltd.,Clinton-Williams Ltd.,Davis Gelatine Co.Gartwell, White Ltd.,Federal Distilleries Pty. Ltd.,Henderson, R. C. Ltd.,Hunts Oil and Gas Co. Ltd.,Isherwood and Bartlett (Eagley) Pty. Ltd.,Jusfrute Products Ltd.,Mangrovite Belting Ltd.,Nestle's Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. Ltd.,Newlands Bros Ltd.Plumb, W. H.Queensland Insurance Co.,Stedman-Henderson, James, Sweets Ltd.,Tooth and Co. Ltd.,Tucker and Co. Ltd.,Vicars, John and Co. Ltd.,Vitavox Phonograph,Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission,Williams, Sydney Ltd.Wills, W. D. and H. O.

Journeys/Tours

The train made two journeys in New South Wales Harv |Newland|1993|p=274

The first tour started on 11 November 1925 and concluded on 20 May 1926 there was a Christmas break from 22 Dec to 4 Jan. The towns visited were:
Gosford,
Newcastle,
West Maitland,
Cessnock,
Singleton,
Muswellbrook,
Scone,
Murrurundi,
Quirindi,
Werris Creek,
Tamworth,
Armidale,
Binnaway,
Merrygoen,
Dunedoo,
Gulgong,
Mudgee,
Rylstone,
Lithgow,
Bathurst,
Blayney,
Lyndhurst,
Cowra,
Orange,
Wellington,
Dubbo,
Narromine,
Peak Hill,
Parkes,
Forbes,
Stockinbingal,
Temora,
Ariah Park,
Ardlethan,
Barellan,
Griffith,
Leeton,
Yanco,
Narrandera,
Ganmain,
Coolamon,
Junee,
Wagga Wagga,
Henty,
Culcairn
Albury,
Brocklesby,
Corowa,
The Rock,
Cootamundra,
Wallendbeen,
Young,
Harden,
Yass,
Gunning,
Goulburn,
Moss Vale,
Mittagong,
Liverpool,
Sydney,
Granville

The second tour (25 Aug to 22 Nov 1926) of the the train visited:
Newcastle,
East Maitland,
Dungog,
Gloucester,
Wingham,
Taree,
Kendall,
Wauchope,
Kempsey,
Macksville,
Urunga,
Raleigh,
Coffs Harbour,
Corumba,
Glenreagh,
South Grafton,
Grafton,
Rappville,
Casino,
Kyogle,
Lismore,
Bangalow,
Byron Bay,
Mullumbimby
Murwillumbah,
Thirroul,
Wollongong,
Berry,
Nowra,
Tarago,
Michelago,
Cooma,
Nimmitabel,
Bombala,
Canberra,
Queanbeyan,
Bungendore,
Botany,
Mascot,
Rockdale,
Hurstville,Darling Island which is now Darling Harbour in Sydney Harv|Anon2|2005.

Notes

References

* Cite web
url=http://www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/www/default.asp?guiValue=6B417187-FA44-4452-A139-4E34622E81B1
title=The Great White Touring Train visit to Wagga
accessdate=
last=Anon1
publisher=Wagga Wagga City Council
archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5WQSinVVT
archivedate=2008-03-19

* cite web
url=http://www.shfa.nsw.gov.au/dyncontent.cfm?MenuID=334&Print=1
title=Darling Island, Pyrmont
accessdate=2008-03-28
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publisher=Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5WfCQtzeA
archivedate=2008-03-28

* Citation
last=Anon3
contribution=Buy Australian-Made
year=1925
date= 1925
place=Melbourne, Australia
editor-last=Crowley
editor-first=F. R.
title=Modern Australia in Documents
publication-date=1973
publication-place=Melbourne, Australia
id=ISBN 0 85885 032 X
volume=1
pages=405

* Citation
title=Australiana and the Australian-Made Preference League
journal=Australiana
date=Feb 1994
first=Desmond
last=Barrett
volume=16
issue=1

* Citation
last = Hall
first = C, R.
title = The Manufacturers: Australian Manufacturing Achievements to 1960
publisher = Angus and Robertson Pty. Ltd.
date = 1971
location = Sydney, NSW, Australia
isbn = 0 207 12073 0

* Citation
last = Harte
first = Bernard
title = When Radio Was the Cat's Whiskers
publisher = Rosenberg Publishing
date = 2002
location = Dural, NSW
pages = 101
isbn = 1877058084

* Citation
title=The Great White Train
journal= Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin
date=Nov 1993
first=John R.
last=Newland
pages = pp. 267-285

* Cite web
url=http://www.bdb.co.za/shackle/articles/wireless.htm
title=Wireless Went on Wheels
accessdate=2008-03-26
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archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5WbModgil
archivedate=2008-03-25