Memories of his life in railways from beginning to the end of his career and the greatest changes in railways that he saw.

Ron Fitch talks about his life with the railways, beginning with his Father's occupation in WA Government Railways and in Victoria and his own fascination with railways. The tape includes his education at school and University; early career in the Perth Drawing Office of Civil Engineering Office of Railways and other practical work. Surveying in the bush and track maintenance; Cadetship work and unemployment relief after onset of Great Depression. His first posting with WA Railways. Nature of work in the Murchison and how they accomplished it by hand labour. Return to Perth and design staff in September 1937. Ron's transfer to Kalgoorlie from Narrogin and fieldwork. Declaration of Second World War. Standardisation of rail gauge project; appointed Engineer-in-Charge of Design for Standard Gauge and the pursuit of his Master of Engineering. Takes up Commonwealth Railways posting at Port Augusta. Maintenance of Transcontinental Line. Major problems of distance and staff welfare. Moves to standardise gauges throughout Australia and how it all fell short in 1948. Port Augusta and his affection for the town. Application for and acceptance of job as Assistant to Commissioner of Railways in SA. Arrived Adelaide mid-1954; operational work of SA Railways. His work with Tom Playford. In 1966 he became SA Railways Commissioner and headed the Royal Commission into Transport in SA. His experiences as Railways Commissioner and an overview of changes.

Port Augusta (S. Aust)

Burke, David, Road through the wilderness : the story of the transcontinental railway, the first great work of Australia's federation, Kensington, N.S.W.: New South Wales University Press, c1991

Fitch, R. J. Australian railwayman: from cadet engineer to Railways Commissioner [ Kenthurst], N.S.W.: Rosenberg Publishing, 2006

• On The Rails is an interactive educational website designed for use by upper primary and lower secondary students, their teachers, and train enthusiasts. It uses video clips from Film Australia to take a participant on a number of Australian rail journeys through both time and place, with appropriate educational resources integrated into these online journeys. To have a virtual experience For the Trans Australian whether you are a student, teacher or enthusiast select "Tea and sugar" - this was a train which ran along the Trans-Australian line between Port AUgusta to Kalgoorlie which supplied the railway workers with provisions.