Union Songs
3801
A song by Ray King and Ron Russell©1987 Ray King and Ron Russell- [play]
In the golden age of steam
There lived a beauty queen
Roamin' around the countryside
She was a driver's dream.
Workin' days and workin' nights
Up before the sun
They all tried hard to get aboard
Thirty-eight o one.The queen of all the fleet
The railway's pride and joy
To ride upon the footplate
Was the dream of every boy.
As she went roarin' by
on another express run
Everyone would turn their heads for
Thirty-eight o one.Ah thirty-eight o one
You stood the test you're still the best
You just keep rollin' on.Bound from Sydney town
The black smoke rollin' higher
Across the Hawkesbury river
To Newcastle on the flier.
Over the great divide
On the Central Western run
On the Southern Line right on time went
Thirty-eight o one.But your greatest feat
Was steamin' across the nation
All the crowds would gather round
At every country station.
On the standard gauge
Westward to the sun
Across to Perth and back again went
Thirty-eight o one.Ah thirty-eight o one
You stood the test you're still the best
You just keep rollin' on.The days of steam have been and gone
But some remember well
That big green flash as she went by
Had such a tale to tell.
And now she's back upon the tracks
She just keeps rollin' on
She beat the rest she's still the best
Thirty-eight o one.Ah thirty-eight o one
You stood the test you're still the best
You just keep rollin' on.
Notes
Ray King and Ron Russell were both working at Elcar when they wrote this songFrom the "Trains of Treasure" CD, Ray King and Ron Russell - guitar, vocals and computer sequencing, Joy Howard - backing vocals.
union songs..........a selection by mark gregory