@Simon, I personally first saw John when he visited Pichi Richi back in June 2010, when we was visiting family in Port Augusta. I was on the footplate of W933, getting educated on driving the mighty W class, which was a first for me as I am used to RX classes, PB15's, C17's and the D17. We were sitting at Woolshed Flat, and he came up to the cab. The guard on the train yelled; "On ya John Morty" then I knew it was him, so we started talking about Commonwealth Railways, SAR Broad Gauge, a little of trainz and the occasional oddball ramblings for the rest of the trip when I was not on duty. He was a good bloke, and really friendly to approach. He was telling me stories when he grew up watching the old ghan run though these hills, where a NM class was going up hard. He would always say those where the days.
He also made trips down to Steamranger where he would always sit in his usual request seat of 101. He joked that was the age he wanted to live to, so thats why he wanted to sit there. I was proudly his attendant, sometimes his guard, somedays I was his driver. He used to always like to come up to the depot and check out the lighting up of the engines. Sometimes, we would let him have a go shunting as we were all nice blokes.
It has hit me personally, as I used to always see him at Pichi Richi & Steamranger every June/July Holidays as he would make the trip from where he was living to see his family and catch up with me and the lads at Pichi Richi & Steamranger. He will be missed by everyone as he was very knowladgable and he did give the young guards a run for the money.
To John Mortlock. The Gentle Giant of South Australia
He also made trips down to Steamranger where he would always sit in his usual request seat of 101. He joked that was the age he wanted to live to, so thats why he wanted to sit there. I was proudly his attendant, sometimes his guard, somedays I was his driver. He used to always like to come up to the depot and check out the lighting up of the engines. Sometimes, we would let him have a go shunting as we were all nice blokes.
It has hit me personally, as I used to always see him at Pichi Richi & Steamranger every June/July Holidays as he would make the trip from where he was living to see his family and catch up with me and the lads at Pichi Richi & Steamranger. He will be missed by everyone as he was very knowladgable and he did give the young guards a run for the money.
To John Mortlock. The Gentle Giant of South Australia
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