Railway Songsters Steam On At 45rpm
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday July 1, 1987
Ray King and Ron Russell are Sydney's own Eveleigh brothers. These two all-singing but non-dancing performing partners first met at the Eveleigh State Rail Authority workshops as apprentice mechanical fitters back in the 1960s.
Yesterday, they released their first single. It has a suitably locomotive theme. Entitled Thirty Eight O One, it is in praise of one of Australia's most famous steam locomotives, with a flipside extolling the beauty of the Zig Zag railway near Lithgow.
This is not your average hit single, but it wasn't meant to be. It has been funded by the SRA Staff Credit Union on behalf of the Combined Union Stewards Committee and is a product of the Art and Working Life Project of the Australia Council.
Ray and Ron record under the name of Chullora Junction, in deference to their present jobs at the Chullora workshops.
Yesterday, they took the stage there at the electric car shops canteen, before an audience of electricians, gangers, fitters, union officials, politicians and press to launch their 45 and their own Bicentennial project.
"It's not easy getting up in front of your workmates to perform," Ray admitted, "but I reckon they must have liked it. They didn't throw a thing all performance.
"Mind you, it shouldn't be such a big deal for two railwaymen to sing and perform with a band. Culture doesn't just stop at the Sydney Opera House, does it?"
Ron and Ray were introduced to their art by writer-in-residence Harry Robinson and later musician-in-residence Andrew Heirons; both made available by the Australia Council program.
It was at Heirons's behest that Ron and Ray began playing their songs to their workmates. Then they were invited to perform at the launching of the restored steam locomotive 3801 in November last year, 43 years after it first kissed the rails.
The locomotive has been restored and overhauled for a round-Australia trip next year during the Bicentennial.
© 1987 Sydney Morning Herald