Railway Veteran retires after an iconic seven-decade career

ABC NEWS (Australia)

They say if you love your job, you never have to work a day in your life. And after seven decades riding the railways Peter Sawtell believes it.   Now 85 and newly retired, the NSW train driver has pulled into the last station of a career his colleagues say will never be repeated.

Transcript

00:00This rural train station in the north-west of New South Wales is a relic of the past,

00:08filled to the brim with rail history.

00:11And for the past 70 years, it's also been a second home for Peter Sortell.

00:15I started off as a shop boy and ended up as a driver.

00:21From driving steam trains to diesel-electric locomotives, Peter has seen it all.

00:27And they were good, you were fit all the time.

00:32He only retired from the job he loved earlier this year.

00:37I had a job, that was the main thing, but I just loved the people I met all the time.

00:45Peter is now left with seven decades of memories, as well as his piece of Golden Railway, presented

00:50to him by Transport New South Wales for a lifetime of service.

00:55Whereas Creek Railway Station is the third-largest in New South Wales, and generations of families

01:00have worked at it.

01:01Since the 1940s, my whole family has worked here on both sides.

01:05So my mum's side and my dad's side.

01:07But Natasha says it's unlikely anyone will match Peter Sortell's commitment.

01:12You'd really have to start when you're 14 years old like he did.

01:16Now you have to be 18, so I think his record will stay for a very long time.

01:22We've got a lot of blokes that have hit 60 years, but I don't really even know of anyone

01:25else that's hit 70 years.

01:26As for how Peter feels about his achievement?

01:29Very old.

01:33As I said to the young ones that have come on, they said, can you give me any advice?

01:37I said, yes.

01:38I said, if you don't like the job to start with, get rid of it.

01:43Or keep going all the way to the station if you love it.

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