This episode explores my comprehensive collection of original South Australian Railways track nails which were used to tell track gangers or fetters which sleeper was installed in any year on the railway so they would know how old was the sleeper and if it was in need of replacing because of it’s age.
Years covered in nails goes from the early 1900s to the 1980s.
This was the forerunner in keeping railways maintained especially the sleepers. Just look down during inspection and there was the last two digits of the year it was installed, and in days before computers this was very helpful in keeping track of sleepers they may have needed replacing.