Tom Hetherington met people from most walks of life.
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He rose from selling ice cream on country trains to playing a key role in the Queen’s visit to Orange, commanding the biggest railway district in the state and being involved in many charity and service groups.
Mr Hetherington, the District Superintendent for Orange for the NSW Railways from 1964-1983, died in Orange on Sunday, aged 93.
He was born in Jerilderie in 1924 and started work as a junior porter at Temora in 1940.
Jacqueline Grant’s book 300 Faces of Orange records his first job involved travel.
“His first job was to travel on the six day a week passenger train between Temora and Yenda keeping two carriages clean and selling ice cream and Schweppes cordial,” it said.
His son Frank Hetherington said his dad wanted to enlist for World War II but was thwarted by rules that said railway work was an essential service vital to keep Australia running.
“He tried a number of times to enlist but they said his role was necessary [for internal service.]”
Mr Hetherington progressed through the railways and was appointed Traffic Inspector at Orange from 1959-1961.
In 1964 he was appointed the District Superintendent.
His area covered much of western NSW.
“He had the biggest district in the state,” Mr Hetherington said.
“At one point he had 750 staff under his care.”
His role became crucial in the late 1960s as work began to convert the old line to Broken Hill into a modern standard gauge line as part of the Sydney-Perth link.
Mr Hetherington said his father supervised the work from Parkes to Broken Hill.
And in 1970 when the Queen came to Orange she travelled by train.
Mr Hetherington said his father played a key role in the visit, even measuring the carriages and platform to ensure the Queen’s carriage door opened next to the red carpet.
In retirement he was involved in the Lions and Rotary clubs, the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal, the Central West Regional Advisory Council, Neighbourhood Watch, the NSW Transport Authority’s Retired Employees Association, Men’s Probus and the Highway Safety Action Group and received a number of commendations and awards.
His funeral is at 11am Monday at St Barnabas Anglican Church Orange.