News from Members

December  2002

Insurance

The year 2002 has been a most eventful year for all Heritage railways in Australia. In the way the Chinese name the year, for example the year of the Horse, for us it is the year of the insurance crisis. Many heritage railways around Australia stopped operating owing the lack of either an offer of Public Liability Insurance or affordable insurance.

In Victoria the State Government has helped us by setting up an a Deed of Indemnity from the State Treasurer to cover Public Liability.  We must attempt to obtain insurance from the market  place using our usual means but if we are unable to obtain insurance by there being no offer or the price being beyond us, the VMIA will recommend to the Treasurer that such a Deed be issued. Once things return to normal we are then obtain our Public Liability Insurance in the usual way. This decision has allowed several of the suspended Victorian heritage railway groups resume operations. The Deed is available to cover all the  22 accredited heritage operators in Victoria.

Condolences

This year also saw one of the most dreadful accidents in the history of heritage railways in Victoria occur when K183 was involved in an accident at a level crossing in Benalla with a B double truck. This resulted in the death of three people who were on the footplate of the engine and in the engine being  wrecked. Our heart felt wishes go out to the relatives of all the crew who died in this needless accident,  to Steamrail and to the operator of the train.

Ballarat Tramway Museum

Single Truck tram No 28 has re-entered service after being out of use since 1996.  this tram was obtained 1971 in a damaged condition and it was first thought that it would be merely a source of spare parts for other single truck trams. It was originally returned to service in 1978 after heavy repairs and it was repainted into  the 1950 SEC livery. Due to its condition from the use it received in the SEC days the tram was not used very often. The present work has fully restored the vehicle to as new condition with body work and other tasks being completed.

The tramway celebrated the annual Springfest with the Ballarat community and provided its two W class trams to run all day linking the festival stalls which could be found all around Lake Wendouree.

Bellarine Peninsula Railway

The platform under the verandah at Queenscliff has been resealed. Additional lighting has been installed at Queenscliff, Summa Park and Drysdale stations to assist with night time train operations.

The Drysdale Station picked up four awards from the Tidy Towns Competition.

Carriages BBL10 and AAL9 have received some workshop attention and  Diesel Locomotive X3 has received some work to the radiator ducting. 

Steam engine V1209 has had the front end and superheater elements removed for the replacement of some small boiler tubes. The engine is to be used for standby service. The T251 engine is under repair and boiler tubes will have to be sourced from overseas as theses are not available in Australia. PB115 454 may need a new boiler and investigations are under way for a new welded unit.

Mornington Railway Preservation Society

This year sees the 5th anniversary of the railways arrival at Moorooduc. The railway is seeking funds to have a "Sustainability Study" conducted of the total railway operation.

Patronage on the railway has increased by 26% over the last 12 months and the additional funding generated has been most welcome. As part of the restoration of freight rolling stock that the railway has obtained in recent times, G5038 a 4 wheel GY wagon is being repainted. It is proposed to repaint the other freight wagons with the use of them on diesel days as part of a mixed train. Wagon VFAA62 has arrived on the railway by road

Work is continuing on the up end points at Mornington to build the run round loop and point material has been obtained from the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.

Puffing Billy

Puffing Billy  plans to start to beginning work on some  of the historic NQR wagons to ensure that they remain operational and part of the railway's century old heritage..  29NQR has been placed in the Locomotive workshops to initially bring this wagon back into trafficable condition together with other wagons in the future. 

A small number of historical photographs of the early days of the narrow gauge in Victoria have been published by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in two books. A book on the Whitfield line has now been printed and joins the earlier "Focus on Walhalla" book. The photographs were all taken by the late Edward Downs. Other books are being planned.

Thomas the Tank Engine days are all proceeding well and it is very heartening to see the pleasure that these days provided for the tiniest members of the community.

On a sad note, the last of the founders of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society died in November 2002. Dr Alan Williams was active member right through this year on the railway that he helped save back in 1955. We will sadly miss his company.

Steamrail

With the commencement of the summer fire restriction period Steamrail has been unable to operate its steam engines on trains. Until the restrictions are lifted after the end of summer, all trains will be diesel hauled.

3ABE has been repainted and 14CW has been under heavy repair to allow it to be used as an additional van for dance and party trains.

The two historic Electrail swing door carriages have been run on a suburban tour and work is continuing on the restoration of a swing door trailer carriage.

As part of the insurance crisis, Steamrail was unable to operate for a while but has now received Public Liability Insurance from the State Government scheme.

The Central Highlands Tourist Railway

One of the main activities has been the re-sleepering of the main line and 300 hundred sleepers are in the process of being inserted in the track. As well as this the walkways on the east Street bridge are being replaced.

DRC 40 has at last completed its overhaul and it is hoped that it will be more reliable than in the past. These cars were most unsatisfactory in service with both the VR and NSWGR in their time  and NSW even took the traction motors out of their units and used them as air-conditioned carriages. The railmotor has been polished on the exterior back to the original finish and looks very smart. The unit is used for the Silver Streak trains.

A submission has been made to the state government seeking help to restore the stored 280hp Walker No 82 RM to service. Traffic offering has grown and a further large capacity railmotor is need to guarantee the service.

Victorian Goldfields Railway

Work is steadily proceeding on the restoration of the track from Muckleford to Castlemaine, a distance of 8 kilometres to Maldon Junction outside of Castlemaine. Of the six bridges on the line a total of five bridges have been completely restored and work is proceeding on the Pyrenees Highway bridge. Work is proceeding on sleeper insertion and ballast is being run out as the track work extends towards Castlemaine.

The yard at Castlemaine has been completed and passed for use and signalling is being completed.

Full details of the progress of the works can be found on the railways web site which is constantly updated. You will find a link on our links page.

Walhalla Goldfields Railway

Work has started on rebuilding a former 10 class diesel hydraulic engine purchased from Tasmania. A new Deutz engine is being fitted and bogies are being regauged from 3'6" to 2'6'. It is hoped to have the engine operational by Easter 2003. Public Liability Insurance has been received through the State Government's scheme.