Canberra Railway Museum
Encyclopedia
Canberra Railway Museum is run by the ACT division of the Australian Railway Historical Society
(ARHS). The museum houses displays of historic locomotives, passenger cars, freight vehicles, track machinery and railway memorabilia. The museum precinct also serves as a base for the society's rail operations. The Society preserves railway history, particularly that of Canberra and the southern districts of New South Wales, for the enjoyment and enlightenment of present and future generations. Members work toward this goal by: collecting and restoring locomotives, other rolling-stock and items of railway memorabilia; preserving and recording railway history; and operating trains with restored rolling-stock.
The Canberra Railway Museum is the home to Australia's oldest operating steam locomotive, built in 1878, and also the heaviest, the 265 tonnes Beyer-Garratt
steam locomotive.
branch and many themed train such as a Santa's Train, a Tulip time express and school holiday rail discovery events.
D25, diesel-electric, 400 hp Bo-Bo, built 1958, formerly owned by Australian Iron and Steel, is the yard shunter
at the Society's Canberra Railway Museum and workshop at Kingston.
X 203, diesel, 260 hp Bo, built 1964, former NSWGR
light engine now part of the Yass Railway Museum exhibits.
The Society also has three CPH railmotor
units at Canberra Railway Museum (CPH 13, CPH 27 and CPH 37), and one other (CPH 2) on loan to another organisation. CPH 13 is destined to be transferred to the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway.
s and special purpose passenger vehicles.
Australian Railway Historical Society
The Australian Railway Historical Society was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. It aims to foster an interest in the railways, and record and preserve many facets of railway operations. Membership now exceeds 2,500, with Divisions in every...
(ARHS). The museum houses displays of historic locomotives, passenger cars, freight vehicles, track machinery and railway memorabilia. The museum precinct also serves as a base for the society's rail operations. The Society preserves railway history, particularly that of Canberra and the southern districts of New South Wales, for the enjoyment and enlightenment of present and future generations. Members work toward this goal by: collecting and restoring locomotives, other rolling-stock and items of railway memorabilia; preserving and recording railway history; and operating trains with restored rolling-stock.
The Canberra Railway Museum is the home to Australia's oldest operating steam locomotive, built in 1878, and also the heaviest, the 265 tonnes Beyer-Garratt
Garratt
A Garratt is a type of steam locomotive that is articulated in three parts. Its boiler is mounted on the centre frame, and two steam engines are mounted on separate frames, one on each end of the boiler. Articulation permits larger locomotives to negotiate curves and lighter rails that might...
steam locomotive.
Trips and Tours
The ARHS ACT division runs frequent tours year-round including trips on the BungendoreBungendore, New South Wales
Bungendore is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Council. It is on the Kings Highway near Lake George, the Molonglo River Valley and the Australian Capital Territory border. It has become a major tourist centre in recent years, popular with visitors from...
branch and many themed train such as a Santa's Train, a Tulip time express and school holiday rail discovery events.
Museum exhibits
Because the Society is a working railway, the exhibits on display can change if there are trains running. However the collection usually includes these exhibits:Steam locomotives
| Number | Configuration | Built | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 530 | 0-6-0 | 1879 | Vulcan engine and an original work horse for trains on the Yass Yass, New South Wales Yass is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire. The name appears to have been derived from an Aboriginal word, "Yarrh" , said to mean 'running water'.... Tramway. Currently, the unrestored remains of 530 are on display at the Yass Railway Museum. The boiler of a sister locomotive of the same class survived scrapping, being used at a sawmill. This boiler has since been purchased and placed onto the remains of 530. |
| 1210 | 4-4-0 | 1878 | Canberra's most important historical locomotive, restored to working order in 1988. This locomotive hauled the first train into Canberra in 1914. |
| 1307 | 4-4-2 | 1877 | Built as a locomotive with a tender, but converted to a tank engine Tank locomotive A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon... for Sydney suburban service. Now restored as a static exhibit at Yass Railway Museum. |
| 2413 | 2-6-0 | 1891 | Built for general rail haulage in NSW. Transferred to Bunnerong Power Station work in the 1960s. Retired in 1975 and now on display at Junee. |
| 3016 | 4-6-0 | 1903 | Built as a tank engine for Sydney suburban work. Converted and given a tender in 1930. Currently the main working steam locomotive for the Society. |
| 3102 | 4-6-0 | 1914 | Built originally as a tank engine for Sydney suburban service. Retired 1986 and currently awaiting refurbishment. |
| 6029 | 4-8-4 + 4-8-4 | 1953 | At 265 tonnes the heaviest locomotive class to run in Australia. Currently undergoing a major restoration to operational condition. The Beyer-Garratt steam locomotive 6029 is currently undergoing restoration and so at present is not part of the display. |
| 3112 | - | - | As a note C30 class number 3112 is also located here. This locomotive is privately owned and although in operational condition will not be used in the near future. |
Diesels
4807, diesel-electric, 1050 hp Co-Co engine, built 1959, was one of 165 units which made up the NSW Railways 48 class which began service late in 1959, replacing steam locomotives, particularly on country branch lines.D25, diesel-electric, 400 hp Bo-Bo, built 1958, formerly owned by Australian Iron and Steel, is the yard shunter
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
at the Society's Canberra Railway Museum and workshop at Kingston.
X 203, diesel, 260 hp Bo, built 1964, former NSWGR
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
light engine now part of the Yass Railway Museum exhibits.
The Society also has three CPH railmotor
CPH railmotor
The CPH railmotors were introduced by the New South Wales Government Railways in 1923 to provide feeder service on country branch lines.- Introduction :...
units at Canberra Railway Museum (CPH 13, CPH 27 and CPH 37), and one other (CPH 2) on loan to another organisation. CPH 13 is destined to be transferred to the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway.
Carriages
Carriages include end platform cars, sleeping carSleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
s and special purpose passenger vehicles.