News from the Tourist Railways   Alexandra Timber Tramway and Museum - 21/06/01 The Railway had good patronage from patrons attending the Alexandra Truck Show. Bellarine Peninsula Railway - 21/06/01 Five engines are in service. Klondike is running well and has been used on scheduled trains. It has been found that children relate better to the smaller engine. Children's birthday parties are being held on the train and one weekend shortly there will be three parties in three separate carriages on the one train. The Zig Zag Railway is proposing to hold a get together of all 3'6' gauge railways. Coal Creek Bush Tramway - 21/06/01 The Village has appointed a marketing manager and numbers coming through the gate have started to improve. Funds have been obtained from the Council to do up the passenger carriages. Therailway is proposing to build a triangle. Puffing Billy - Emerald Tourist Railway Board - 21/06/01 The Centenary Great Train Race was a great success with over 2000 runners. Locomotive 6A is expected in steam within the next 8 to 10 weeks and the locomotive should be in service in November. Hot riveting has been carried on the firebox of G42. South Gippsland Tourist Railway - 21/06/01 Work on Whitelaw's Bridge is under way by the ETRB and is to be finished within a week. The roof at Korumburra station has been sealed against rain. Track work is proceeding with resleepering. Steamrail Victoria - 21/06/01 The 50th anniversary of the R class is this year. K153 is being overhauled and electric motor carriage 137M is serviceable after many years of painstaking work. It is waiting on a bearing to be re-metalled. The diesels are on hire to Freight Australia and are earning good income. The Central Highlands Tourist Railway - 21/06/01 The DRC has had new gaskets fitted and is back in service. Also the DERM is also operational. While these railcars were out of order, some trains were locomotive hauled. Work is continuing on the ZL van. New decorative power posts have been cast and planted on the Daylesford station platform. Passenger numbers have been very good. Work is proceeding on the restoration of the Dodge rail motor and it could be running in 2002. Victorian Goldfields Railway - 21/06/01 The railway has received funding to allow the railway to be reconstructed back to Castlemaine. The railway has appointed the ETRB as works manager for the project. A full time bridge gang is being set up and the Winters Flat Bridge is the first bridge to be repaired. Funds have also been obtained to rebuild Castlemaine station yard. The railway hopes to reopen to Castlemaine in December 2003. Walhalla Goldfields Railway - 21/06/01 Passenger numbers have been good. The funding to rebuild the last two bridges has been obtained and ballasting of the track to Walhalla is starting. The new steam locomotive has arrived at Thompson. Yarra Valley Tourist Railway - 21/06/01 An extra $85,000 has been obtained to repair Healesville Station. Heritage Victoria has been appointed as the project manager and work has started. A feasibility study is to be undertaken to ascertain the possibility of connecting to the main line. Many new sleepers have been placed in the track and a further 400 sleepers are needed to bring the track up to standard. An influx of young people has occurred to help with the work of restoration. All trolleys are now in service. News From Other Tourist Railways Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway - 21/06/01 The centenary of the steam locomotive that powers the line was celebrated in mid June. Beaudesert Rail (In Southern Queensland) - 21/06/01 This railway in Southern Queensland is 40km long between Beaudesert and Bethania Junction. They have obtained some carriages from Zig Zag and hope to set up a public transport system with entry into the QR station. They are discussing ¾ party access to the CBD. The money is coming from the Commonwealth Government. They are looking for more rolling stock. They are setting up a workshop to do rail repairs and do up other people's engines such as council engines in parks. They have a business plan financed by private enterprise. They are developing the tourist industry in their area. They recognize that they need more than a train ride today, what is needed is a value added experience. VIEW OUR PREVIOUS NEWS ARTICLES | 22/02/00 | 01/05/00 | 05/08/00 | 09/09/00 | 19/10/00 | 15/02/01 | 04/05/01 | You can always click on the locomotive to catch the train back to our main page.