Steamrail Victoria

Steamrail Victoria
Formation1965
TypeVolunteer Organisation
PurposeRestoration & Operation of Heritage Rollingstock
HeadquartersNewport Workshops
Coordinates37°51′3″S 144°52′48″E / 37.85083°S 144.88000°E / -37.85083; 144.88000
Websitewww.steamrail.com.au
2007 open day at the Steamrail Victoria depot: R 711 beside an L class electric locomotive and Swing Door suburban train

Steamrail Victoria is a not-for-profit volunteer group established in 1965 to restore and operate historic locomotives and rolling stock used on the railways in Victoria, Australia.[1] The main depot of the group is at the Newport Workshops ('West Block') in suburban Melbourne. In addition to operating railfan special trains and charters for private groups, the group also operates special steam trains in the Melbourne suburban area.[2] Steamrail regularly tours the state, including participation in annual events such as the Ballarat Heritage Weekend (steam locomotive Y112 is used to shuttle between Ballarat and Sulky Gully/Lal Lal).[3] Steamrail Victoria also leases diesel locomotives to freight operators such as Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR) & Qube Logistics as required. Locomotives were also hired to El Zorro until they ceased trading.[4][5][6]

The group has custody of a number of Victorian Railways steam locomotives, including the R, D3 and K classes; in addition to several diesel electric locomotives, and various suburban electric rolling stock.[7] Heritage carriages include the wooden 'E' and 'W' types, steel air conditioned 'S' type carriages, and South Australian 'K' type steel stock.

  1. ^ "Steamrail Victoria - About Us". www.steamrail.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008.
  2. ^ "Media Release: RIDE A STEAM TRAIN AROUND MELBOURNE THIS SUNDAY". www.dpc.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 11 August 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008.
  3. ^ Steam trains return on Ballarat's Heritage Weekend Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. The Courier. 9 May 2012
  4. ^ "Qube's use of SRV locos". www.railpage.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  5. ^ "El Zorro's Demise". www.railpage.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  6. ^ "Steamrail Forum ~ View topic - El Zorro Hirings of SRV Locos". www.steamrail.com.au. Archived from the original on 1 August 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008.
  7. ^ "VICSIG - Heritage Groups - Steamrail Victoria". www.vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2008.