Sustainable Rail Heritage Management Strategy

Overview

RailCorp acknowledges its obligations towards its heritage and that many of the assets are held in high regard by the public, employees and former employees, railway preservation groups and historical societies.

In order to ensure our railway past is there for the people of NSW into the future, RailCorp has developed a Sustainable Rail Heritage Management Strategy. This intergenerational plan will conserve and display the rich railway heritage across the state as well as valuing the contribution of volunteers.

The NSW Government will invest $20 million dollars over five years into this strategy, which will be delivered by an Office of Rail Heritage to be established within RailCorp. This new office will be responsible for managing the state’s rail heritage items and determining the best display locations for them.

This strategy acknowledges and will build upon those groups with a demonstrated track record of quality conservation and strong links with their local communities. There will be opportunities for these important custodians of our rail history to share their skills and experience with future generations of volunteers and rail enthusiasts around the state.  This will ensure the continuation of skills necessary to conserve, display and restore these fine heritage assets.

The development of this Strategy was assisted by a Committee chaired by Vince O’Rourke, former CEO of Queensland Rail and included collaboration from the Powerhouse Museum, the Rail Transport Museum, 3801 Ltd, Rail Heritage Australia, NSW Heritage Office, RailCorp and StateRail.

Rail Heritage Centre

The Office of Rail Heritage will oversee the creation of a significant site for rail heritage in NSW with the development of the Rail Heritage Centre at Thirlmere. This centre and its operators, the Rail Transport Museum has been entrusted with some of the state’s most significant rail heritage items for 30 years.

This will not only ensure our state’s rail heritage is accessible to the public but the availability of a dedicated section of track will provide steam train rides as part of the rail heritage experience. School children, families, rail interest groups and tourists will have unprecedented opportunities to see and experience steam train operations and visit an exhibition housing many of the state’s most valued heritage carriages and steam locomotives.

The Office of Rail Heritage will contribute $800,000 to upgrade the Picton to Thirlmere loop line to ensure our operating steam trains have a sustainable section of track for dedicated operation and access to the mainline network.

Other projects

• Funding of up to $500,000 for the overhaul of locomotive 3801 to ensure this icon continues to operate viably.
• $600,000 to complete the restoration of Locomotive 3265 project in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum. This locomotive entered service in NSW in 1902 and was one of a class of Locomotive that became the workhorses for the rapidly developing rail network in the state.
• RailCorp’s Office of Rail Heritage will work to establish, in partnership with the Churchill Trust, a fellowship that will sponsor an individual to enhance their skills and learning to support the conservation of rail heritage in NSW.
• A partnership with the Hunter Valley Training Company will also mean our great steam icons have the best apprentices and experts in charge of their restoration.