STEAMRAIL’S second Snow Train tourist trip for 2013 broke records on its journey to Gippsland this morning but issues in Melbourne saw the service delayed by over two hours.
Pictured: the Snow Train at Warragul this morning. All photos by William PJ Kulich.
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Steamrail volunteer Jack Nicholson said the fully booked service from Newport to Traralgon was the largest steam passenger train to visit Gippsland in decades.
“This [is] the largest double-headed steam-hauled passenger train to Gippsland since the end of the steam era,” Mr Nicholson said.
The service featured two R class locomotives hauling 14 passenger cars to carry 560 passengers. At around 350 metres long Mr Nicholson said the train was around three times longer than a standard V/Line service.
Last month’s Snow Train service was much shorter and only featured one locomotive.
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Pictured: approaching Warragul.
The train was scheduled to reach Warragul at 10.25am but did not arrive until around 12.30pm.
Steamrail social media updates said the delay was due to issues with signals in Melbourne.
A large number of people gathered along tracks in Baw Baw to watch the train arrive and local Margret told The Warragul Citizen seeing the train was worth the wait.
“Ten to ten we arrived (at Warragul Station) this morning,” Margret said.
“The wait very long, very long, but it was worth waiting for.
“We enjoyed it very much. It’s our first time (seeing the Snow Train).”
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Pictured: departing Warragul.
The Walhalla Goldfields Railway had to reschedule its services in response to the delay with over 100 Snow Train passengers booked to ride the the tourist railway.
A club car provided passengers with free tastings of Gippsland produce.
The train will return to Melbourne tonight and is expected to stop at Warragul at 5.50pm.
Update 5.45pm: Steamrail has said the Snow Train will now leave Traralgon at 7pm.
So love steam trains, the sound of the whistle , the smoke,& the soot should be more of these wonderful trains
Amazingly wonderful and worth the 2 hour or more wait… 🙂 <3
Agree Margaret, there should be more steam train events in the area. Did you know that a few years ago the Baw Baw SC gave the Walhalla Goldfields Railway (WGR) around $50,000 of ratepayer money to have a steam loco (the Henschel) put back onto the tracks? Well, the money’s gone and the loco remains locked away in a WGR shed at Walhalla. The loco has not run for close to 10 years. The President of the WGR, working with the owner of the loco (who is now $50k better off!) and an Erica local, is arranging to have the loco put on static display (yes, not moving), in Erica. A total waste of ratepayer money and no accountability when it comes to throwing money into the bottomless financial pit, the WGR.
@ Sam. Just for your information, the $s from the BBS was granted to the WGR well over 10 years ago. This was well before the current WGR board or the current council. In fact, the WGR board structure at the time was totally different to what it is now…DSE appointed 100% of the board members. Perhaps your anger about wasted $s should be directed to the DSE? Unfortunately, the $s should never have been used on something that is not an owned asset of the WGR. There was an “arrangement” between the owner and the then board of the WGR…this has long since expired. The current board has a policy [quite rightly] that we [the WGR] should only invest in assets that the WGR has ownership of. This policy avoids the messy situation that was created 10+ years ago by people who are no longer involved. I’m the President of the WGR and I have no idea what you are talking about regarding having the loco as a static display in Erica…this is news to me…so you may wish to check your facts. The WGR is hardly a bottomless pity either given that it’s self-funded from it’s own operational revenues and the BBS hasn’t made any grants to the WGR for over 10 years. Again, I suggest that you check your facts.
A very memorable and amazing sight and sound… My favourite past time definitely ….! 🙂
Tutt Tutt Wally – if the WGR has a steam loco it should be running it.