south australia steam safari

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Welcome to South Australia's SteamRanger Heritage Railway

SteamRanger Heritage Railway operates a number of different heritage steam and diesel hauled tourist trains between Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, up over the crest of the southern Mt Lofty Ranges, down to Strathalbyn and on through the coastal holiday towns of Goolwa and Port Elliot to the tourist resort town of Victor Harbor.

Trains operate over 200 days a year and are manned by volunteers from the Australian Railway Historical Society, who are also responsible for maintenance of the rail line and the heritage locomotives and carriages.

We will guarantee a great day out for you, your family or your colleagues. Our philosophy is that when you buy a ticket you are not just buying a train ride but a whole new experience!

Come and Travel with us soon!

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Cockle train (3).

Join Scott McGregor and Tim Fischer on a South Australian Steam Safari

THE rugged, rust-coloured landscape of the Flinders Ranges and the rolling green hills and pristine coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula bookend a new South Australian rail adventure.

The South Australia Steam Safari from Scott McGregor’s Railway Adventures includes an exclusive private charter on the Pichi Richi Railway from Quorn to Woolshed Flat and back behind the historic NM 25 and its vintage carriages.

Another highlight for train-lovers will be a tour of the SteamRanger Heritage Railway organisation’s facilities and collection of rolling stock before boarding the “Steam Encounter” vintage train to the southern coast.

The train will travel through the heart of the Fleurieu Peninsula to Goolwa at the mouth of the Murray River.

The excursion continues on the stunning coastal route of The Cockle Train to Victor Harbor along the edge of the Great Southern Ocean, parts of which are on the oldest steel-railed railway in Australia.

The group will also take a 4WD tour of Wilpena Pound.

Another highlight of this fantastic tour is its escorts: former deputy prime minister and Pichi Richi Railway patron Tim Fischer, and Railway Adventures owner Scott McGregor.

Travellers will be able to watch the sun set from Stokes Hill in the Flinders Ranges National Park while enjoying canapes and drinks. There’s also a guided tour of the Steamtown Heritage Rail Museum in Peterborough where you’ll find Australia’s only operational triple gauge turntable as well as historic rolling stock including steam trains, diesel locomotives and passenger and freight trains.

Other places to be visited include Whyalla Steelworks, Whyalla Maritime Museum and Port Pirie’s RSL Military Museum.

The tour kicks off in Adelaide on May 12, 2019. The cost of $4685 per person twin share ($695 single supplement) includes eight nights’ accommodation, three heritage train journeys, and all excursions and entrance fees to attractions listed in the itinerary.

Australian Railway Historical Society members are entitled to discounts.

Download the brochure HERE

More information on 1300-800-977 or at Railway Adventures

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ADELAIDE • PETERBOROUGH • WILPENA POUND/FLINDERS RANGES • PORT AUGUSTA | 9 days | 26 SEPTEMBER-4 OCTOBER 2021

"The trains in any country contain the essential paraphernalia of the culture …" Paul Theroux – The Great Railway Bazaar

From stunning mountain ranges and snaking rivers, to famously enchanting wineries and an eclectic collection of little country towns, South Australia offers some of the most varied experiences in the country.

Combine the broken, rugged and rust-coloured landscape of the Flinders Ranges with the rolling green hills and pristine coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula and you have the bookends of this special adventure.

The Festival state is also home to a compact collection of some of the most appealing and authentic heritage rail journeys in Australia.

Kicking off in Adelaide and heading north, this journey takes in an interesting mix of experiences, including sound and light shows, industrial and rural heritage, fine dining and wine tasting. But then, the centrepiece of the tour, a very special charter of the ‘Pichi Richi Explorer’ heritage train for a trip on the most iconic section of the original Trans Australia Railway. In the company of your tour leader, South Australian local, Phillip MacKenzie, you’re sure of an entertaining, informative, revealing and memorable short adventure.

• Enjoy an exclusive private charter on the famous Pichi Richi Railway from Quorn to Woolshed Flat and back by heritage train
• Explore the Flinders Ranges, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Port Augusta, Adelaide and beyond
• Ride the Heritage Steam Ranger train down the hinterland of the Fleurieu Peninsula and along the stunning coastline route of the Cockle Train
• Take in the Light and Sound Show at Steamtown in Peterborough
• Take off on a four-wheel drive tour of the exceptional Wilpena Pound
• Enjoy a special sunset drinks and canapés at Stokes Hill in the Flinders Ranges
• Explore multiple museums, homesteads, wineries and quaint country gardens • Enjoy the comfort of quality coach connections, the best hotels and motels on offer, fine meals and the company of your experienced tour leader, Phillip McKenzie.

About Railway Adventures

The joy of travel is not confined to the destination. How you travel is a large and rich part of the experience. Railway Adventures offers a truly unique perspective on some of the world’s most spectacular holiday destinations, with the confidence that the journey will be just as magical and memorable as what you find at the end of the line.

• Unique itineraries — each itinerary has been meticulously developed by a team of expert travellers with many years’ experience, an intimate knowledge of the destination, and with great cultural awareness. You are guaranteed to experience the best that each destination has to offer.
• Authentic local experiences — whether it’s a little-known yet impressive steam railway, a small boutique hotel or an authentic restaurant, you can be sure of experiencing something special on these tours.
• Expert local guides and operators — Railway Adventures employs local guides to share their passion and knowledge of the places they call home, while partners on the ground provide the best possible support and backup all the way.
• Small group sizes — a small number of guests per trip guarantees an intimate experience with less time spent queuing, more time with your guide, and better access to sightseeing destinations.
• Fully escorted – tour leaders are experienced and capable, entertaining and considerate, and together with local guides have your needs well covered. They help with everything along the way, providing peace of mind, and enabling you to relax and enjoy the journey. And you’ll find them jolly good company, to boot!
• Customer satisfaction — Railway Adventures' testimonials speak for themselves. Customer satisfaction ratings show that over 97% would recommend Railway Adventures to others.

ON THE RAILS

Variety is the spice of life on the rails and that is what you’ll get in spades with Railway Adventures. Character-filled, zig-zagging railways of Sri Lanka, opulent hotels on wheels in India and South Africa, steam heritage trains in some of the most staggeringly beautiful parts of the world, dinky little carriages in outback Queensland, bullet trains in Japan— if it travels on a rail track, Railway Adventures is there!

OFF THE RAILS

It’s not just the trains, boats and planes; it’s the warm, comfortable beds at night, the culinary delights, the immersion in a new culture and the people you meet that makes travelling so enjoyable. Railway Adventures strives to create the most intriguing and memorable itineraries, with hand-picked hotels, restaurants, local guides and cultural experiences to make sure you experience the best possible rail journey in a safe, comfortable and pleasurable way.

This brochure covers the regions and holiday types listed below. Click on the links to see more free travel brochures covering the regions and holiday types you are interested in.

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Recording The Days Of Steam Trains South From Sydney

The Trigger For This Post

When I read the most recent episode of “Soul Of A Railway”, written by Les Pivnic about Braamfontein depot which supplied steam to Johannesburg South Africa, it triggered something in me I really hadn’t considered before.

In the 1970s and 80s I travelled much of the world in search of steam, and with for the most part none of it was in major Cities. An exception was Paraguay, where the international train to Buenos Aires was steam hauled to the border. This was virtually the only train in that country, and the place was rather run down, so I guess it is not typical. There was steam operating out of East Berlin, but that was in the DDR. Certainly steam out of Johannesburg on regular passenger trains stopped in 1960 according to Les.

Early Memories Of Steam Trains

I live in NSW, and grew up in Sydney, Australia, attending high school in the 1960s. The switch from steam started in the early 1950s, and by the time I joined the school railway club in 1964, many main lines were using electric or diesel power.

Steam disappeared from the North Coast line around 1960, north of Musswellbrook and west of Lithgow around 1967, south to Nowra in 1965 and south of Goulburn in 1964. From that point on there were a few remote branch lines, many of which closed in the following years.

Steam Out Of Sydney

By 1969, the year I completed my education, there wasn’t a whole lot left. So looking back I find it intriguing that one line with a high percentage of steam operations was the line south from Sydney to Goulburn. On top of that the main Sydney goods yard at Darling Harbour had one 41 class diesel and other than that was mostly steam operated, and Sydney station itself featured a majority of steam shunters.

The “short” south from Sydney to Goulburn, as it turns out, was one of the last lines in NSW to have steam. One reason was electrification to Gosford and Bowenfels, resulting in the use of EMUs (Electric Multiple Unit railcars) on the electrified lines, and through diesel workings on long distance passengers. It is ironic that now, electric locos have disappeared, replaced by through working diesels.

I don’t think any of us realised how lucky we were at that time to still have mighty 38s leaving Sydney terminal daily with south bound passengers. For it to last until October 1969 is remarkable. In fact, until July that year, no 18 south, the express from Canberra to Sydney on a Sunday night (this was operated by a railcar on weekdays) was hauled at Riverina Express times from Goulburn to Sydney with a load well over 300 tons including 12 wheel cars.

From 1965 on, through trains which ventured further south than Goulburn (except 18) were diesel hauled. There was a rail car on no 13 Goulburn day train, and everything else from Sydney to Goulburn was steam.

Railways Of Australia

For those of you who aren’t aware of the development of Australian railways, the situation until the 1960s was that there was standard gage (4′ 8 1/2 “) in NSW, at the Queensland border it changed to 3′ 6″, this also happened at the South Australian border, and at the Victorian border, the gage switched to 5′ 3”. This was because each state of Australia was managed from Britain. When they started building railways, they each independently worked out what they thought was the best rail gage, probably never thinking that the country would be joined one day.

By 1969, only Sydney and Perth had any steam hauled rail services, and in the case of Western Australia it was a few locals on the midland line. Sydney stood alone in having country steam hauled passenger trains, a major loco depot at Enfield, and express passenger steam locos in regular operation.

A Special Situation

Looking back to that time, some 45 years ago (ouch) we were actually very lucky to be able to ride such trains as the steam heated Moss Vale train, the Southern Highlands Express and 18 south deep into 1969. At the time, I believe we had no idea how lucky we were.

When “Northern Exposures” the book that is fast becoming the premier colour rendition and information history of end of days steam operations north of Sydney was published, we had a record of those times many of us lived through when the fires were finally extinguished of regular steam engine operations. Certainly, those last few years after chime whistles no longer rang out on the South were very special, and some even managed to photograph steam into the far northern reaches. But what of the south…..

A New Book Emerges

It didn’t take too long for it to dawn on the publication committee for NE that there was scope to do the same type of publication for the South. The word went out to the celebrated photographers and experts on railway operations and together we started researching material and searching far and wide for superior quality colour photos from those days.

While the new book will not be with us for a while, I can tell you it is well in process, and we have dug up some previously unpublished material that will raise a few eyebrows. It is going to be a ripper, and a record of the last days of steam in and around Sydney, as well as lines heading south.

By now you will understand the special place steam out of Sydney has in railway history, and before long there will be a permanent reminder befitting of this amazing city.

Leave a comment on places you remember steam operated to large cities after country lines had gone diesel or electric.

John Gaydon

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About The Author

In his youth, John rode and photographed NSW steam from the age of 14. He has photos featured in numerous books, but perhaps his best work is in the two volumes of "Where There's Smoke". With a passion for steam, he hopes readers gain pleasure from some of his stories from long ago.

i believe that my Dad was the driver of the last passenger steam train into central from the south his name was john Henry Dawson (smokey to his mates) good memories

Wow Gary, that is fantastic. I think you might be right. Maybe someone here can verify that!

I have a newspaper clipping from the Sunday Telegraph dated October 12, 1969 reporting the arrival of the last steam hauled Southern Highlands Express into Sydney. That article confirms that the driver was Jack Dawson who said (of 3801) in the article” She’s had a great life – and she’s still a real goer”. The artcle says Mr Dawson had been a train driver for 17 years at that time

My last year at school was 1959 like you. More days than not I caught the Moss Vale Express from Strathfield & got off at Liverpool. Lovely trip pulled by the big green beauty !

1969 sorry !

Hi All, I am making name boards for the Southern Highland Express, R-cars, and would like to know on which cars do the signs go? First, Second? I have seen them on the second car from the front, but can’t tell what type it is? My set is in HO.

Sorry Ross, I would think Joe from Casula Hobbies would have information on this. After all The Southern Highlands Express used to pass by his place and he is the king of “r” cars!

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