SteamRanger Heritage Railway
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The SteamRanger Heritage Railway is an Script error: No such module "convert". long Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". broad gauge tourist railway, formerly the Victor Harbor railway line of the South Australian Railways (SAR). It is operated by the not-for-profit South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society. As the last operating non-suburban line of the former broad-gauge network, on which Australia's first public railway was opened, the line and its associated rail assets have high historical significance.
History
In the 1970s, the South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society established SteamRanger as a not-for-profit railway preservation offshoot to operate its train tours from Adelaide, mainly on rural lines throughout the state's broad-gauge networks. SteamRanger opened their first purpose-built depot at Dry Creek railway station, Script error: No such module "convert". north of Adelaide in 1980. From the mid-1980s, SteamRanger gradually took over the operation and maintenance of the Victor Harbor railway line in the Adelaide Hills.
When plans were announced for the Adelaide to Melbourne line to be converted to Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". standard gauge, SteamRanger had to choose between staying at Dry Creek and losing its investment in the Victor Harbor line, or move and become isolated from Adelaide's suburban railway lines. Since the first choice would break the society's financial viability, in a huge project all of SteamRanger's locomotives and rolling stock were moved.
A new depot was built at Mount Barker railway station, at the northern end of the broad-gauge line to Victor Harbor. As part of the move, the District Council of Mount Barker renovated the station building, derelict at the time, to become SteamRanger's headquarters. Conversion of the interstate line was completed in 1995 as part of the One Nation infrastructure upgrade program. Following that most of South Australia's broad-gauge tracks have been closed, the line has become the last operating memory of locomotive-hauled trains on the broad gauge.
Services
since January 2023[update]Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., scheduled SteamRanger trips were as follows.[1][2]
| Name | Between (round trips) | Distance and time (round trips) | Days | Steam or diesel? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cockle Train – off peakTemplate:Efn-la |
Goolwa and Victor Harbor | Script error: No such module "convert".. About 1 hour, 30 minutes. |
Most Wednesdays and weekends | Heritage diesel locomotives or railcars* | Buy tickets on day of travel at SteamRanger stations (does not have reserved seats) |
| Cockle Train – during school holidaysTemplate:Efn-la |
As above | As above | Every day during school holidays | Normally steam locomotives; diesel when a total fire ban for the Mount Lofty Ranges is in force* | As above |
| Southern EncounterTemplate:Efn-la | Mount Barker to Victor Harbor | Script error: No such module "convert".. About 8 hours 45 minutes including 2 hours 40 minutes lunch and several 10-minute stops. |
First, third and fifth Sundays May to November | Steam locomotives | Bookings essential** |
| Hills EncounterTemplate:Efn-la | Victor Harbor to Mount Barker | Script error: No such module "convert".. About 8 hours including 2 hours 20 minutes lunch. |
As on website | Normally steam locomotives; diesel when a total fire ban for the Mount Lofty Ranges is in force* | Passengers can optionally leave train at Strathalbyn for lunch and shopping then join return trip. Bookings essential. |
| StrathLinkTemplate:Efn-la | Victor Harbor (or board at Goolwa) to Strathalbyn | Script error: No such module "convert".. About 5 hours 20 minutes including 2 hours lunch. |
Several days during the school holidays | On the Cockle Train Victor Harbor to Goolwa, then via heritage railcar to Strathalbyn | Booking advisable since some trains fill quickly |
| Bugle RangerTemplate:Efn-la | Mount Barker to Philcox Hill and Bugle Ranges station | Script error: No such module "convert".. About 45 minutes. |
Fourth Sunday June to November | Red Hen railcar | Buy tickets on day of travel at SteamRanger's Mount Barker station |
| * When the forecast for Victor Harbor is 35 degrees Celsius or above, the Cockle Train does not operate. ** First-class tickets include compartment in an art deco carriage with morning tea, lunch and a paddle steamer voyage. | |||||
Fleet
SteamRanger's fleet as of March 2025 was as follows.[3]
| Item | Photo | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam locomotives | |||
| Rx class no. 207, Dean Harvey | 1913 | Operational, Mt Barker | |
| Rx class no. 224 | 1915 | Operational, Goolwa | |
| F class no. 251 | 1922 | Stored awaiting overhaul, Mt Barker | |
| 620 class no. 621, Duke of Edinburgh | 1936 | Operational, Goolwa | |
| 520 class no. 520, Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 1943 | Under restoration, Mt Barker | |
| Diesel-electric locomotives | |||
| 350 class no. 350 | 1949 | Operational, Mt Barker (limited shunting use only) | |
| 500 class no. 507 | 1965 | Operational, Goolwa | |
| 700 class no. 704 | 1972 | Stored, Mt Barker | |
| 830 class no. 844 | 1962 | Operational, Goolwa | |
| 830 class no. 845 | 1963 | Under restoration, Mt Barker | |
| 930 class no. 958 | 1965 | Operational, Mt Barker | |
| 930 class no. 963 | 1967 | Stored, Mt Barker | |
| Diesel railcars | |||
| 300 and 400 class Red Hen railcars nos 334, 412 and 820 class trailer car 824 | 1958, 1960, 1912 | Operational, Goolwa | |
| 400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 428 | 1968 | Accident damaged, undergoing repair, Mt Barker | |
| 400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 424 and 860 class trailer car no. 875 | 1968, 1945 | Operational, Goolwa | |
| 300 and 400 class "Red Hen" railcars nos 364 and 405 | 1968, 1959 | Stored, Mt Barker | |
| Brill Model 75 railcar no. 43 | 1928 | Under restoration, Goolwa | |
| Brill Model 75 railcar no. 60 | 1928 | Out of Service, Mount Barker | |
| 2000 class "Jumbo" railcars nos 2010 and 2109 | 1980 | Stored, Goolwa | |
| Passenger cars | |||
| |||
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See also
- Rail transport in South Australia
- Railways in Adelaide
- Port Elliot railway station
- Goolwa railway station
- Victor Harbor railway line
References
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ SteamRanger Heritage Railway fleet, https://www.steamrangerheritagerailway.org/our-locomotive-fleet/
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External links
- SteamRanger Heritage Railway website
- SteamRanger Heritage Railway events
- SteamRanger Heritage Railway volunteering
- SteamRanger Heritage Railway enthusiasts
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