Seymour Railway Heritage Centre

Locomotives B74 and S303 with the 1937 Spirit of Progress consist, as restored by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre in 2007

The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association[1] was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore and preserve locomotives and rolling stock as used on the railways of Victoria.

The group is an accredited railway operator under the Victorian Rail Safety Act 2006, permitting it to move trains within its own depot.[2] The group is also accredited to maintain and provide rolling stock on the Victorian railway network,[3] running charters, tourist and railfan specials across the state with their fleet of restored trains. It is also a provider of locomotives to freight operator, El Zorro.[3]

Fleet

Locomotives T357 and T320 on a Seymour Railway Heritage Centre tour

The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre is the custodian of a number of heritage pieces of rolling stock owned by the Victorian Government (by either VicTrack or V/Line),[4] as well as other rolling stock owned outright.

Locomotives in the custody of the group include steam locomotives J515, mainline diesels C501, S303 and B74, a number of smaller branchline T class locomotives,[3] (T320, T333, T357 & T378) and smaller shunting locos Y133 and F202. Also 600 hp diesel railcar DRC43.

Locomotives owned by the group are: GM36, T378, K176 & J512.

Y133 is currently on long term loan to the Victorian Goldfields Railway based in Maldon, Victoria. Whilst T333 is owned by the Victorian Goldfields Railway and in the care of the SRHC.

Carriages in the group's collection include 1906 'E' type wooden sitting and sleeping carriages as used on the Adelaide Express and The Overland,[5] the majority of the original 1937 Spirit of Progress consist, and carriages used on Victorian Railways Royal Trains.

In 2007 the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre was provided with funding from the VicTrack Heritage Program for the restoration of the Spirit of Progress consist and heritage diesel locomotives B74 and S303,[6] and on 25 November 2007 a commemorative run was made for the 70th anniversary of the first Spirit of Progress service.[7]

New additions

In late August 2009, locomotives S310 and T382 were transferred to Seymour and became part of the SRHC collection. Whilst neither unit is in operational condition, as time and finances permit both units will be restored to traffic. As of May 2013, neither unit has returned to service but restoration work continues.

In early January 2010, X31 was transferred to Seymour and became part of the SRHC collection. This event made X31 the first of its class to enter preservation. 31 underwent a full bodywork overhaul and repaint into Victorian Railways blue and gold livery, then entered traffic as a heritage unit on hire to El Zorro in March 2011. Until the transfer to Seymour, X31 was part of the Pacific National fleet and had spent many months in storage.

In early 2012 the SRHC purchased diesel locomotive GM28 (displayed as GM22) and three carriages located in Port Pirie, South Australia. Two of the carriages being sitting lounges and one a kitchen and dining area (All carriages have been burnt and vandalized after the train was moved behind a building in 2009). The group paid $33,000 in total, the train is still sitting at Port Pirie station until it can be removed. Trashed former display locomotive GM28 masquerading as GM 22 departed Port Pirie bound for the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre, 26 June 2012. The trashed carriages have been moved out onto railway land out near Coonamia.[8]

Rolling stock

Locomotives

Number Image Year built Builder Status Notes
J512 1954 Vulcan Foundry
J515 1954 Vulcan Foundry Operational To visit transfer to the Victorian Goldfields Railway in 2006 and Returned to traffic in mid April 2012. Loaned from Seymour Railway Heritage Centre. Returned to Seymour 24 January 2015.
K176 1941 Newport Workshops
B74 1953
C501 1977 Clyde Engineering, Rosewater Operational
F202 1958 Dick, Kerr & Co. Preserved Operational Main line registered but use limited to Seymour yard. Naming was unofficial. Newport yard pilot, April 1983
S303 1957 Clyde Engineering, Granville Operational
S310
T320
T333
T357
T378
T382
X31 1966 Clyde Engineering, Granville, and Rosewater. Operational
Y133 1965 Clyde Engineering, Sydney Operational Allocated to the VGR from the Register of Heritage and Tourist Railways. The Y was formerly allocated to Seymour Railway Heritage Centre. Currently in Melbourne as the main shunter for Steamrail.
GM28 1963 Clyde Engineering, Granville Under overhaul
GM36 1966 Clyde Engineering, Granville Stored Operational

Carriages and vans

Class Image Type Built Top speed

(km/h)

 Number Status Notes
Z vans
S type carriage
E type carriage

See also

References

  1. ↑ Seymour Railway Heritage Centre website
  2. ↑ Public Transport Safety Victoria: List of accredited rail operators
  3. 1 2 3 V/Line: Network Service Plan - Addenda (5 December 2007) (NA_NSP_03 – R40)
  4. ↑ ASSOCIATION OF TOURIST RAILWAYS: Presentation of Heritage Issues by Mr M. Ryan of the Department of Infrastructure - 29 and 30 MAY 2004
  5. ↑ Comrails: Wooden Vestibule V&SAR Joint Stock
  6. ↑ MINISTER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT: 'SPIRIT OF PROGRESS BACK ON TRACK FOR 70TH ANNIVERSARY' - 25 November 2007
  7. ↑ Seymour Railway Heritage Centre: The Official 70th Anniversary of the first run of the Spirit of Progress Tour
  8. ↑ http://www.johnnyspages.com/classic_pictures_menu_files/classic_trashed_rail_heritage.htm

External links

Coordinates: 37°1′22″S 145°8′34″E / 37.02278°S 145.14278°E / -37.02278; 145.14278

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