Train Races to Miner's Rescue

The latest addition to The Railway Museum at Bassendean is locomotive R174.

In March 1907, this locomotive was involved in the WA's most epic mine rescue in which Italian miner Modesto Varischetti became trapped over 300m down in a flooded mine at Bonnie Vale, near Coolgardie. R174 pulled the special train, carrying two divers, their assistants and equipment plus 800ft of air piping, from Northam to Southern Cross.

The R class locomotives were the premier express passenger and mail locomotives in their day, and worked on the Eastern Goldfields and Northern Railways until the 1920s. Then they mainly worked on freight trains. The 4ft 9in (145cm) driving wheels were the largest ever used on the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR).

R174 was restored for display outside the Railway Institute building at Midland. R174 was there from March 1956 until October 1972 when it was moved to the Centrepoint shopping mall. With imminent redevelopment of the shopping centre, proprietors the Stefanelli family offered R174 to our museum for preservation. Family representative Mr Joe Stefanelli explained that they understood the significance of R174 and wanted to ensure it's preservation. The proprietors generously offered to assist this move by donating transport costs.

The move was carried out on 13 March 2011. Although the R class needs some TLC, it will be available to see on guided tours during Enthusiasts Day on 15 May 2011 and in due course will take pride of place at the head of a train.

A National Award Win for Rail Heritage WA

Rail Heritage WA (RHWA) has just won the inaugural 'Passenger Vehicle Restoration' award for its restoration of 1885 passenger carriage AG 14.

The Association of Tourist and Heritage Railways of Australia (ATHRA) 'Passenger Vehicle Restoration' Award is awarded annually to encourage and recognise excellence in the restoration of passenger vehicles by individuals and groups operating in the railway and tramway tourist and heritage sector of Australia. The emphasis is on the restoration effort itself and the skills of the people undertaking the restoration work.

AG 14 entered service with the railways of the WA Government in 1885 - only six years after the first Government Railway was opened. The restoration of this 122 year old railway carriage ensures its rightful place as an important part of the state's railway heritage.

The project commenced with the relocation of the carriage (very carefully due to its condition) from the Railway Museum to the undercover restoration area then occupied by RHWA at the former Midland Workshops. People who undertook the work were all volunteers for Rail Heritage WA. Funding for materials was provided through the Lotterywest 'Conservation of Cultural Heritage' grants - from the first round in which moveable heritage items were eligible for support.

A heritage consultant and a former car & wagon builder guided the project, with mechanical work supervised by a former railway fitter. Many of the volunteers had gained appropriate skills in a heritage setting from the Federation Train project three years earlier and were able to apply this to an even older carriage. The restoration of AG 14 was a great way to share and demonstrate those 'rare trade' skills in which the Midland Workshops once excelled.

The carriage is highly significant as it is believed to be the sole survivor of the first class of the larger carriages in WA and represents the turn-of-the-century local passenger service in Kalgoorlie.

Another view inside AG 14.

AG 14 has now returned to be proudly on display at the Railway Museum and will be in pride of place when passenger rail travel is the theme of this year's RailFest open day on Sunday 14 October.

RAIL HERITAGE RESTORED

Rail Heritage WA volunteers at the Midland Railway Workshops this week farewell two of their prized projects - a small four-wheel brake van and a steam tank locomotive with a combined age of 233 years.

Both vehicles are classified by the National Trust and have been magnificently restored.

The Onslow brake van, believed to be the oldest remaining in WA, dated from 1892 and served with WA Government Railways before transferring to the Public Works Department for use in north-west ports. In 1926 it began a new life in Onslow as a passenger car, brake van and freight van.

The van has been part of the Onslow Museum's tramway display for more than 30 years, but was severely damaged by a cyclone several years ago. The Onslow Museum, with the assistance of a grant from Lotterywest, contracted Rail Heritage WA to restore it. When the van arrived at Midland Workshops in August 2004 it looked terrible but structurally it was in surprisingly good shape.

A small group of volunteers carefully conserved the van's historic fabric and faithfully re-created it as it was in its early days at Onslow.

Steam tank engine H18 was built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1887 and used by WA Government Railways in various locations including the Boyanup to Bunbury railway, at Fremantle Harbour, on the Mundaring Weir line and at Esperance. It was presented to the Australian Railway Historical Society in 1962.

The volunteers have meticulously restored the locomotive, including giving it a mechanical overhaul, so that if a boiler becomes available in future the rest of the locomotive is ready for a return to steam operations.

H18 would be displayed at the Railway Museum at Bassendean. When the museum at Boyanup was revamped, it could go on display there as a link with the town's earliest history.