Canberra Railway Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1985 |
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| Location | Geijera Place, Kingston, Canberra |
| Type | Railway museum |
| Public transit access | Canberra railway station |
| Nearest car park | On site |
The Canberra Railway Museum is a fascinating place in Kingston, a suburb of Canberra. It's located right next to the Canberra railway station. The museum is home to historic locomotives, carriages, and other railway treasures.
Since 2018, the museum has been run by a non-profit group called Capital Region Heritage Rail Limited. This means their main goal is to preserve history, not to make money. Another company, ACT Heritage Rail Holdings Limited, helps protect the museum's valuable collection.
The museum once had some of Australia's most famous trains. This included locomotive 1210, which was built in 1878. It was the oldest working steam locomotive in the country. They also had the most powerful steam locomotive in Australia, a giant Garratt engine known as 6029.
Contents
The Museum's Story
The museum has had an interesting history with many ups and downs since it first started.
The Early Years (1967–2016)
For almost 50 years, the museum was run by a group of railway fans called the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS). Their mission was to save the railway history of Canberra and nearby parts of New South Wales.
Starting in 1985, volunteers worked hard to collect and restore old trains and railway items. They wanted to make sure future generations could learn about and enjoy them. The museum was built in an old railway yard, which was the perfect spot because it was connected to the main train lines.
To help pay for the museum and the expensive job of restoring old trains, a business called Espee was started. This company used the museum's trains for commercial work.
A Difficult Time
In November 2016, the museum had to close suddenly. The company Espee ran into serious money problems and had to shut down. This meant the museum's owner, the ARHS ACT Division, also had to close.
This was a sad time for the museum. To pay off the debts, many of the historic trains and carriages were sold at an auction in August 2017. Some items were moved to other museums, like the NSW Rail Museum in Thirlmere, to keep them safe. The powerful locomotive 6029 was sold to a private owner and now pulls special tour trains in New South Wales.
In December 2017, more trouble hit the closed museum. People broke in and damaged many of the heritage items. They stole important parts from locomotive 1210, one of the museum's most prized possessions.
A New Beginning
After the break-in, a group of local people and train lovers decided to step in and save the museum. In May 2018, they created two new non-profit companies to take over. One company runs the museum, and the other is in charge of protecting the historic trains.
The new team's vision is to protect the valuable collection and make the museum a special place for the people of Canberra and the surrounding region. They have been working hard to improve safety and get the museum back on track. The government has been supportive of their efforts to keep the museum at its historic Kingston location.
What to See at the Museum
The museum has a collection of steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, and other interesting railway vehicles. Before the closure in 2016, the collection was much larger, but many important pieces remain.
Steam Locomotives
Here are some of the steam locomotives that have been part of the museum's collection.
| Steam Locomotives | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Type | Builder | Year | Location | Status | |||
| 1210 | 4-4-0 passenger | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1878 | Canberra | Stored in pieces after being taken apart for repairs. | |||
| 3013 | 4-6-4T passenger | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1903 | Canberra | Stored, Privately Owned | |||
| 3016 | 4-6-0 mixed traffic | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1903 | Canberra | Under restoration | |||
| 3102 | 4-6-0 mixed traffic | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1912 | Canberra | Stored, Privately Owned | |||
Diesel Locomotives and Railmotors
The museum also has a collection of diesel trains.
- Diesel Locomotives: After 2016, some of the museum's diesel locomotives, like 4403 and 4807, were moved to the NSW Rail Museum for safekeeping. Another small shunter engine, D25, is now privately owned.
- Railmotors: Railmotors are single, self-powered train cars. They were often called "Tin Hares." The museum has several of these, including CPH 13, CPH 27, and CPH 37.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Ferrocarril de Canberra para niños
- Railways in Canberra
