Richmond Vale Railway Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1979 |
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| Location | Leggett's Drive, Richmond Vale, New South Wales, Australia |
| Type | Railway museum |
| Nearest car park | On site |
The Richmond Vale Railway Museum is a special place in New South Wales, Australia. Here, you can explore old trains and learn about the history of mining. It's run by volunteers who work hard to save old railway lines and equipment from the Hunter Valley area. The museum is located at the historic Richmond Main Colliery, which was once a big coal mine.
Contents
History of the Museum
How the Museum Started
After the Richmond Main Power Station closed in 1976, the local council, Cessnock City Council, bought the old Richmond Main Colliery. This included about 40 acres of land around the buildings.
In 1979, a new group called the Richmond Vale Preservation Co-operative Society was formed. This group took over the railway part of the site. Their goal was to protect the Richmond Vale railway line and the history of mining in the area.
What You Can See and Do
Museum Operations and Features
The museum is open on the first three Sundays of each month. It is also open every Sunday during school holidays. When you visit, you can explore many interesting areas:
- Richmond Vale Office
- Museum Display
- Mining Equipment
- Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock
- The old passenger line from Richmond Main Colliery to Pelaw Main Colliery.
Preserving Old Trains
Steam Locomotives at the Museum
The museum works hard to preserve many old steam locomotives. These are powerful trains that run on steam. Some are being restored, while others are on display.
| Steam Locomotives | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Description | Manufacturer | Year | In Service Railway | Location | Status | Ref | |
| 9 Pelaw Main | 2-8-2T | Kitson & Company | 1908 | J & A Brown | Kurri Kurri | stored unrestored | ||
| 10 Richmond Main | 2-8-2T | Kitson & Company | 1911 | J & A Brown | Kurri Kurri | stored unrestored | ||
| SMR 19 | 2-8-2T | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1915 | South Maitland Railway | Kurri Kurri | Stored unrestored | ||
| SMR 22 | 2-8-2T | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1920 | South Maitland Railway | Kurri Kurri | Stored unrestored | ||
| SMR 24 | 2-8-2T | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1922 | South Maitland Railway | Kurri Kurri | Overhaul | ||
| SMR 25 | 2-8-2T | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1922 | South Maitland Railway | Kurri Kurri | stored | ||
| SMR 30 | 2-8-2T | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1924 | South Maitland Railway | Kurri Kurri | Overhaul | ||
| BHP 2 | 60T Crane | Industrial Works | 1913 | BHP Newcastle Steelworks | Kurri Kurri | pending restoration | ||
| BHP 5 | 15T Crane | Industrial Brownhoist | 1920 | BHP Newcastle Steelworks | Kurri Kurri | undergoing restoration | ||
| ROD 23 | 2-8-0 | Kitson & Company | 1918 | J & A Brown | Kurri Kurri | static display | ||
| Alison | 0-4-0ST | Andrew Barclay Sons & Company | 1922 | John Lysaght | Kurri Kurri | static display | ||
| Marjorie | 0-4-0ST | Clyde Engineering | 1938 | John Lysaght | Kurri Kurri | Operational | ||
| Kathleen | 0-4-0ST | Avonside Engine Company | 1921 | John Lysaght | Kurri Kurri | undergoing restoration | ||
Diesel Locomotives and Other Vehicles
The museum also has several diesel locomotives that used to work in industries. They also own many different types of old railway cars, called rollingstock. These include cars from the New South Wales Government Railways and other industrial companies.
One unique vehicle is a 1923 Cadillac car. It was changed in 1937 to run on railway tracks. This special car carried company officials on the Richmond Vale Railway system until 1949. It is currently being restored at the museum.
The 2017 Fire and Recovery
Rebuilding After the Fire
On September 13, 2017, a fire caused significant damage to the museum. Many valuable items were lost or damaged. These included three passenger cars and many coal wagons. About 2.5 kilometers of railway track were also destroyed.
The museum worked hard to recover and reopened for limited train rides on March 4, 2018. They are still working to fix the damaged tracks. Other parts of the museum are open as usual on their open days.
