SteamRanger Heritage Railway Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
SteamRanger

Rx 224 leaving Port Elliot in January 2022
Established	1986
Location	Mount Barker South Australia
Type	Heritage Railway

The SteamRanger Heritage Railway is a special tourist railway in South Australia. It is about 82 kilometers (51 miles) long. This railway uses a wide track, which is 1600mm (5 feet 3 inches) across. It used to be part of the main railway line to Victor Harbor.

A group called the Australian Railway Historical Society runs SteamRanger. They are a not-for-profit group. This railway is very important because it is the last wide-track line still running outside of city areas. It helps us remember Australia's first public railway.

A Journey Through Time: SteamRanger's History
- Building a Home for Old Trains
- Moving to Mount Barker: A Big Change
Train Trips and Services
SteamRanger's Train Collection
See also

A Journey Through Time: SteamRanger's History

In the 1970s, a group of railway fans started SteamRanger. Their goal was to save and run old trains. They wanted to offer train tours from Adelaide. These tours mainly used the wide-track lines across the state.

Building a Home for Old Trains

SteamRanger opened its first special train shed in 1980. This shed was at Dry Creek railway station, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) north of Adelaide. In the mid-1980s, SteamRanger slowly took over the Victor Harbor railway line. This line is in the beautiful Adelaide Hills.

Moving to Mount Barker: A Big Change

Later, plans were made to change the main railway line from Adelaide to Melbourne. This line was going to become a standard track, which is narrower (1435mm or 4 feet 8.5 inches). This meant SteamRanger had a big decision to make. They could stay at Dry Creek and lose their connection to the Victor Harbor line. Or, they could move all their trains and equipment.

SteamRanger's Mount Barker train shed in 2007, seen from Dutton Road.

Moving was a huge job. All of SteamRanger's old locomotives (train engines) and carriages had to be moved. A new train shed was built at Mount Barker railway station. This station is at the start of the wide-track line to Victor Harbor. The local council helped by fixing up the old station building. It became SteamRanger's main office.

The main interstate line was changed to standard track in 1995. After this, most of South Australia's wide-track lines closed. The Victor Harbor line became the last place where you could see these historic wide-track trains running.

Train Trips and Services

As of January 2023, SteamRanger offers several exciting train trips. Here are some of them:

Trip Name	Where it Goes (round trip)	Distance and Time (round trip)	When it Runs	Engine Type	Important Notes
Cockle Train – quiet times	Goolwa and Victor Harbor	21 km (13 mi). About 1 hour, 30 minutes.	Most Wednesdays and weekends	Old diesel locomotives or railcars*	Buy tickets on the day at SteamRanger stations (no reserved seats)
Cockle Train – school holidays	Same as above	Same as above	Every day during school holidays	Usually steam locomotives; diesel if there's a fire ban*	Same as above
Southern Encounter	Mount Barker to Victor Harbor	164 km (102 mi). About 8 hours 45 minutes (includes lunch and short stops).	First, third, and fifth Sundays from May to November	Steam locomotives	You must book tickets in advance**
Hills Encounter	Victor Harbor to Mount Barker	164 km (102 mi). About 8 hours (includes lunch).	Check the website	Usually steam locomotives; diesel if there's a fire ban*	You can get off at Strathalbyn for lunch and shopping. Bookings essential.
StrathLink	Victor Harbor (or Goolwa) to Strathalbyn	100 km (62 mi). About 5 hours 20 minutes (includes lunch).	Some days during school holidays	Uses the Cockle Train then a heritage railcar	Booking is a good idea as trains can fill up fast
Bugle Ranger	Mount Barker to Philcox Hill and Bugle Ranges station	18 km (11 mi). About 45 minutes.	Fourth Sunday from June to November	Red Hen railcar	Buy tickets on the day at SteamRanger's Mount Barker station
* If the weather forecast for Victor Harbor is 35 degrees Celsius (95°F) or hotter, the Cockle Train does not run. ** First-class tickets include a special carriage, morning tea, lunch, and a boat trip.

Mainline diesel-electric locomotive 958 and steam locomotive 520 at SteamRanger's Mount Barker workshop in 2006.

SteamRanger's Train Collection

SteamRanger has a wonderful collection of old trains. This includes steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, and railcars. Here is what their fleet looked like in March 2025.

Train Type	Year Built	Current Status
Steam Locomotives
Rx class no. 207, Dean Harvey	1913	Running, at Mount Barker
Rx class no. 224	1915	Running, at Goolwa
F class no. 251	1922	Stored, waiting for repairs, at Mount Barker
620 class no. 621, Duke of Edinburgh	1936	Running, at Goolwa
520 class no. 520, Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey	1943	Being restored, at Mount Barker
Diesel-Electric Locomotives
350 class no. 350	1949	Running, at Mount Barker (used for moving trains short distances)
500 class no. 507	1965	Running, at Goolwa
700 class no. 704	1972	Stored, at Mount Barker
830 class no. 844	1962	Running, at Goolwa
830 class no. 845	1963	Being restored, at Mount Barker
930 class no. 958	1965	Running, at Mount Barker
963 class no. 963	1967	Stored, at Mount Barker
Diesel Railcars
300 and 400 class Red Hen railcars nos 334, 412 and 820 class trailer car 824	1958, 1960, 1912	Running, at Goolwa
400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 428	1968	Damaged in an accident, being repaired, at Mount Barker
400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 424 and 860 class trailer car no. 875	1968, 1945	Running, at Goolwa
300 and 400 class "Red Hen" railcars nos 364 and 405	1968, 1959	Stored, at Mount Barker
Brill Model 75 railcar no. 43	1928	Being restored, at Goolwa
Brill Model 75 railcar no. 60	1928	Not in service, at Mount Barker
2000 class "Jumbo" railcars nos 2010 and 2109	1980	Stored, at Goolwa
Passenger Cars
A clerestory-roofed suburban baggage car. Wooden "Centenary" cars: nos 52, 54, 56, 60, 61, 62 and 66 Wooden suburban cars: nos 70, 71 and 73 Wooden suburban baggage cars: nos 81, 82 and 83 Wooden 4400 class brakevan: no. 4420 Steel 500 class first class car: no. 503 (used sometimes) Steel 600 class second class car: no. 602 Steel 700 class second class cars: nos 701, 704, 706 and 710 Old sleeping car from Victoria and South Australia: Finniss (used sometimes) H type carriage sets: SH21 (BCH121, BIH181 and BTH161) and SH25 (BCH125, BIH185 and BTH165) (from V/Line) Steel Power Van: PH454 (from V/Line) Steel CGP class brakevan: no. CGP2