First public steam up a great success
Gasps, smiles and memories were everywhere as the 148-year-old ‘Locomotive 1919’ blew her whistle at the first public steam-up of the historic engine in mid June at Glenreagh Heritage Railway precinct.
Over 400 excited visitors, young and old, came along to experience or reminisce at the sight and sounds of this unique steam train. The beautifully-preserved passenger and sleeper carriages were also open for people to get a glimpse of how we used to travel in a bygone age.
A huge THANK YOU to our team of skilled volunteers – including members of Shannondale Steam Shed – who were up early on that cold Saturday morning getting the train positioned, fired up and ready to steam!
And also to everyone who donated on the day or ‘Adopted a Sleeper’ through our GoFundme fundraiser and to Rainbow Thumb Face Painting for donating her proceeds from her face painting!
When can you ride on the train?
This is the big question and we are getting close! For the past 2 years we’ve been securing grants, organising professional expertise and completing miles of technical documentation to get the train rides underway from the train shed to Tallawudjah Creek rd back (approximately 2km roundtrip).
Not to mention the countless hours that dedicated volunteers spend on Locomotive 1919 every week. The engine is the only one we know of in Australia that is still working and we’ve been working closely with the rail regulator to make sure that all the necessary work and permits are completed. With only a few jobs to go, it will soon be ready to run again. If all goes well, we expect this to happen by the end of the year!
A $15,000 grant from Transport Heritage NSW has helped restore the beautiful passenger carriage. Repairs to the bogey under-carriage have been completed and one of our skilled volunteers has almost finished painting it in its original heritage colours.
Timberfest
Thousands of visitors also descended on Glenreagh for the Annual Timberfest last month – and hundreds of those visitors also took the opportunity to see our trains and carriages up close. Watch NBN’s TV news report of the event.
Project Goals
Tallowood Mountain Rail Trail and the Steam Train experience at Glenreagh Heritage Railway is the brainchild of Tallowood Ventures Limited which owns the 35km section of rail corridor from Glenreagh to Ulong.
Land slips, collapsed bridges and culverts, and rotting tracks mean that the only section that can run the historic trains –the centrepiece of the Steam Train experience – is the two kilometre still viable track from Glenreagh to Tallawudjah Creek.
So, the goal is to transform the defunct section of the rail corridor into a rail trail for cyclists, walkers and possibly horse riders. This rail trail will be 35 kilometres long and run from Glenreagh up the escarpment to the Dorrigo Plateau, through Lowanna and on to Ulong. On the way it will pass through two tunnels, five bridges and run through pristine rainforest, completely safe from vehicles. Along the way there will be picnic and camping areas, toilets and signage telling the stories of the history of the line and its people.
We are currently seeking funding from the State and Federal Governments for this project. We applied for funding for the first part of this project in 2025 and are waiting to hear the result of that application. The first part of this project will cover survey, concept design, anthropological studies and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
We will let people know as soon as we hear about funding and other progress.
Adopt a sleeper
Our ‘Adopt a Sleeper’ fundraiser to replace the old, rotten railway sleepers on the railway line, from the train shed to Tallawudjah Creek Rd, is proving to be extremely popular. So far, we have raised almost $11,000 and replaced close to 100 sleepers!
Anyone donating to the ‘Adopt a Sleeper’ fundraiser has a beautiful, stainless-steel engraved plaque from Cordys Custom Engravinginstalled on a new sleeper with their name/family name, marking their place in history! Alternatively, people can make a simple donation to the Tallowood Mountain Rail Trail and Steam Train Experience via tallowood-ventures.square.site
Open Day
If you can’t wait for a special event to see the historic engines and carriages, the Glenreagh Heritage Railway precinct is open on the first Saturday of every month from 9am -12pm to coincide with Glenreagh market day.
Entry is by $5 donation (cash at door or via QR code).
Please note that the train will NOT be in steam at these times.
Become a volunteer
The Tallowood Mountain Rail Trail and Steam Train experience at Glenreagh Heritage Railway is a not-for-profit enterprise and relies on grant funding, donations and the amazing assistance of volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels.
If you’d like to get involved and can dedicate 1 day a week/month/or year we would be very grateful!
Please contact us with any questions, or head over to the website, to register.
Also, if a local business would like to donate product such as paint, brushes, sandpaper, tools, signage, or services please get in touch with us via info@tallowoodventures.com
Caretakers at Lowanna Station and Glenreagh Heritage Railway Precinct
We are looking for short-term caretakers, in a caravan or motorhome, to stay on the grounds of heritage railway station located at Lowanna, in the hinterland of the Coffs Harbour, NSW and also at the Glenreagh Heritage Railway precinct.
In exchange for access to power and water, caretakers will be required to do odd jobs including mowing grounds and light gardening at Lowanna; and handyman tasks at Glenreagh (including installing and painting fence posts)
Thank you to Andy and Richelle who were our latest caretakers at Lowanna for taking great care of the station and grounds last month!
Please email karen@tallowoodventures.com for more details.
