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| Established | 1974 |
|---|---|
| Location | 3 Campbell Street,Cowra |
| Coordinates | 33°50′33″S148°41′49″E / 33.842486°S 148.696906°E /-33.842486; 148.696906 |
| Type | Railway museum |
| Nearest car park | On site |
| Website | www.lvr.com.au |
TheLachlan Valley Railway Society is an Australianrail preservation society based in theNew South WalesCentral Western town ofCowra. It was established in 1974 to preserve and operate formerNew South Wales Government Railways locomotives and rolling stock.[1] It operates regular heritage train tours to a variety of locations across New South Wales.
The Lachlan Valley Railway was formed in 1974 initially to operate locomotive5917 (not owned by the LVR but a group called the 59 syndicate) and four carriages. It soon acquired other locomotives and formed a relationship with the Lachlan Vintage Village,Forbes. It then operated rail tours, including an interstate tours from Parkes toPeterborough in August 1976 with 5917.[2] At that stage, rolling stock was stabled atParkes locomotive depot.
On 18 June 1977, the society moved its base to the 1923-built Cowraroundhouse.[2] Initially allocated a couple of roads, in 1985 it took over the entire facility when theState Rail Authority vacated it.[3]
In 1979, the LVR commenced operating tours fromSydney toKiama,[2][4] with a base established atWest Ryde in Sydney. However, the site had to be vacated in August 1987 to make way for theNorthern line to expand.[5]
In November 1983, the LVR purchased its first diesel locomotive,4204, and shortly afterwardsAustralian Iron & Steel shunterD9.[6]
TheState Rail Authority ceased services on the Cowra toBlayney section of theDemondrille to Blayney line in 1987 and leased it to the LVR.[7] The line was closed for repairs in 1990 and was reopened in 1993.[8]
In late 1990, the society's subsidiary,Lachlan Valley Rail Freight, successfully tendered to operate wheat trains betweenWoodstock and Cowra on theBlayney to Cowra line for the Grain Handling Authority.[7] However, since the line was closed for repairs, those services did not start until September 1993. Diesel locomotive4204 hauled the first of these services.[9] In August 1994 the LVR operated wheat trains from Trajere on theEugowra line to Cowra with47 class locomotives.[10]
In June 1999, Lachlan Valley Rail Freight commenced operating trip working services betweenPort Botany and theCooks River container terminal in Sydney using 47 class locomotives and formerAustralian National wagons.[11] In July 1999 Lachlan Valley Rail Freight commenced operating a service between Cooks River andCarrington with 44 and 47 class locomotives for R&H Transport Services.[12] Congestion in Carrington saw the service diverted to theToll Holdings siding atSandgate.[13] In January 2000 Lachlan Valley Rail Freight started hiring locomotives fromChicago Freight Car Leasing Australia andFreight Australia, and in September 2000 fromGreat Northern Rail Services.[13][14] In October 2006, the company was sold to Stephen Heraghty of Bowport Allroads Transport and rebranded as Independent Railways of Australia.[15]
A government decision in 1999 to reopen the Cowra–Blayney section to other users caused LVR to lose its rights to exclusive use of theDemondrille to Cowra line, although its trains were still able to operate on the line. In 2009RailCorp closed the line, first to Blayney and then Harden. In August 2009 the society hurriedly moved its serviceable rolling stock toCootamundra andJunee. Since then it has operated steam and diesel trains in other parts of the state; however, those still in Cowra have remained "landlocked" and have had to be moved when needed by road transport.[16] It is planned to reopen a short section of the Blayney line for heritage train operations.[17] The station is used by the society.[18]
The society's present complex houses more than 55 carriages and locomotives under cover, and is open to visits daily.[17]
The Lachlan Valley Railway Society has approximately 300 members. It is administered by a voluntary board. The society is an accredited rail operator under the NSW Rail Safety Act 2002 meaning it has network access rights on the NSW main line rail network.
The Lachlan Valley Railway Society has in its custody the following locomotives:[19]
| Steam Locomotives | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Description | Manufacturer | Year | Location | Status | Ref | |||
| 3026 | 4-6-0 | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1903 | Cowra | Awaiting Restoration | ||||
| 3237 | 4-6-0 | Beyer, Peacock & Company | 1892 | Orange | Operational | ||||
| 5367 | 2-8-0 | Clyde Engineering | 1914 | Cowra | Under Restoration | ||||
| Diesel Locomotives (Operational) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Description | Manufacturer | Year | Location | Status | Ref | |||
| 4204 | Express Passenger/Goods Engine | Clyde Engineering,Granville | 1956 | Various | Operational | ||||
| 4701 | Freight Engine | A Goninan & Co | 1972 | Various | Operational | ||||
| 4702 | Freight Engine | A Goninan & Co | 1972 | Various | Operational | ||||
| 4708 | Freight Engine | A Goninan & Co | 1972 | Various | Operational | ||||
| 4716 | Freight Engine | A Goninan & Co | 1973 | Various | Operational | ||||
| PLANET | Small Shunting Engine | Sydney Water | 1958 | Cowra | Operational | ||||
| D9 | Large Shunting Engine | English Electric | 1956 | Cowra | Operational | ||||
| 4906 | Freight/Passenger Engine | Clyde Engineering,Granville | 1961 | Goulburn | Operational | ||||
(PF903, HPF957, HPF958, TC751, TM803 and TBR855, to be restored, are owned by a member; all are exHunter Valley Railway Trust.)
Blue Suede Express,Sydney -Parkes -Sydney
ABBA Express,Sydney -Parkes -Trundle -Sydney
Richmond Shuttles,Richmond -Mulgrave -Richmond
Media related toLachlan Valley Railway at Wikimedia Commons
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