Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society
The Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society Inc. was a not-for-profit incorporated society which operated a heritage steam railway from Peterborough, South Australia, north along a section of the Peterborough to Quorn railway line, between 1977 and 2002. The society based its operations on the former South Australian Railways Peterborough roundhouse and purpose-built sheds and yard at Peterborough West.
Peterborough is on the East-west rail corridor connecting Sydney and Perth. The society's formation reflected the fact that before the 1881 narrow-gauge route was rebuilt as a standard gauge line in 1970, it was South Australia's busiest regional railway hub – venue of the headquarters of the Northern Division of the South Australian Railways, regional train control, and railway workshops and maintenance facilities employing more than 1,000 people to look after more than 100 passing trains a day. After 1970, however, the scale of operations progressively reduced as the functions undertaken at Peterborough were moved elsewhere. A tourist attraction, the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre is now centred on the roundhouse and workshops, its award-winning sound and light show presenting a reminder of the town's former importance as a railway centre.
Foundation
The society was founded in 1977 to run a steam-hauled tourist train service on the Peterborough–Quorn railway line narrow gauge railway between Peterborough and Eurelia using retired South Australian Railways T class steam locomotive, T199.A prime motivation for the project was the return to steam – by its owners, the Pichi Richi Railway, situated 120 km to the north-west – of sister locomotive T186, in 1976. The newly delivered locomotive, which had received final fitting and painting at Peterborough, was a centrepiece of the highly successful Peterborough Centenary celebrations.
Operations
Only four years after the society's foundation, on 17 April 1981, it ran its first public train. Subsequently, an average of six trips a year were made between Peterborough and Orroroo, and Peterborough and Eurelia. The peak operating year was 1981, when the society ran a total of 27 trains, including a notable trip over the former interstate narrow-gauge route to Quorn. In subsequent years it ran up to eleven scheduled trains per year. However, operations were briefly suspended on occasions during the late 1980s and 1990s, mainly because of unavailability of a serviceable locomotive.The society ran other trains to Bruce, Hammond, Moockra and Carrieton, using NT class diesel locomotives, to recover track and civil infrastructure. Much of this was used within the depot at Peterborough West.
The Society also hosted what were believed to be among the first organised motor section car excursions in Australia, between 1994 and 1998. A live band provided entertainment at Eurelia.
In the society's last years of operation, it made a restored South Australian Railways Motor Inspection Car available for hire.
The society had considerable problems attracting the patronage and technical skills necessary to support its operations. In its later years the majority of active volunteers came from outside the district.
Rolling stock
The society's revenue passenger cars were former Commonwealth Railways stock from the narrow-gauge Central Australia Railway between Marree and Alice Springs. Its steam locomotives were from the Western Australian Government Railways, including Pmr720, and W901 and W907.Diesel power was initially from Western Australia: a former Commonwealth Railways NC1, which had been in the Lakewood Firewood Company's service, and Western Australian Government Railways Z1151. The society then obtained Commonwealth Railways NSU class locomotives 55 and 62 from those remaining at Marree.
Early trains were run with Pmr720. However, the locomotive's boiler tubes failed inspection in the late 1980s, leaving W901 as the only operational steam locomotive. Although plans were made to recommission Pmr720, they never eventuated.
W901 experienced problems in later years through minimal maintenance and limited expertise of remaining volunteers. Some trains were then diesel-hauled or supported by small diesel power. Following the last train, W901's boiler was left full of water, causing concern about the condition of the boiler that might have been caused by oxygen in the water. Former society members, including those involved with the recommissioning, undertook minor works in 2006 to minimise further deterioration.. It is now a static exhibit at the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre in the Peterborough Roundhouse.
NSU55 was eventually recommissioned during 1998 after a considerable effort by a small band of volunteers. Major problems were encountered replacing failed cylinder liner seals. Track conditions throughout the roundhouse and on the mainline created significant problems for its operation. It is understood that it never worked more than a few kilometres out of Peterborough.
While T199 was the first locomotive to be obtained. This was, in part, because of the availability of roadworthy locomotives in WA, including the V, S, W and Pmr Class locomotives. Serious consideration was given to the heavy V and S classes, however track conditions and the operational pressures that they would have created ruled them out. In the end, W901, W907 and Pmr720 were purchased and shipped to Peterborough for a total of $25,200.
Another extant steam locomotive in Peterborough, Y82, was never transferred to the society. It was given a cosmetic restoration in 1999, and was moved to a plinth in Peterborough.
Operating facilities
In the early days of the society, Australian National allowed rolling stock to be stored within its 19-stall roundhouse.The society saw the need to establish its own facilities, and proposed to establish its own depot on a block of land bordered by the Quorn line, the town's Main Street, and the railway dam. This was seen as an ideal site, as it had mains water, power, sewage; this was perhaps a result of it being the site of the former railway hostel. It was proposed that, with little work, a triangle could be installed. Australian National agreed to provide the land at a nominal rent of $50.
The depot was eventually located at the western end of Peterborough. Construction commencing on 10 June 1980. It is unclear why, after the efforts to locate the depot next to the railway, it was located here. The depot was not connected and made rail-accessible until a number of working bees completed the track-laying during late 1983.
The society operated from its depot for a number of years, but moved most of its operational rolling stock into the roundhouse and diesel shop after the withdrawal of Australian National.
The move
In the early 1980s, a group of members, centred on the society's committee, realised that the future of the organisation was limited in Peterborough, and investigated options for relocating the society elsewhere. It is understood that the committee believed that limited tourist traffic in Peterborough was a primary issue, along with apparently limited support from the local community. Indeed, the society suffered a severe loss of skills as "the railways" reduced its staffing in the town.Options considered were the Gladstone to Willmington line, also of gauge, and at the time still carrying large quantities of grain, the Clare Valley line, in order to take advantage of the tourism potential of the Clare Valley, and the Victor Harbor line, with the main consideration being a base at Goolwa. This line was later transferred to the management of the Australian Railway Historical Society.
An Act of Parliament
A number of issues within the organisation and the town eventually led to ownership of the rolling stock being transferred, following a Parliamentary Select Committee enquiry and subsequent Act of Parliament, to the Corporation of Peterborough, with operational responsibility for the rolling stock being vested in the Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society.The operations of the society never recovered from this. There were significant problems attracting people who had the skills and abilities needed to realise the potential of its operations.
A last fling
The District Council of Peterborough supported a manager for the organisation in its later years, who made a significant contribution to turning around the organisation's fortune. However, the underlying problems and rapidly deteriorating assets, particularly civil, meant that the work done was too late to be of benefit to the society despite the council's input of $199,000 towards maintaining the society.At a meeting held in October 2004 to discuss the future direction of the society, Mayor Whittle said "Contrary to rumor, council is not Hell-bent on closing Steamtown. It is realistic to say that trains are never likely to run again, due to issues such as track maintenance, insurance, lack of volunteers and money to do what other railway societies are doing".
Prior to the cessation of train operations in June 2002, a steering committee, made up of the Federation of North East Councils, the Northern Regional Development Board, the Flinders Ranges Area Consultative Committee, and society representatives was established. This led to a project to develop the workshops precinct as the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre.
The end
By 2002, insurance costs skyrocketed for most heritage railways, leading to a number ceasing operations. This affected the society, which stopped the operation of its trains when its public liability cover expired in June 2002. By the time the insurance crisis had resolved the following year, the society was experiencing great difficulty pulling together a management committee.The rolling stock and civil assets of the society had received only limited maintenance, mainly as a consequence of lack of resources, including volunteers with appropriate expertise. As the track was last re-sleepered by the SAR in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it too was starting to deteriorate. At the meeting to discuss the society's future, "facts were presented showing that since the 1970s, the society had seriously underspent in maintenance on track infrastructure", which was now a problem to be overcome before the trains could run again.
A report of the condition of the track was commissioned in order to establish the feasibility of resuming operations. The report suggested that the track needed major refurbishment at an estimated cost of $2.4 million.
A business and marketing plan prepared by a consultant explored the financial viability of the operation under limited criteria.
Despite claims by the District Council of Peterborough that its priority was the retention of the society and its assets, council minutes suggest that work had already commenced to plan the disposal of the assets entrusted to it as a result of events of the early 1980s.
The proposal for disbandment was made at a public meeting in September 2003. The society was dissolved as a legal entity on 13 January 2005.
Work to remove the railway commenced on 14 September 2008 and was completed by 17 December of that year. Track was left over Pekina Creek, Black Rock Yard, Black Rock Bridge, Walloway Yard to Walloway Creek and in the yard of Orroroo. The funds resulting from track removal, with some funds from the council, have been used to create the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre with enhancements to the Roundhouse Complex and the development of a "Sound & Light Show".
Black Rock Yard hosted the first of a proposed annual Kalamazoo race on 27 March 2010. The event was reported as being very successful.