Richmond Vale Railway Museum
Established1979
LocationLeggett's Drive,
Richmond Vale, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates32°51′26″S 151°28′33″E / 32.857293°S 151.47582°E / -32.857293; 151.47582
TypeRailway museum
Nearest car parkOn site
WebsiteOfficial Site

The Richmond Vale Railway Museum operates a railway and museum located at the heritage-listed Richmond Main Colliery south of Kurri Kurri, New South Wales. The museum is a volunteer non-profit organization, formed in 1979 with the aim of preserving the Richmond Vale railway line and the mining heritage of J & A Brown and the Hunter Valley.

History

After the closure of Richmond Main Power Station in 1976, Cessnock City Council acquired the abandoned Richmond Main Colliery together with 40 acres (16.2 ha) surrounding the buildings from Coal & Allied.[1]

In 1979 the newly formed Richmond Vale Preservation Co-operative Society assumed the responsibility for the railway, leaving the development of Richmond Main Park and Mining Museum to be done independently.

Operations

The museum is opened on the first three Sundays of each month and every Sunday during school holidays, and the site consists of the following features:

  • Richmond Vale Office
  • Museum Display
  • Mining Equipment
  • Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock
  • former passenger line from Richmond Main Colliery to Pelaw Main Colliery Line.

Preservation

Steam Locomotives
No.DescriptionManufacturerYearIn Service RailwayLocationStatusRef
9 Pelaw Main2-8-2TKitson & Company1908J & A BrownKurri Kurristored unrestored
10 Richmond Main2-8-2TKitson & Company1911J & A BrownKurri Kurristored unrestored
SMR 192-8-2TBeyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland RailwayKurri Kurri Stored unrestored
SMR 222-8-2TBeyer, Peacock & Company1920South Maitland RailwayKurri Kurri Stored unrestored
SMR 242-8-2TBeyer, Peacock & Company1922South Maitland RailwayKurri Kurri Overhaul
SMR 252-8-2TBeyer, Peacock & Company1922South Maitland RailwayKurri Kurri stored
SMR 302-8-2TBeyer, Peacock & Company1924South Maitland RailwayKurri Kurri Overhaul
BHP 260T CraneIndustrial Works1913BHP Newcastle SteelworksKurri Kurri pending restoration
BHP 515T CraneIndustrial Brownhoist1920BHP Newcastle SteelworksKurri Kurri undergoing restoration
ROD 232-8-0Gorton Locomotive Works1918J & A BrownKurri Kurri static display
Alison0-4-0STAndrew Barclay Sons & Company1922John LysaghtKurri Kurristatic display
Marjorie0-4-0STClyde Engineering1938John LysaghtKurri KurriOperational
Kathleen0-4-0STAvonside Engine Company1921John LysaghtKurri Kurriundergoing restoration

The museum also operates a small number of ex-industrial diesels, and owns a wide variety of ex-New South Wales Government Railways and ex-industrial rollingstock.

Ex-industrial diesels are:

Rail Motor

  • A 1923 Cadillac motor car was converted in 1937–8 to run on rails and its body was altered to carry more passengers. It was then operated as a passenger carrying vehicle for J & A Brown & Abermain Seaham Collieries company officials throughout the Richmond Vale Railway system until 1949. It subsequently saw service with the Sydney Tramway Museum in the Royal National Park, from 1964 until 1972 and is now undergoing restoration at Richmond Vale Railway Museum.

2017 Fire

Following a fire on 13 September 2017, the museum was closed,[2][3] with the following losses.:[4][5]

  • 3 stainless steel passenger cars
  • 10 of 16 restored non-air coal hoppers and almost all non-restored wagons
  • All of the unrestored general freight vehicles
  • Approximately 2.5 kilometres of track
  • Damage to number 1 bridge on the link line to Pelaw Main.

The museum reopened to limited rail operation on 4 March 2018 and is gradually restoring damaged track to trafficable condition, with shuttle train services available over restored track. Other elements of the museum's operations remain available on open days as before the fire.

References

  1. ↑ "History of the Richmond Vale Railway Museum". Richmond Vale Railway Museum.
  2. ↑ Giselle Wakatama (14 September 2017). "Asbestos fears at scorched rail museum site". ABC News. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  3. ↑ Brodie Owen (14 September 2017). "Richmond Vale Railway Museum expects fire damage to surpass $1 million as police investigation rolls on". Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  4. ↑ "STATEMENT FROM THE BOARD OF RICHMOND VALE RAILWAY MUSEUM". Richmond Vale Railway Museum. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  5. ↑ "NSW RFS battles to save homes, as bushfires take hold on hot, windy day". ABC News. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
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