SteamRanger Heritage Railway

The SteamRanger Heritage Railway is a historic train society in South Australia running trains on the Victor Harbor railway line. It is the only group regularly operating broad gauge steam locomotives in South Australia. It is run by volunteers of the South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society.

SteamRanger
621 The Duke of Edinburgh at Victor Harbor
in June 2006
Established1986
LocationMount Barker South Australia
Coordinates35°03′58″S 138°51′56″E
TypeHeritage Railway
Websitewww.steamrangerheritagerailway.org

History

Prior to 1995 when the Adelaide to Melbourne line was converted to standard gauge, SteamRanger was based at Dry Creek, an industrial suburb in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, and home to the main road-rail freight depots in Adelaide. The Southern Encounter operated from Adelaide instead of Mount Barker, including six tunnels through the Mount Lofty Ranges. Special services were also operated to other places on the South Australian broad gauge network including Burra (near the Clare Valley), Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley and shorter services on the metropolitan network.

Operations
Mount Barker station in August 2007

The Cockle Train operates year-round between Goolwa and Victor Harbor. It operates with a steam locomotive in school holidays, and historic diesel locomotives or railcars other weekends.

The Southern Encounter runs from Mount Barker to Victor Harbor during winter, utilising most of the remaining broad gauge branch from the main Adelaide to Melbourne line.

Some shorter services along the line are:

  • The Bugle Ranger - from Mount Barker to Bugle Ranges using a Redhen railcar set. Services operate one Sunday each month from late April to October
  • The Highlander - from Mount Barker to Strathalbyn using steam locomotives when possible. Operates on the second Sunday of each month from June until the end of November (excluding October).
  • StrathLink - from Goolwa to Strathalbyn using a restored heritage Brill railcar. Operates during School Holiday periods.
  • The Finniss Flyer - from Goolwa to Finniss using a restored Brill railcar or a pair of Redhen railcar.
  • Junction Jogger - from Mount Barker to Balhannah using a Redhen railcar set. It hasn't ran for over 5 years due to the track not being fixed.

Fleet
958 & 520 at SteamRanger's Mount Barker workshop in May 2006

Steam locomotives operated by SteamRanger:

  • Rx 207 Dean Harvey - built in 1913
  • Rx 224 - 1915 - under restoration
  • F251 - built in 1922 - stored requiring overhaul
  • SAR 520 Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey - under restoration awaiting funds
  • SAR 621 The Duke of Edinburgh

Diesel Locomotives:

Railcars:

Owned by SteamRanger but not on premises:

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See also

References

    http://www.steamrangerheritagerailway.org/events/ http://www.steamrangerheritagerailway.org/volunteering-with-steamranger/520-restoration-appeal/

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