The Semi-Retired Foamer has been a railfan since he was around 5 years old, oh yes a very young age, an age when one really should avoid being involved with the gunzel community to any great extent. A few rather unsavoury people bringing that fact home.
After a few decades of train chasing, one decided to break with protocol and get married, thus leading to a severe cut in railfan activity.
Subsequent dealings with hate breeders, lunatics, mental defectives and self-appointed preservation overlords lead to an even greater decrease in my hobby participation.
However things have changed thanks to our small group of trusted mates, interest has returned, and now I have become a bit more involved yet again..
_
 Over the years I have tried my best to further both the hobby, as well as the friendships that it brings. I have done this by setting up proactive groups both here in Australia, as well as the Philippines. It is with huge honour that I am often considered the founding father of the railfan hobby in the Philippines (my second home).
_
I don't take the hobby too seriously and I am a friend to anyone who is good and genuine. But never forgive those who have used their hate to destroy my hobby or hurt the friends within it.

Let's Make The Hobby Great Again!
I aim to share the era that I considered mine, the 80s and 90s. I also like to help promote, and even raise funds for, the various heritage societies that keep the era alive
_
**** LOCOMOTIVE/ PUBLICATIONS ****
-
We occasionally publish information on the locomotives, and rollingstock, from railways in Australia and the Philippines.
All are available for FREE at our ALR WEBSITE.




Please email me should you wish to use anything from this site !



Monday, July 28, 2025

GUIDE TO AUST RAIL TRAM HERITAGE MUSEUMS & LOCATIONS

 


A work in progress. (Updated: 29-7-2025)

For as long as I can remember, I have wished to compile an online listing of rail and tram museums around Australia. An easily accessible listing of what can be seen, and link to online resources for further information.
The idea was discussed with the late Brian Leedham on many an occasion, but the potential huge amount of work saw it never progress ........ until now.
With Brian's lineside memorial Christmas event coming later this year, and a desire to ensure the memory of his huge efforts lives on, a few months ago I started to slowly compile a listing for this website.

Yes, I do realise it is far from complete. I've still got a gigantic amount of locations to add, and plan to expand on the information covering those already listed here. 
However, it is a start on a project that will, hopefully in some small way, lead to greater interest in visiting these hugely important transport heritage places.

Note that not all listed are actual railway/tramway based museum, some are a general museum with railway content, while others are just old stations of interest that do not necessarily trade as a museum.


Aramac Tramway Museum
66 Boundary Street Aramac, Queensland 
Website appears broken

Archer Park Railway Museum (Rockhampton)
Website
Facebook

Atherton-Herberton Historic Railway (Herberton)
Website
Facebook

Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum (Woodford)
Website
Facebook

Australian Sugar Cane Railway (Bundaberg Cane Trains)
Website
Facebook

Bell Railway Heritage Parkland (Bell)
Website

Bundaberg Railway Museum (North Bundaberg)
Website
Facebook

Clifton Railway Station (Clifton)
Website
Facebook

DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum (Drayton, Toowoomba)
Website
Facebook

Gympie Gold Mining & Historical Museum (Gympie)
Website
Facebook

Mackay Heritage Railway (Mackay)
Facebook
Article

Mary Valley Rattler (Gympie Region)
Website
Facebook

Nambour Historical Society (Nambour)
Website
Facebook

Nambour Tram Company (Nambour)
Website
Facebook

Old Esk Railway Station
Website
Facebook (Parkrun)

Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway (Swanbank/Bundamba, Ipswich region)
Website
Facebook

Rosewood Railway Museum (near Rosewood) - Currently Closed
Website
Facebook

Southern Downs Steam Railway - Warwick – Downs Explorer
Website
Facebook

Texas Railway Museum & Heritage Society (Texas)
Website
Facebook

The Workshops Rail Museum (North Ipswich Railway Workshops, Ipswich)
Website
Facebook

Wallangarra Railway Museum & Station (Wallangarra)
Website
Facebook (?)

Gulflander (Normanton ↔ Croydon)
Website
Facebook

Savannalander (Cairns ↔ Forsyth)
Website
Facebook

Kuranda Scenic Railway (Cairns ↔ Kuranda)
Website
Facebook

QUEENSLAND-TRAM

Brisbane Tramway Museum
Website
Facebook



ALCo Park (Werris Creek)
Private loco & carriage collection.

Ariah Park Station Museum (Ariah Park)
Ariah Park Heritage Village Website
Facebook

Australian Technology Park (Eveleigh)
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Bathurst Railway Museum (Bathurst)
Website
Facebook

Bombala Historic Railway (Bombala)
Website
Facebook

Black Diamond Museum & Heritage Centre (Bulli)
Website
Facebook

Campbelltown Steam & Machinery Museum
Website
Facebook

Carcoar Station (Private Lease)
No website or Facebook.

Cooma Monaro Railway Museum (Cooma)
Website
Facebook

Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum
Website
Facebook

East Coast Heritage Rail
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Girilambone Railway Station
Bogan Shire Council
Now website or Facebook

Goulburn-Crookwell Heritage Railway
Website
Facebook

Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre (Goulburn)
Website
Facebook

Gundagai Railway Museum
Website
Facebook (Visit Gundagai)

Illawarra Light Railway Museum Society (Albion Park)
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum (Junee)
Website
Facebook

Lachlan Valley Railway Heritage Centre (Cowra)
Website
Facebook

Ladysmith Tourist Railway (Ladysmith)
Website
Facebook

Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway (Lithgow)
Website
Facebook

Lithgow State Mine Railway
Website
Facebook

Merriwa Railway Station (Merriwa)
Website
Facebook

NSW Rail Museum (Thirlmere)
Website
Facebook
Instagram 
YouTube

Orange Regional Museum - Railway History Display (Orange)
Website
Facebook

Rail Journeys Museum & Railway Monument (Werris Creek)
Website
Facebook

Richmond Vale Railway Museum (Kurri Kurri)
Website
Facebook
Google Maps

Railmotor Society (Paterson)
Website
Facebook

Sulphide Street Railway Museum (Broken Hill)
Website
Facebook

Railway Temora (Temora Station)
Website
Facebook

Tenterfield Railway Museum
Website
Facebook

Toronto Railway Station (Lake Macquarie & District Museum)
Website
Facebook

Tumut Station (Tumut line)
No website or Facebook.

Valley Heights Railway Museum (Valley Heights)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

Wagga Wagga Rail Heritage Station Museum
Website
Facebook

Weethalle Station (Rankin Springs line)
Website

Westby Station (Private property)
No website or Facebook.

Yass Railway Heritage Centre (Yass)
Website
Facebook

Zig Zag Railway (Lithgow)
Website
Facebook


NEW SOUTH WALES - TRAM

Sydney Tram Museum (Loftus)
Website
Facebook
YouTube



Canberra Railway Museum
Website
Facebook
YouTube



707 Operations (Newport)
Website
Facebook

Alexandra Timber Tramway Museum (Alexandra)
Website
Facebook

Ararat Railway Museum (Ararat)
Website
Facebook (?)

Bellarine Peninsula Railway (Queenscliff)
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Daylesford Spa Country Railway (Daylesford)
Website
Facebook

DERMPAV
Website
Facebook

Kerrisdale Mountain Railway and Museum (Kerrisdale)
Website (Unofficial)
Facebook

Menzies Creek Museum - Puffing Billy Railway
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Youtube

Mornington Tourist Railway (Moorooduc–Mornington)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Maps

Newport Railway Museum (North Williamstown)
Website
Facebook

Puffing Billy Railway (Belgrave, Dandenong Ranges)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (Seymour)
Website
Facebook

Steamrail Victoria (Newport)
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Victorian Goldfields Railway (Castlemaine–Maldon)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

Walhalla Goldfields Railway (Walhalla)
Website
Facebook

Yarra Valley Railway (Healesville)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

VICTORIA-TRAM

Ballarat Tramway Museum (Lake Wendouree)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

Bendigo Tramways (Bendigo)
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Melbourne Tram Museum (Hawthorn)
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Association (Hadden)
Website
Facebook (?)

Portland Cable Tram (Portland)
Website
Facebook

Tramway Heritage Centre (Bylands)
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram


Angaston Historic Railway Museum
Website (Unofficial)
Facebook (?)

Farina Restoration Group Inc
Website
Facebook

Jamestown Railway Station Museum (Jamestown)
Website
Facebook (?)

Marree & District Progress Association (Marree)
Facebook

Old Katherine Railway Station (Katherine)
Website

Port Milang Railway Station (Milang)
Website
Facebook

Port Pirie Railway Station Museum (Port Pirie)
Website
Facebook

National Railway Museum (Adelaide)
Website 
Facebook

Pichi Richi Railway (Quorn)
Website
Facebook

Port Lincoln Railway Museum (Port Lincoln)
Website
Facebook

Steamranger (Mt Barker)
Website
Facebook

Steamtown (Peterborough)
Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

SOUTH AUSTRALIA-TRAM

The Tramway Museum (St Kilda)
Website
Facebook

Victor Harbor Tramway
Website
Facebook
Instagram


Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct (Adelaide River)
Website
Facebook

Larrimah Railway Museum (Larrimah)
Website
Facebook (?)

Old Ghan tourist line (NT): currently static museum
Website
Facebook (?)

Pine Creek Railway Precinct (Pine Creek)
Website
Facebook (?)



Bennett Brook Railway
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube

Busselton (City) (steam loco on display)
Website
Facebook

Gwalla Heritage Centre (Steam loco on display)
Website (?)
Facebook (?)

Hotham Valley Tourist Railway (Pinjarra–Dwellingup)
Website
Facebook

Hyden Heritage Precinct

Merredin Railway Museum (Merridan)
Website
Facebook

Northampton Railway Heritage
Website
Facebook (?)

Old Northam Railway Station (Northam)
Website
Facebook (?)

Pilbara Railways Historical Society (Closed)
Website (not working)
Facebook

South West Rail & Heritage Centre (Boyanup)
Website
Facebook

The Railway Museum (Bassendean)
Website
Facebook

WESTERN AUSTRALIA-TRAM

Pemberton Tramway Company (Pemberton)
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Perth Electric Tramway Society (Whiteman)
Website
Facebook


Derwent Valley Railway (New Norfolk Region)
Website
Facebook

Don River Railway (Devonport)
Website
Facebook

Ida Bay Railway Preservation Society
Website
Facebook

Tasmanian Transport Museum (Glenorchy)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

Wee Georgie Wood Railway (Tullah)
Website
Facebook

West Coast Wilderness Railway (Queenstown–Strahan)
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

TASMANIA-TRAM

Launceston Tramway Museum (Inveresk, Launceston)
Website
Facebook



NEW ZEALAND WITH AUSSIE TRAMS

Museum of Transport and Technology (Auckland)





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Wednesday, July 23, 2025

CRINGILA VIA WINGELLO - 12-7-2025

 


Christmas in July… and Other Mild Disappointments

Howdy train fans.

So, back on the 12th, we made our grand pilgrimage down to Wingello for the tragically mediocre annual "Christmas in July" party — one of those SRF/SMUT traditions we inexplicably keep showing up for every year. Think of it as festive disappointment with tinsel.

In a textbook example of why planning ahead is for winners, we rolled in to discover the south rail line was closed for maintenance. Yes, the one day we actually wanted trains, and the network said, “lol nope.” The only thing moving all day was road traffic — thrilling stuff.

Faced with the prospect of watching literal paint dry (probably on rail sleepers), we made a snap decision to abandon ship and head to the steelworks instead. But first, we made a pit stop at Berrima Junction to squint at whatever rusting relics might be lying around.

Turns out, this chaos worked in our favor. A completely unplanned detour to Albion Park led us to the light railway museum, which — shockingly — was fascinating as always. That delightful little surprise will get its own post soon, because, yes, it deserves more attention than Wingello station's ghost town vibes.

Anyway, below is a look at the not-so-riveting highlights (using the term loosely) from a day that went off the rails — quite literally.

If you have an interest in aviation and other guff, check out my
Travel and Aviation Blog.

BHP News - Photos - History.  Come have a squiz.

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DateLocosTrainLocationTimeNotes 
12-7-2025See Notes:StationWingello Got there to find no trains running.42
 See Notes:SidingsBerrima Junct RHJF-43001 43088 42
     8132 NHFF-42538 42544 42528 42
     NPIH-35603 3568142
     NPHH-8210442
 See Notes:StationThe Robertson-Recently rebuilt42
 MAN008 MAN003 MAN006Light EngineCringila12:21Up to Inner harbour42
 8231 8175 8101Light EngineCringila12:53Up to Inner Harbour42
 See Notes:YardPort North14:40QL011 QL020 QLxxx 44202 803042
 See Notes:Depot Port Kembla 8179 8216 8160 8172 8211 8159 816742
     Deros: 48103 8005 48164 4816042
 Seen by Dr Cooties   8046 8166 8201 8118 8224-
 QL010 QL012SteelPort North Steel Shunt42



















The Robertson Hotel station in Robertson.
The platform has recently been rebuilt. Photos of it before can be found HERE.
Photo: Brad Peadon





8211 is one of the last six of the class still in the old Freightrail livery.
Port Kembla Loco Depot 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Former bicentennial livery locomotive 8172.
Port Kembla Loco Depot 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
Oscar set H48 waits for departure at Port Kembla station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon



Port Kembla station carpark. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
Rail sidings with the former 'Australian Fertilizer Limited' building looking to be getting demolished.
The company was formed in 1920 as a joint venture between the nearby 'Electrolytic Refining and Smelting Company (ER&S)' and 'Mt Morgan Mining'.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Above and below'
Kenworth XN-15HF near the old fertilizer place above.
Photo: Brad Peadon


----------------------------------------------------------


DateLocosTrainLocationTimeNotes 
12-7-2025QL010 QL012CoilsCringila11:48Shunt, transfer to Port North42
 8202CoalCringila12:29ex Dendrobium42
 PB6Light EngineCringila12:48From 18 Area, through yard, to works.42
 PB3Light EngineCringila12:57From 18 Area, through yard, to works.42
 PB3CoilsCringila13:32from works to yard, then limestone to works.42
 PB6Light EngineCringila13:43to yard42






Panoramic shot of Cringila yard,
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and three below.
QL012 and QL010 shunt a rake of steel coils in Cringila yard before transferring them to Port North.
Photo: Brad Peadon





8202 enters the steelworks with a load of coal from Dendrobium (Kemira Valley).
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and two below
PB6 on a light engine transfer from 18 Area to the works.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Above and below
Changing the points for PB6.
Cringila yard
Photo: Brad Peadon



RCBF-20216C steel wagon in Cringila Exchange Sidings.
Photo: Brad Peadon


PCAF-20399F steel wagon in Cringila Exchange Sidings.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
PB3 partaking in a coil steel shunt of Cringila Yard.
Photo: Brad Peadon




Our last Cringila sighting of the day was PB3 hauling this heavy rake of limestone hoppers into the works. It was the hardest I've seen a PB work.
Have a video of the day that will appear on the 
Semi-Retired Foamer Youtube Channel.
Photo: Brad Peadon

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Bradly Coulter for the company on the day.
 

BHP Steel Rail History

Electrolytic Refining and Smelting Company (ER&S)

Ranelagh House (Robertson Hotel) Station

Muster Point - BHP Newcastle, 1913-1999

Wongawilli Revisited - 4-1-2022

BHP Kemira Valley Line

Australian Locomotive Rosters: K Class

LRRSA: BHP Fleet Update (Brad Peadon)

Australian Locomotive Rosters

Lithgow State Mine Railway

Check our new Linktree site above for piles of dreary transport entertainment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Click HERE for the travel and aviation blog.





#semiretiredfoamer


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