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'The Don River Railway's MA 2 Pacific class' steam locomotive' posted by Doug Kirkpatrick


'This is me loading up the firebox with shovel loads of coal (August 1994)' posted by Doug Kirkpatrick


'Travelling in style - painters cap not exactly  'historic uniform' but it did the job' posted by Doug Kirkpatrick


Riding into history on a vintage train in Tasmania

an experience of holidays

On Tasmania's northwest coast is a wonderful preservation railway called the Don River Railway. I spent a few years there in my youth as a volunteer with a team of like minded people building tracks, restoring carriages, firing steam locomotives, clicking tickets, running trains and making sure rail heritage in Tasmania survived for future generations.
 
The one experience I always remember about the trains of the Don River Railway was the wonderfully clear Tasmanian air blowing gently through the gum trees alongside the Don River, mixing the scent of Eucalypts with the sweet tinge of coal smoke from the engine.
 
I worked at the Don River Railway when it was run entirely by volunteers. But times have changed, the operations has grown and now it's operated by a mix of staff and volunteers.
 
In fact, it's become such a successful tourist destination the railway runs mainline trips now boasts it's own post office. Yep - you can go to the Don River Railway to post a letter.
 
Thirty years ago we built the tracks with shovels and dog-hammers to drive home the dog spikes. Now, they've got pneumatic machinery to handle the job. A good thing as there's so much work to do to reclaim and recover lost locomotives and quaint carriages before they're all blighted by rot and scrap-metal recycling.
 
If you're in Tasmania, call in and take a ride into history. The Don River Railways runs vintage steam and diesel trains seven days. And the museum and workshop complex offer an extraordinary experience of the complex work of building, maintaining and running trains.
 

 
Thanks to
Doug Kirkpatrick
from Melbourne
on 25/06/2008 send a message to Doug Kirkpatrick

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