The Tasmanian Transport Museum is a transport museum in Glenorchy, Tasmania, Australia preserving and exhibiting a collection relating to Tasmanian transport history including items such as locomotives, carriages, ephemera and railwayana.
History In 1960, the Metropolitan Transport Trust donated a Hobart tram to be preserved, and as a result the Tasmanian Transport Museum Society was founded in 1962, with the aim of preserving representative items of transport interest that were disappearing from everyday life.The Beginnings of Tram Preservation in Hobart Trolley Wire issue 329 May 2012 pages 12/13Tasmanian Transport Museum Society's Golden Anniversary Railway Digest August 2012 page 55
The first decade of the society's existence saw the preservation of many items that had been donated or purchased, and it was not until 1972 that a site adjacent to the railway station in Glenorchy was leased from the Glenorchy City Council. After the laying of track, the first items were moved there in 1976.Tasmanian Transport Museum Society Trolley Wire issue 168 February 1977 pages 19/20
After this time, the museum prospered in building on the site, with an electric traction shed built in 1976, as well as the Steam Technology building in 1983, a carriage shed in 1984 and a roundhouse in 1986. The most recent additions to the museum include a Fire Services shed completed in 2004, and a Road Transport shed completed in 2013.
In 1979, after the cessation of passenger train services in Tasmania, the museum purchased and moved the former New Town railway station building to the site in sections, and this was completed in 1980.Tasmanian Transport Museum Society Trolley Wire issue 188 June 1980 pages 28/29 The museum also acquired a railway turntable from Brighton and a signal cabin from the Botanical Gardens railway halt.
The society has steadily acquired an extensive array of exhibits, relics, models and photographs, that portray many facets of the history of Tasmanian transport. society members also have carried out much of the development work on exhibits and the site, with the State Government being the major financial contributor for capital works, however; membership is small and the society relies mainly on volunteers, due to the financial and time constraints on the museum.
In February 2021, a lease for of the South line from Glenorchy to Berriedale was agreed with the Government of Tasmania.Tasmanian Transport Museum Society Tasmanian Rail News issue 280 April 2018 page 13Tasmania's final home for last built EE diesel The Railway Magazine issue 1446 September 2021 page 110
In May 2023, the society reopened a section of the line between Elwick and Grove roads, allowing for the operation of both steam engines and railcars.Tasmanian Transport Museum preparing to reopen part of the former railway line into Hobart after 9 years of redundancy Tasmanian Transport Museum 1 May 2023Tasmanian Transport Museum to Run Trains Again Tasmanian Times 1 May 2023Tasmanian Transport Museum to reopen part of former Hobart rail line Railway Digest June 2023 page 53
Exhibits All items from this list were attained from
Railway locomotives Number & nameDescriptionHistory & current statusLiveryOwner(s)BuiltAcquiredPhotographC22Mixed traffic, 2-6-0 steam locomotive OperationalTGR blackTasmanian Government Railways19021967Climax B-typeClimax type, B-B steam locomotiveStatically restoredAustralian Newsprint Mills19231977H1Mainline goods, 4-8-2 steam locomotiveStatically restoredTGR greenTasmanian Government Railways19511974M5Mainline passenger, 4-6-2 steam locomotiveOperational (Mainline)TGR greenTasmanian Government Railways19521974Abt No. 2Mount Lyell Loco No 3 Light Railways issue 25 Spring 1968 page 22General purpose, 0-4-2T rack steam locomotive Statically restoredGreenMount Lyell Mining & Railway Company, sold to West Coast Wilderness Railway in 2019Glasgow built rack tank to return to service in Tasmania The Railway Magazine issue 1426 January 2020 page 8818891968Q5Q class locomotive preserved Divisional Diary July 1965 page 16Mainline goods, 4-8-2 steam locomotiveStatically restoredTGR greenTasmanian Government Railways19221965RustonShunting, diesel-mechanical locomotiveOperationalEBR blue and yellowEmu Bay Railway19501998Markham & Co.Vertical BoilerLogging tramway, 0-4-0 steam locomotive Statically restored18891983X1Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 580 February 1986 page 16General purpose, Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotiveOperationalTGR red & creamTasmanian Government Railways19501989Y4General purpose, Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotiveOperational (mainline)TGR red & creamTasmanian Government Railways19641994Za6World's final English Electric locomotive now in safe hands Heritage Railway issue 278 19 March 2021 pages 36/37Co-CoTasRail1976
Railmotors Number & nameDescriptionHistory & current statusLiveryOwner(s)BuiltAcquiredPhotographDP15Country and suburban passenger railmotor Under overhaulTGR green & creamTasmanian Government Railways19391979DP26Articulated country passenger railmotor OperationalTGR red & creamTasmanian Government Railways19501979PT4Driving railmotor trailer StoredTGR red & creamTasmanian Government Railways19391979
Engineering heritage award The museum collection received an Engineering Heritage Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.
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