The Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum in Dorrigo, New South Wales, Australia is a large, privately owned collection of railway vehicles and equipment from the railways of New South Wales, covering both Government and private railways. The collection dates from 1878 until 1985.Exhibit List No 39 Dorrigo Steam & Railway Museum 17 April 2013
Status The museum was opened very briefly in 1986, but has been described as "not yet open to the public" ever since.
History The museum's origins stem from the formation of the Hunter Valley Steam Railway & Museum in 1973 which was formed following the closure of the Glenreagh to Dorrigo branch line the previous year with the aim of restoring the as a tourist railway. Much of the rolling stock was stored at the former Rhondda Colliery, from Cockle Creek while the line was repaired.An Operating Museum for the Hunter Valley Railway Digest August 1973 page 11Hunter Valley Steam Railway & Museum Continental Railway Journal issue 25 March 1976 page 404 It was renamed the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum in 1982.Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum Continental Railway Journal issue 55 September 1983 page 181
On 20 December 1984, the section from Glenreagh to Lowanna was reopened with 5069 hauling the first train.Dorrigo Reopens Railway Digest March 1985 page 82 On 5 April 1986 the line was opened through to Dorrigo, with a steam hauled service hauled by 3028 and 5069, operating the first service over the final from Megan through to the terminus with 300 members on board.Dorrigo Re-opened Railway Digest July 1986Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum Continental Railway Journal issue 68 December 1986 page 228 At this stage the line still needed further work before trains could operate on it regularly. This was completed in October 1986.Dorrigo's Army Railway Digest November 1986 page 336
However, before operations could begin, a faction within the museum's membership commenced legal action over the ownership of the collection and the line fell back into a state of disrepair.Dorrigo court case dismissed Railway Digest July 1991 page 229 The dispute was finally resolved in February 1999 with the Glenreagh to Ulong section of the line sold to the Glenreagh Mountain Railway and the Ulong to Dorrigo section sold to the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum.Dorrigo Line Breakthrough Railway Digest March 1999 page 15 By 2017, it had the largest private collection in the southern hemisphere with 75 locomotives, 19 railmotors and 280 carriages and wagons.A day out at the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum Railway Digest August 2017 pages 46-50
Preservation Ex-NSWGR Steam LocomotivesNo.DescriptionManufacturerYearLocationStatusRef 1904 0-6-0 passenger Beyer, Peacock & Company1877 Dorrigostored 2414 2-6-0 goodsDübs & Company1891 Dorrigostored 2535 2-6-0 passenger Beyer, Peacock & Company1883 Dorrigostored 3028 4-6-0 mixed trafficBeyer, Peacock & Company1904 Dorrigostored3028T australiansteam.com 3046 4-6-4T passenger Beyer, Peacock & Company1908 Dorrigostored3046 australiansteam.com 3813 4-6-2 express passengerCardiff Locomotive Workshops1946 Dorrigo parts only 5069 2-8-0 passenger Beyer, Peacock & Company1903 Dorrigostored 5132 2-8-0 goodsClyde Engineering1909 Dorrigostored 5353 2-8-0 goodsClyde Engineering1913 Dorrigostored ROD 20 2-8-0 North British Locomotive Company1918 Dorrigostatic display ROD 24 2-8-0 Gorton Locomotive Works1918 Dorrigostatic display 5920 2-8-2 goodsBaldwin Locomotive Works1953 Dorrigostored 6039 4-8-4+4-8-4 goodsBeyer, Peacock & Company1956 Dorrigostored 6042 4-8-4+4-8-4 goodsBeyer, Peacock & Company1956 ForbesstoredLandlocked giant left to rust in peace Track & Signal November 2019 pages 86/87 Ex-Private Steam LocomotivesNo.DescriptionManufacturerYearIn service RailwayLocationStatusRef Juno 0-4-0ST Andrew Barclay Sons & Co1923 Commonwealth Steel Co Dorrigostored Bristol Bomber 0-6-0ST Avonside Engine Company 1922 J & A Brown Dorrigo stored 30-6-0ST Kitson & Company1878J & A Brown Dorrigostored 3 0-6-0T Andrew Barclay Sons & Co1911Blue Circle Southern Cement Dorrigostored 4 0-4-0T HK Porter1915Commonwealth Steel Co Dorrigostored 5 0-6-0T Andrew Barclay Sons & Co1916Blue Circle Southern Cement Dorrigostored Corby 0-4-0ST Peckett & Sons1943Tubemakers of Australia Dorrigostored Marian 0-4-0ST Andrew Barclay Sons & Co1948John Lysaght Dorrigostored Badger 0-6-0ST Australian Iron & Steel1943Australian Iron & Steel Dorrigostored SMR 14 0-8-2T Avonside Engine Company1909South Maitland Railway Dorrigostored N/A 0-4-0 Appleby1900Hexham Engineering Dorrigostored SMR 17 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored SMR 20 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored SMR 23 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored SMR 26 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored SMR 27 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored SMR 28 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored SMR 31 2-8-2T Beyer, Peacock & Company1915South Maitland Railways Dorrigostored
Other locomotives 42 class diesel locomotive 4206 421 class diesel locomotive 42102 44 class diesel locomotive 4420 45 class diesel locomotive 4521 46 class electric locomotive 4602 47 class diesel locomotive 4706 48 class diesel locomotive 4822 49 class diesel locomotive 4918 70 class diesel hydraulic locomotive 7007, 7008, 7010 73 class diesel hydraulic locomotive 7329, 7335 85 class electric locomotive 8507 86 class electric locomotive 8601, 8650 BHP D9 class diesel locomotive D11
Electric Multiple Units
U set Motor car CF5004 U set Motor car CF5024 Standard Motor car C3167 Tulloch double deck trailer T4840
References
External links Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum 360 Aerial Panorama NSWRail.net