Steam in Australasia

Australia and New Zealand are really outside my terms of reference and I do not currently intend to carry up-to-date news of the steam scene in those two countries. However, I do get a regular trickle of enquiries and in response I can offer to mount links to sites covering them. Please let me have your recommendations.... If the response is good, then I may start to carry Australasian items with an international dimension (such as news of steam locos imported into Australasia -   updated 9th January 2008). Keep the information coming in!

Since this site is all about working steam, then I could hardly ignore a request to link to http://www.patternsofsteam.com/Photos.html - Shane McCarthy's record of working steam in Australia and New Zealand between 1964 and 1985 (link added 29th June 2007). 

Australia

If you are researching preserved railways and/or operational main line steam for a potential visit I have put up a page listing those sites with a substantial railway museum and/or operational steam which I know about (updated 22nd June 2006). Let me know of any omissions and any links which need adding/correcting. It includes a couple of maps which locate the major steam sites in two of the states, I hope to add more later.

For a site offering information on all the preserved locomotives (allegedly 572 in March 2002) in Australia (and yet more links) check out http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/ews3/  

Separate divisions of the Australian Railway Historical Society have their own web pages.

Australian Capital Territory www.arhsact.org.au (corrected 22nd June 2006)
New South Wales http://www.arhsnsw.com.au/  
Queensland http://www.arhs-qld.org.au/  
South Australia http://www.steamranger.org.au  
Tasmania http://www.railtasmania.com/arhs/  
Victoria http://www.vicnet.net.au/~arhsvic  
Western Australia http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/ (amended 27th September 2007)

For information on the Australian Heritage Fleet check out http://www.seaheritage.asn.au, which operates two steam driven vessels, both 100 years old. The Lady Hopetoun is a VIP Steam Launch and the Waratah is a coastal steam tug. They are also restoring the John Oxley, a costal Pilot vessel with twin boilers. The Lady Hopetoun and the Waratah are coal fired, and the John Oxley was converted to oil firing before they took possession of her. (Information added 4th November 2002)

New Zealand

If you are researching preserved railways for a potential visit I have put up a page listing those sites with operational steam (latest update 20th February 2006) which I know about (updated 1st November 2002). Let me know of any omissions and any links which need adding. It includes a couple of maps which locate the major steam sites in the country. I visited New Zealand in October 2002 and additional information is included in my report (updated 29th October 2002). I am under extreme pressure for space on my site and many of the pictures will be squeezed out in due course. Read/save it while it is all there!

If you don't know your J from your K, let alone your Ab, I have posted a brief introduction to the country's mainline steam. It is NOT meant to be definitive!

For me the most attractive part of the steam scene in New Zealand are the various 'Bush Lokeys', both imported and homemade. Check out http://www.trainweb.org/nzgearedlocomotives/index.html which gives information on geared locomotives. (Added 11th November 2002)

Otherwise, perhaps the key web page for the country is that of the National Federation of Rail Societies in New Zealand http://www.railfed.org.nz/. There is a list of member groups with links to those with their own web sites on http://www.railfed.org.nz/groups/index.html  

For information on steam power in general and railway museums not listed here, see http://www.nzmuseums.co.nz.

Perhaps the most well known attractions are:

The Railway Enthusiasts Society Inc (Auckland, incorporating The Glenbrook Vintage Railway) http://www.railfan.org.nz/  

The Mainline Steam Trust (Wellington) www.mainlinesteam.co.nz

Steam Incorporated, Paerkakakiri (Wellington) http://www.steaminc.org.nz/ 

The Kingston Flyer (Southland) -  http://www.kingstonflyer.co.nz/ 

A long established organisation which publishes its own books is the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society http://www.railsoc.org.nz/  

My good friend John Raby was in New Zealand for some time and did some investigating ... Try http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.raby1/nz.html.

Glenbrook Vintage Railway Silver Jubilee Celebrations Video

Details at: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.raby1/nz.html

Filmed at the 5-day Glenbrook Vintage Railway Silver Jubilee Celebrations over the Easter weekend 2002. This video provides a useful and attractive introduction to preserved New Zealand Cape gauge (3ft 6in) steam locomotives including the mega-spectacle of triple headed J class 4-8-2 locos featuring a J, a Ja and a Jb. On Easter Sunday, a streamlined J worked a special train from Auckland to Glenbrook over the Mission Bush branch. See http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.raby1/nz.html for details of the event (with a map for car chasers).

Imported steam locomotives...

New Zealand and (parts of) Australia share a common gauge with southern Africa and this has led to a number of locomotives being bought for further operation:

These are documented as follows as well as those of other gauges....:

Overseas Steam in Australia (updated 26th August 2002)

Overseas Steam in New Zealand (updated 9th January 2008)

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