Timetable
TIME
DIRECTION
LOCOMOTIVES
9.00am
Buxton
3001
9.30am
Picton
3526/4201
10.10am
Buxton
3001
10.45AM
Picton
3526/4201
11.20AM
Buxton
3001
12.00 PM
Picton
3526/4201
12.30PM
Buxton
3001
1.05PM
Picton
3526/4201
2.15PM
Buxton
3001
2.45PM
Picton
3526/4201
3.20PM
Buxton
3001
3.50PM
Picton
3526/4201
6.00PM
Picton Night Train (Sat. Only)
3001 + 3526 / 4201
7.10PM
Picton Night Train (Sat. Only)
3001 + 3526 / 4201
locomotives
LOCOMOTIVe 3001
Locomotive 3001 began life in 1903 as S 636, the first of 145 engines in the S class (later C30 class) 4-6-4 suburban tank locomotives. They were built by Beyer, Peacock and Co. in Manchester, UK. 3001 received its new number in 1924. After electrification of Sydney’s suburban railways from 1926, the career path of 3001 took a new course.
3001 was one of 77 C30 class tanks rebuilt as 4-6-0 tender locomotives between 1928 and 1933. The newly converted engines were reclassified as C30T, and 3001 was one of the last to be rebuilt.
Redeployed into rural service, the rebuilt engines were just as successful in the bush as they had been in Sydney’s suburbs. The class were modernised during World War II by being fitted with superheaters. These reheat steam, giving it greater energy and allowing it to perform more work, and they improved the economy of each engine by around 10 per cent.
For many years, until as late as 1967, 3001 was a regular performer on the Mudgee Mail four days a week between Mudgee and Gwabegar.
The C30Ts were so good at their ‘jobs’, that some survived in service until 1972.
3001 remained a working locomotive in heritage service until 1996. It has recently undergone a three-year restoration, forming part of THNSW’s operational heritage train fleet from March 2023.
LOCOMOTIVe 3526
Reclassified as the 35 class during the 1924 renumbering program, these locomotives were originally known as the NN class, which gave rise to the nickname ‘Nanny’. Built in 1917, 3526’s original number was 1314.
The 35 class 4-6-0 locomotives were built by the NSW Government Railways (NSWGR) at their workshops at Eveleigh. Coincidentally, there were 35 engines in the 35 class. They were intended to reduce the amount of 'double-heading' required for main line express trains following the introduction of heavy, twelve-wheeled corridor compartment cars.
Teething problems with the new design were overcome by several modifications throughout their service (including re-framing and re-balancing the driving wheels), seeing them develop into solid performers. The original cabs were replaced to provide the crew greater protection against the weather.
With the advent of the 36 and later the 38 classes, the 35s spent the greater part of their lives on northern services.
Withdrawn in 1967, locomotive 3526 in that year became the first exhibit to be painted by the NSW Rail Transport Museum, forerunner of Transport Heritage NSW. 3526 is one of the few NSW locomotives to have been painted in blue livery for a time, while hauling the Caves Express services from Sydney to Mount Victoria in the 1930s. Following a major overhaul completed in 2018, it now appears in Brunswick Green livery with red and yellow trim.
LOCOMOTIVe 2705
2705 was one of eight built by Hunslet for use in railway construction on the North Coast of NSW and in the south of the state. Their roles soon expanded at various locations in NSW including Port Waratah coal traffic, local goods trains at Enfield and Eveleigh and local work in the Lismore region.
They were soon found to be unsuitable for lines which included sharp curves. They were thus transferred to Narrabri West locomotive depot in the North West of the state, an area which featured relatively straight branch lines. There, they worked mixed goods traffic and stock trains in the Moree, Pokataroo, Walgett, Mungindi and Boggabilla areas.
2705 is the sole survivor of its class. It served on the Vintage Train in the early 1960s for tourist and promotional events, before becoming part of the collection of the NSW RTM - predecessor of Transport Heritage NSW. It served faithfully on the Loop Line at NSW Rail Museum in Thirlmere for many years until the end of 2022.
It returned to service earlier this year, wearing a new bright red livery.
Locomotive 2705 will be on display for cab visits at the NSW Rail Museum forecourt.
