BATHURST’S train spotters are in for a treat when the nation’s largest operating steam locomotive rolls into town.
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The Beyer-Garratt 6029 was built in Manchester, UK, and first operated by the NSW Government Railways in 1954.
It’s now preserved and operated by the NSW Rail Museum but will be taken out for a series of community steam rides over the long weekend.
The rides will include a day trip from Lithgow to Bathurst on Sunday, September 30.
The 6029 will depart Lithgow at 9.05am and arrive in Bathurst at 10.35am.
While here it will run two 1.5-hour shuttle rides between Bathurst and Tarana, departing Bathurst at 11.25am and 2.15pm.
The locomotive will then leave Bathurst at 4pm for the return trip to Lithgow, with an expected arrival time of 5.50pm.
At one time there were more than 40 Beyer-Garratt freight locomotives in service in NSW.
Its innovative design provided a powerful steam locomotive consisting of leading and trailing locomotive units pivoted either side of a common boiler. Articulation permitted Beyer-Garratt locomotives to traverse tight curves, while spreading the boiler weight across two engine units and provided a lower axle load to allowuse on secondary and lightly-laid routes.
The 6029 was withdrawn from service by New South Wales Government Railways in the 1970s and reserved by the Federal Government as an exhibit for the (then proposed) National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
It was placed in the care of the Australian Railway Historical Society (ACT Division) and remained active on rail tours around Canberra from the mid-1970s.
It was again withdrawn from service in 1981 due to maintenance issues and deteriorating boiler before an appeal was launched in 2007 to raise the funds to fully restore the locomotive.
Restoration was completed in December 2014 with the reboilered 6029 authorised for main line use.
For more information on the 6029 community rides, and to book a seat, go to www.nswrailmuseum.com.au.