ROBERT Wheatley had more reason than most to be interested in how the Bathurst Rail Museum turned out.
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That's because the railway enthusiast from Wentworth Falls, and his brother Bruce, supplied the evocative photographs projected on to the walls that are a feature of the new museum.
The Wheatley brothers were at the museum's opening last Friday night and its first official day of operation last Saturday.
And the verdict?
"The museum is on a human level; it's not too institutional," Mr Wheatley said.
"Because it celebrates local people, we felt very honoured to have our photographs on display and projected."
READ ALSO: A sneak peek as the museum prepares to open
The Wheatleys have self-published their photographs of the state's steam engine era in the 1960s in a series of books.
"My brother and I travelled all around the state, including the Central West, photographing the last three years of the steam engines operating," Mr Wheatley said.
So their photographs, he said, were taken from the perspective of the railway workers, "as distinct from just standing trackside and observing the train passing".
The Wheatleys' involvement with the museum came through Bathurst Rail Museum project co-ordinator Ben O'Regan.
"He approached us," Mr Wheatley said. "He wanted the human element of the railways to be put forward and celebrated."
The $5 million Bathurst Rail Museum, which was under construction for around 15 months, includes a HO scale model layout (of the line between Tarana and Bathurst) the size of a tennis court with a light and audio visual display, a historic train carriage, and a dedicated children's learning and play space.
Mr Wheatley can see the museum appealing to a range of visitors.
"Those people who have a sense of history, who like to preserve history, will enjoy the museum," he said. "It's part of our railway transport heritage.
"But even if you just want the kiddies to play with the toy trains, you want to see the beautiful model train display or observe projected images up on the wall, anyone will be able to spend a profitable few hours enjoying the museum."
