This is the station the historic maldon castlemaine steam train leaves from so if you time it well, you can see the steam train depart or arrive, which is exciting for the children. Best train driver experiences melbourne weekendnotes. Enjoy an excursion to the railways, ride a steam train and youll take in the sights, sounds and smells of these majestic locomotives. A one way journey takes 45 minutes and is mostly through boxironbark forest. The ultimate steam train experience driving package. Steam experience course heritage railway and steam train. Take your steam train experience to the next level. Driver experience day k190 victorian goldfields railway. After lunch with the crew, its time to climb back in to the drivers seat for the return journey to maldon. There can be no better or more memorable surprise than to fulfil a childhood ambition and take to the footplate of one of our steam or diesel locomotives. Authentic steam era experience appeals to all ages.
Ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, corporate gifts or team building with a difference. Following the near sellout of our driver experience days for both steam and diesel trains, we are delighted to announce that some additional dates have now been added. This unique experience to drive along our 6 mile railway, restored and relaid after a 30 year battle is. Experience one of the scheduled ales on rails trips in the months ahead, starting this saturday. Steamrail maldon experience vgr picnic at muckleford. The train will depart from southern cross and stop at selected suburban stations to pick up passengers. Giving you plenty of time to enjoy the train ride from the comfort of a carriage as well as experiencing the adrenalin of the locomotive. Additionally, the railway offers driver experiences, where customers can drive a locomotive and footplate experiences where you can. Be a train driver for a day near melbourne ellaslist. Driving experiences mid hants railway ltd watercress line. A day out on our railway learning how to drive a steam or diesel locomotive is an ideal gift for a friend or relative, or indeed for yourself. The bellarine railway start your journey with us here.
Half and full day goldfield towns tour, tour, goldfields. Driver experience days gloucestershire warwickshire. A go2000 sightseeing tour to the old gold towns with an option of a half day or a full day tour. The victorian goldfields railway runs regular steam trains along the branch line. It is a wonderful experience which you cant recreate with a camera.
The jewel in our crown is the lilleshall triple expansion steam pump now back on steam after 50 years. The staff were wonderful and the whole experience is something i would recommend to anyone who has a dream to drive a steam loco for real. Vgr page 22 preservation and tourist railways forums. On tuesday september 10th the vgr ran a special train. Castlemaine maldon steam train drive 17 november 2019 19 nov 2019 3. This authentic steam era train experience links the historic gold mining towns of.
In recent years, all our steam and diesel driving courses have sold out within a few weeks of being advertised. Opened in 1884, this is the last remaining fully operational branch line as used to open up rural victoria in the late 19th century. Bmw drivers club melbourne castlemaine maldon steam. Maldon railway station 2020 all you need to know before. You will be one on one with the driver, as participants you will help clean and prepare the loco before firing it up and taking it for a spin. There we will join the 12pm service to ride in a first class lounge car with bar and snacks available at your cost behind a steam loco to maldon, arriving at 12.
Whether its a steam or diesel loco, railway fans will love the chance to be the one up there in the cab operating the train. New steam and diesel footplate experience days added. We did the maldon to castlemaine run today on the steam train. See our drive a train pages for more information, and book. Driver and signal box experiences epping ongar railway. This steam train will take you back to the time when it was possible to change trains at castlemaine for a branch line trip to maldon. Select a journey day out with thomas events and specials heritage train service train driver experiences if you cannot find what you are looking for please call us on 03 5258 2069 or send an. The halfway point is muckleford station, a tiny little shack in an open field. The victorian goldfields railway is an authentic heritage stream train experience which links the historic gold rush towns of maldon and castlemaine. The victorian goldfields railway is a 1,600 mm 5 ft 3 in broad gauge tourist railway in victoria, australia.
A wonderful train experience for my retirement from mainstream railway operations, my colleagues bought me an experience day at loughborough driving a classic steam. Victorian goldfields railway castlemaine 2020 all you need to. Take your pick from the various courses and sign up today. The train station is, understandably, just outside the town centre but there several lunch spots in. The victorian goldfields railway offers a unique driver experience train where everyday visitors can drive a mighty steam or diesel locomotive along 17km of a. With so much to see and do in this beautiful old goldrush town, grab your coat, hit the road and experience our fun activities, warm fires, old cottages, great food, wonderful speciality shops, steam train rides, and the annual art show. After growing up having christmas in maldon, we went back to spend some time going on the steam train was a highlight of our time in maldon, we did the trip to castlemaine on the oldest carriage standing on the deck was amazing see how much the train and carriages jump around. We can now offer you the opportunity to drive an engine from our home fleet, getting a truly authentic. Steam train driver experience bucket list experience. Once you arrive into maldon, you can either jump on the free shuttle into the town, or. You can also book your old style train tickets for the steam train at this station. Running between castlemaine and maldon, this tourist operates a number of j and k class steam locomotives, as well as diesels.
Simply put, driving a train is a mustdo experience that realises all those childhood train driver dreams. Driver experience day k190 victorian goldfields railway australian trains. J515 leads the driver experience train towards maldon 24 august 20 16. This locomotive was numbered 861 and consequently the driver experience is referred to as the 861 footplate experience course. The goldfields railway links maldon with castlemaine. I had a group of 44 probus members traveling from castlemaine to maldon on the steam train. Have you or someone you know ever dreamt of driving a steam or diesel train. The perfect gift for family, friends or colleagues. Victorian goldfields railway can assist you with these gift ideas. These hugely popular courses enable you to take part in the experience of a lifetime and relive the golden age of steam. Will the d3 be part of the roster for the drive a steam train experience days at the vgr. Travel in first class of yesteryear, take a ride in the locomotive and drive the train or join one of the special events held on the steam train. The victorian goldfields railway links the two history rich towns of maldon and castlemaine, travelling through boxiron bark forest, a beautiful region in which has seen some of the richest gold mining in australia.
Drive a steam train train driving experiences into the. Or will it remain just with the vgrs own locomotives. Maldon rail and gold for 2 our maldon steam and gold package offers a unique rail experience, of a time when the journey was as important as the destination. The victorian goldfields railway runs regular steam trains along the branch line from maldon to castlemaine and return every sunday and wednesday. A great gift for everyone over the age of 18 years. Why not take a drive out to central victoria this weekend, through goldfield territory and experience the wonders of steam train travel. Does someone you know always had a dream to drive a real live train to feel the power of a heritage locomotive in their own hands and experience the wonder of the steam era. All the sights, sounds and atmosphere of an authentic steam train journey will take you back to another era when steam ruled the rails. Our two steam locomotives r711 and r761 will work hard. You can ride in edwardian elegance in the parlour car and art deco sophistication in the pullman club car which is airconditioned for your comfort. Steam train driver experience the bellarine railway. Also for the keen explorer, get the additional option to ride with the driver up front. Lunch will be provided for you and your partner and can be provided for guests for a nominal fee.
If you have a passion for steam trains then this experience gets you up close and personal. We can see the steam puffing up into the sky from our lounge room window and hear that satisfying chug that only steam trains make, the kind of sound kids used to mimic trains 50 years ago, and strangely enough still do today, even though the notion of choochoo trains died with steam back in the 1960s. Have you ever dreamt about taking to the footplate of a steam or diesel locomotive, feeling the power of the engine as it hauls a train along a full size railway. J549 came rolling down into castlemaine with a lengthy train made up of the current driver experience train, 3 or 4 e cars and a zl on the back. Fulfil your childhood dream drive a steam locomotive.
Sample the best local brews on board a vintage steam train, as it travels through the countryside from castlemaine to maldon. J549 arrives in maldon with a driver experience and passes k190 on the colonial express. Maldon s winter festival has events that the whole family can enjoy. After turning the locomotive on castlemaine turntable, youll enjoy a relaxing lunch with the crew before driving the train back to maldon. Of course in order to run a driver experience for our motley crew of volunteers you need a train crew and driver john and fireman john on the footplate were ably assisted by board member dave doing the guard duties while fighting off the dreaded lurgy and vgr young volunteers group member adisson in the signal box. An information pack with full details will be posted to you upon booking. Experience the thrill of travelling on the footplate with the driver and see how steam trains captivate the imagination of everyone. Get up close and personal and experience the thrill of travelling on the footplate with the. Opened in 1884 this is the last remaining fully operational branch line as used to open up rural victoria in the late 19th century. For the half day tour highlights can include creswick, the creswick wool mill, some original old mining areas, the australasia mine disaster, townships of daylesford, hepburn springs where you can taste the natural mineral water, clunes, talbot and learmonth.
The idea was of course suggested by our workshop manager mick and was conceived as a driver experience to say thank you to someone who has done a mountain of hours days weeks of volunteer work in the workshop over the last 7 or so years. If you would like an extra special behind the scenes experience, theres the opportunity to ride with the driver to get a close up look at the train operations additional fee and prebooking is required. An authentic steam train running between maldon and castlemaine. As if that isnt just a little bit special, this steam train is red. At castlemaine, youll have the chance to assist the signalman while the locomotive changes ends. The puffing billy railway offers train driver experiences in a 120 year old steam engine, a couliett locomotive built in 1886 for use in paris. A notforprofit, volunteer run organisation offering steam train rides, train driver experiences, group charters, as well as family events and specials.
Once you arrive into maldon, you can either jump on the free shuttle into the town. Steam train trips are available every sunday and wednesday. We offer a variety of experiences to suit your budget, interest and requirements from footplate rides to half and full day experiences driving a steam locomotive. You will drive our steam locomotive, be a fireman and find out how it all works all under the instruction and watchful eye of our qualified footplate crew.
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