Historic Geelong Steam Locomotives to Return 

As a result of negotiations with the Puffing Billy Railway, The Bellarine Railway at Queenscliff is delighted to announce that three steam locomotives will shortly be moved from the Puffing Billy Museum at Menzies Creek near Melbourne, to the Geelong region. 

What is important to Geelong is that two of these locomotives, including a unique Beyer Garratt locomotive built in the UK in 1938, spent all their working lives on the former Australian Portland Cement Works Railway at Fyansford. When this railway closed in 1966, the fleet of steam locomotives was placed into museums and one into a park.

The Geelong Steam Preservation Society received two of the locomotives, and has made it a goal for many years to acquire the other ex-Fyansford locomotives and preserve and operate the entire collection on The Bellarine Railway, therefore ensuring that these important ties to Geelong’s Industrial Heritage were actively preserved in the region. The acquisition of the two locomotives from Puffing Billy increases The Bellarine Railway collection to five of the remaining six original Fyansford steam locomotives. The remaining sixth locomotive is at the Williamstown Railway Museum. 

It is believed that The Bellarine Railway now has one of the largest intact collections of industrial steam locomotives from one original owning company, in Australia. 

President of The Bellarine Railway Mr Andrew Bridger said “We are very excited about these acquisitions and the opportunity to return these engines to the Geelong region – this is a great coup”. He further stated that” The challenge we face in the short term is raising the funds to relocate the locomotives, and we hope that Geelong businesses and residents, will recognise the significance of this event and its significance to Geelong’s heritage, and provide either financial or in kind assistance. It would be great is someone with a low loader came forward to assist move the locomotives. The sight of a steam locomotive rolling down the freeway back home to Geelong would make a memorable sight.”  

The third locomotive is also a very significant as it was imported from England in 1919 and worked at the BHP Smelters at Port Pirie in South Australia. This locomotive is named “Pozieres” in memory of the ANZACs who fell in the terrible battle of that name in France during the Great War. 

Mr Bridger said that The Bellarine Railway was also indebted to the support for this acquisition which was provided by Lisa Neville MP and Geelong Mayor Cr John Mitchell, and of course the volunteers of the Puffing Billy Railway and its Museum. 

The railway plans to immediately survey the locomotives.

Now for the challenge! 

We have prepared a draft restoration plan which will see each locomotive thoroughly surveyed so we know what work is involved. Once this has been completed we shall then decide the restoration priority, although it is hoped by many that the first loco to be done will be the Garratt as its size make it a general service locomotive, and its uniqueness will provide further benefit. 

Initial estimates are that we need $20000 to move the locomotives, unless a benevolent sponsor with a low-loader can be found. 

We know it may be hard in these tough times to put spare cash towards steam locomotives, but we ask all members to spread the word far and wide and assist us with raising the funds needed for this unique project.  Remember a donation to the Geelong Steam Preservation Society Museum Fund is fully tax deductable. 

Anyone who wishes to support this project can contact The Bellarine Railway on 52582069 or click here. 

Many thanks in advance 

The Board of the Geelong Steam Preservation Society  - The Bellarine Railway

2-6-0 0-6-2 Beyer Garratt No 2 built by Beyer Peacock in 1938

0-4-0 Perry No 11 built in 1924

0-6-0 Pozieres built by Andrew Barclay in 1919

Already we have Vulcan No4 and Hudswell Clarke No6 in regular operation, and work is well under way with the overhaul of Vulcan No5.