For Coasties living close to the railway line between Gosford and the Hawkesbury River, it was hard not to raise a smile over the weekend of July 6-7.
The evocative sounds of a steam train whistle stirred up memories of a bygone era as the Beyer-Garratt 6029, Australia’s largest operating steam engine, dropped by.
Part of the Transport Heritage NSW fleet since 2022 and once a frequent sight on the Newcastle/Central Coast railway line, the train returned to the Coast to take about 3,600 passengers on a picturesque journey along the Brisbane Water and the Hawkesbury River, as part of Transport Heritage NSW’s Gosford Steam Weekend.
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said the giant of the steam era was a wonderful sight to behold.
“It was such a delight to see thousands of locals and visitors of all ages flocking to Gosford and climbing aboard to take part in this magical rail experience which appeals to the young and of course the young at heart,” she said.
“As the Beyer-Garratt huffed and puffed and wound its way along our beautiful waterside railway line, being aboard this esteemed locomotive was an experience that thousands will never forget.
“It was fantastic to see this locomotive being enjoyed by Coasties and visitors to the Coast who came from far and wide for this special day out.
“A special shout out goes to the fantastic volunteers and crew who made this day possible.
“The passion of the volunteers for our heritage fleet shone through in the smiles of every team member on the day.
“We loved riding the 6029 from the NSW Heritage Fleet so much that we would love to see it back here every year.
“I will be speaking to the Minister for Transport, who I represented on the day, about how we can work to bring the 6029 back again and again.”
The Beyer-Garratt 6029 was among a class of steam locomotives that were the very last to run in regular operation on the NSW Government Railways (or Department of Railways as it became known after the 1930s).
The locomotive is operated by Transport Heritage NSW which receives ongoing funding from the NSW Government (Transport for NSW) to operate and maintain the state’s operational heritage fleet as well as the broader transport heritage collection.
