The Last Train …

Please come and join members of the Tasmanian Transport Museum to record the last train to leave Hobart as it passes through Glenorchy this Sunday (today).

Tasmania’s newest locomotives are escorted by one of Australia’s oldest operating steam locomotives as they pass by the Museum for the last time.

When: Sunday 22nd June at approximately 1.45pm

Where: Transport Museum, Anfield St, Glenorchy. (adjacent to King George V Oval/Glenorchy Football Club

What: Steam locomotive C22, built in 1902, and a short vintage goods train will run alongside the Tasrail train as it travels between Elwick Rd and the Museum (approx. 300 metres)

Please arrive by 1.30pm to be in position as locations are limited. The Tasrail train will not be able to stop because of safety reasons so there will be only one opportunity to record the moment.

After 140 years of rail services into the city of Hobart, Tasrail will schedule the final freight train to leave the Regatta Grounds at 1.30pm this Sunday. Thereafter, the Hobart goods yard will be closed with the land transferred to the Macquarie Point Corporation for redevelopment. Until December 1974, Hobart had an urban passenger service with approximately 35 services a day. Since then, the scope and area of operations has gradually reduced to handling only containerised traffic in a portion of the former yard. From Monday all freight operation will operate from the new hub at Brighton and freight will be handled by road south of that point increasing congestion and traffic on the Brooker Highway.

Members of the Museum are saddened and concerned by these developments as the track that runs from Bridgewater into Hobart will no longer be maintained and will fall into disrepair. Until 2005, the Museum were able to run exhibits on the rail network on special occasions and regularly ran “Suburban Steam Shuttles” between Glenorchy and the Regatta Grounds.

It has always been our wish to resume and continue these operations, however, Tasrail have not been prepared to facilitate this access to ourselves and other Heritage Rail Groups.

At present there is a Feasibility Study being conducted into the viability of heritage and tourist rail services operating on the section of line between Hobart and Bridgewater.. It is hoped that the study will demonstrate that the line should be preserved for heritage and tourist rail services.

So will Tasrail’s last train be end of an era or a new beginning for Tourist and Heritage rail operators?

Later … TasRail expects its last Hobart freight train service to travel through the Hobart Regatta Grounds at 3.30pm today. All future operations will run from the TasRail Brighton Transport Hub. Media are invited to attend the regatta grounds to film/photograph the train on its final journey from Macquarie Point.

What: Last freight train out of Hobart
When: 3.15-3.30pm
Where: Hobart Regatta Grounds grandstand area