BATHURST STEAM WEEKEND
Saturday 10 - Monday 12 June 2023
Proudly supported by
Transport Heritage NSW returns to Bathurst in June with historic former NSW Government Railways steam locomotives 3526 and 3642.
Enjoy a 1.5-hour steam train ride from Bathurst to Wimbledon and return, or a longer half-day experience to Orange and return.
Travel in your choice of open saloon seating or a compartment for up to 6 people. Alternatively, enjoy access to an open viewing platform inside our observation carriage.
Plus, all ticket holders can enjoy 20% off admission to the Bathurst Rail Museum!
Bathurst Steam Train Rides
Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 June 2023
​
Departure times
Departs from Bathurst Station to Wimbledon and return (non-stop): 8.00am, 10.00am, 11.50am, 1.25pm, 2.45pm
​Times are indicative and to be confirmed by email one week prior to departure.
Total journey duration
1.5-hours (non-stop)
Fares
-
Open Saloon Car Single - $35 per person
-
Compartment (for up to 6 people) - $168 per compartment
-
Observation Car Single - $45 per person
​
THNSW members enjoy discounted fares - become a member today!
Blue Mountains & Lithgow Express (one way)
Thursday 8 June 2023
​
Timetable
-
Campbelltown 10:05am
-
Westmead 11:00am
-
Penrith 11:35am
-
Valley Heights – engine service 12:15pm – 12:45pm
Set down stops
-
Katoomba 1:45pm
-
Mount Victoria 2:10pm
-
Lithgow arrive 2:50pm
Times are indicative and to be confirmed by email one week prior to departure.
Fares
-
Open Saloon Car Single - $60 per person
-
Compartment (for up to 6 people) - $255 per compartment
-
Observation Car Single - $85 per person
​
THNSW members enjoy discounted fares - become a member today!
.jpg)
Bathurst Express (one way)
Friday 9 June 2023
​
Timetable
-
Lithgow (dep.) 9:55am
-
Tarana (arr.) 10:55am
-
Tarana (dep.) 11:55am
-
Bathurst (arr.) 1:00pm
Times are indicative and to be confirmed by email one week prior to departure.
Fares
-
From Lithgow - $40 per person
-
From Tarana - $20 per person
​
THNSW members enjoy discounted fares - become a member today!
%20(Instagram%20Post%20(Square))%20(1).png)
Orange Day Train
Monday 12 June 2023
​
Timetable
Bathurst (dep.) 8.00am
Orange (arr.) 10.05am
Orange (dep.) 12.30pm
Bathurst (arr.) 2.40pm
Times are indicative and to be confirmed by email one week prior to departure.
Fares
-
Open Saloon Car Single - $90 per person
-
Compartment (for up to 6 people) - $345 per compartment
-
Observation Car Single - $110 per person
​
THNSW members enjoy discounted fares - become a member today!
CLASSES OF TRAVEL
From the moment you step aboard, you'll be transported into the past. Choose from THREE different seating and on-board service options as follows:
Open saloon seating
Enjoy spacious seating in one of our restored open saloon heritage carriages.
Private compartment
Travel inside a private compartment for up to six (6) people aboard one of our immaculately restored comparment carriages.
Lounge class seating
Travel in Lounge Class and experience the golden era of rail travel with spacious open lounge seating and access to a private observation deck.
ABOUT LOCOMOTIVES 3526 & 3642
Locomotive 3642
Designed to be able to operate non-stop for distances of up to 100 miles (161km), the first of the 36-class entered service in 1925. Nos 1 to 10 were built by the NSW Government Railways at Eveleigh (Redfern, Sydney), while the remaining 65 were constructed by Clyde Engineering.
​
An interesting quirk saw the Clyde-built locomotives finished before the NSWGR built engines, which meant that 3610 was the last of the class to enter service.
​
The 36 class locomotives were originally fitted with round-top boilers, which gave them a somewhat porcine appearance, and this, coupled with difficulties in firing their narrow fireboxes and the regular repairs required to the boilers, led to the nickname ‘Pig’. Most of them were re-boilered with Belpaire fireboxes and given new style cabs to match during their service lives, although the nickname remained.
​
With the 36 class came the introduction to the NSW railways of the ‘turret’ style tenders, which gave the crews better vision when travelling in reverse.
Locomotive 3642 entered traffic in January 1926 and was withdrawn from active service in November 1969 before being retained for the NSW Rail Museum.
​
Locomotive 3642 is set to be overhauled in the near future, so it can continue to support heritage train experiences. In the meantime, 3642 is maintained in operational condition so the engine can be utilised for occasional events, including the Bathurst Steam Weekend.
Locomotive 3526
Reclassified as the 35 class during the 1924 renumbering program, these locomotives were originally known as the NN class, giving rise to the nickname 'Nanny'.
​
Built in 1917, 3526's original number was 1314.
​
The 35 class 4-6-0 locomotives were built by the NSW Government Railways (NSWGR) at their workshops at Eveleigh. Coincidentally, there were 35 engines in the 35 class. They were intended to reduce the amount of 'double-heading' required for main line express trains following the introduction of heavy, twelve-wheeled corridor compartment cars.
​
Teething problems with the new design were overcome by several modifications throughout their service (including re-framing and re-balancing the driving wheels), seeing them develop into solid performers. The original cabs were replaced to provide the crew greater protection against the weather.
​
With the advent of the 36 and later the 38 classes, the 35s spent the greater part of their lives on northern services.
​
Withdrawn in 1967, locomotive 3526 in that year became the first exhibit to be painted by the NSW Rail Transport Museum, forerunner of Transport Heritage NSW. 3526 is one of the few NSW locomotives to have been painted in blue livery for a time, while hauling the Caves Express services from Sydney to Mount Victoria in the 1930s. Following a major overhaul completed in 2018, it now appears in Brunswick Green livery with red and yellow trim.
Steve Burrows