Hunter Valley Steamfest

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Hunter Valley Steamfest
3237 steamfest 2009.JPG
3237 at Maitland station in April 2009
Begins13 April 2024
Ends14 April 2024
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s) Maitland, New South Wales
Years active35
Inaugurated19-20 April 1986
Most recent29-30 April 2023
Attendance50,000 (2017)
Website www.steamfest.com.au

The Hunter Valley Steamfest is one of the major events in the New South Wales steam locomotive season and also one of the major events held in Maitland, in the Hunter Region. Held over two days in April, it is usually attended by steam locomotives from the Canberra Railway Museum, NSW Rail Museum and East Coast Heritage Rail (3801 Ltd) and railmotors from the Rail Motor Society.

Contents

History

SMR 10 at Maitland station in April 2005 SMR10 steamfest 2006.jpg
SMR 10 at Maitland station in April 2005
3265 at Maitland station in April 2010 3265 Steamfest.jpg
3265 at Maitland station in April 2010
* 3016 at Maitland station in April 2017 3016 at Maitland in April 2017.jpg
* 3016 at Maitland station in April 2017

The first Hunter Valley Steamfest was held in April 1986 to commemorate the days of steam, three years after steam operations on the South Maitland Railway ceased. [1] [2] In 2017, Steamfest attracted 50,000 visitors. [3]

The 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2022 event was cancelled due to flooding at Maitland. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Locomotives

Hunter Valley Steamfest has seen different locomotives from over six different preservation organisations within New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, including one from the United Kingdom.

This list contains the locomotives that have attended the Hunter Valley Steamfest:

South Maitland Railway

Richmond Vale Railway

Ex New South Wales Government Railways

Ex British Railways

Ex Victorian Railways

Excursions

During the Steamfest, trips to Broadmeadow, Branxton, Singleton, Paterson, Dungog and Newcastle Interchange have been operated by steam and/or preserved rail motors. [9] [10] The Sunday Barrington Bullet used to travel to Dungog, then to Stroud Road loop and return. In 2015, a new trip to Port Waratah, using the balloon loop there, was introduced. [11] A trip to and round the colliery loading balloon loop at Camberwell had been added by 2023.

In the early years of the festival, steam hauled charters brought passengers to the event but this is no longer the case with the locomotives and rolling stock moving to the festival empty. In 1986 two trips from Sydney Central and another from Blacktown operated. [12] In recent years passengers have able to travel on the stock movement from Picton to Maitland, albeit on the Friday before and Monday after the festival. [13] [14]

The Great Train Race

The Great Race 2016 - Leaders Steamfest2016 (03).jpg
The Great Race 2016 - Leaders
The Great Race 2016 - Outsiders Steamfest2016 (01).jpg
The Great Race 2016 - Outsiders

One of the excursions involves a race between one or more steam locomotives and one or more de Havilland Tiger Moths. In 2010, a triple parallel of 3265, 3642 and 3526 was organised taking months of planning. The locomotives raced against three Tiger Moths [15] and winner of the race was the oldest locomotive in the race, 3265. [16] A Tiger Moth eventually won the race for the first time in 2012. [17] In 2016, the race was between four trains and four Tiger Moths. [18] [19] In 2023, the quadruple parallel run was held again to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Steamfest. [20] [21]

In 2004, Hunter Valley Steamfest received its own ground at the intersection of Church Street and the New England Highway adjacent to Maitland station. The ground is called Maitland Steamfest Rally Ground and is managed by Maitland Steam and Antique Machinery Association. Steam traction engines and portable steam appliances are stored, maintained and refurbished by volunteers on site. Traction engines are also run onsite and driven on local roads in the Maitland area. Events and displays provided by the association have included traction engines, portable steam appliances and equipment, road steam equipment, mini train rides (provided by the Lake Macquarie Live Steam group), vintage machinery, interpretive tours and static displays. Maitland Steam and Antique Machinery Association also provide event management and catering at Hunter Valley Steamfest and other events hosted at the Maitland Steamfest Rally Ground including Maitland Motor Heritage and Steam Fair and the Annual Postie Bike Rally. [22]

Maitland Park plays host for the "Show 'n Shine car expo" where hundreds of vintage, veteran and classic cars are on display. The car expo is held on the Sunday during Steamfest. [23] [24]

As part of Steamfest, the Richmond Vale Railway Museum south of Kurri Kurri used to be (but no longer is) open to the public with tours provided on the museum's own operational steam locomotive and with other steam related machines on site. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales C38 class locomotive</span> Class of Australian 4-6-2 locomotives

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Singleton railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the town of Singleton. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSW Rail Museum</span> Railway museum in New South Wales, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maitland railway station</span> Railway station in New South Wales, Australia

Maitland railway station is located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the city of Maitland opening on in 1880 as West Maitland being renamed on 1 April 1949. It is the junction station for the Main Northern and North Coast lines. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3801</span> Preserved Australian C-38 class 4-6-2 locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coast Heritage Rail</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Maitland Railway</span>

The South Maitland Railway was once an extensive network of privately owned colliery and passenger railway lines which served the South Maitland coalfields in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia and were the second last system in Australia to use steam haulage, having used steam locomotives until 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3830</span> Preserved Australian C-38 class 4-6-2 locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Vale railway line</span> Colliery railway line in New South Wales, Australia

The Richmond Vale Railway was a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in colliery railway line in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia, servicing coal mines at Minmi, Stockrington, Pelaw Main and Richmond Main. It was over 26 km (16 mi) long and passed through three tunnels, and was the last commercially operated railway in Australia to use steam locomotives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3820</span> Preserved Australian C-38 class 4-6-2 locomotive

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">3642</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">3265</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">3112</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Maitland Railways 10 Class</span>

The South Maitland Railways 10 Class locomotives is a class of 14 2-8-2T steam locomotives built for the East Greta Coal Company by Beyer, Peacock & Company in Manchester, England, between 1911 and 1925. Members of this class of locomotive were the last steam locomotives in commercial use in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport Heritage NSW</span> Australian organization

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References

  1. ↑ Maitland Steam Festival Continental Railway Journal issue 68 December 1986 page 228
  2. ↑ Steamfest History Hunter Valley Steamfest
  3. ↑ Another fantastic Steamfest for Maitland Maitland Mercury 10 April 2017
  4. ↑ Steamfest 2020 Cancelled Hunter Valley Steamiest
  5. ↑ Maitland Steamiest cancelled due to coronavirus crowd ban Maitland Mercury 16 March 2020
  6. ↑ Steamfest cancelled for 2021 Newcastle Weekly 15 August 2021
  7. ↑ Steamfest 2022 Cancelled Hunter Valley Steamfest
  8. ↑ Driver, Robert (2010). Hunter Valley Steamfest The First 25 Years. Hunter Valley Steamfest. ISBN   978-0-9806771-1-9.
  9. ↑ Steam Timetable Hunter Valley Steamfest 27 April 2015
  10. ↑ 2014 Diesel Timetable Hunter Valley Steamfest 13 April 2014
  11. ↑ Port Waratah Coal Run Steamfest
  12. ↑ Heritage Week Railway Digest July 1986 page 217
  13. ↑ Hunter Valley Limited April 2013 Heritage Express
  14. ↑ [http Hunter Valley Limited] April 2014 Heritage Express
  15. ↑ versus planes in a Steamfest first Maitland Mercury 23 February 2010
  16. ↑ Steamfest's Great Race Comes to a Surprise End NBN Television 18 April 2010
  17. ↑ Thousands flock to Steamfest Newcastle Herald 29 April 2012
  18. ↑ Full steam ahead for anniversary Newcastle Herald 4 January 2016
  19. ↑ Timetable 2016 Steamfest
  20. ↑ "All aboard the ARTC Great Train Race at Hunter Valley Steamfest". ARTC. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  21. ↑ "Great train race highlight of Hunter Valley Steamfest" . Newcastle Herald. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  22. ↑ "Steamfest 2010 – Celebrating 25 years". Quest Serviced Apartments. 2010. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  23. ↑ "All Things Auto". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  24. ↑ "Show n Shine". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  25. ↑ Hunter Valley Steamfest 2012 Richmond Vale Railway Museum

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