History
In 1960, the Metropolitan Transport Trust donated a Hobart tramcar to be preserved, and as a result the Tasmanian Transport Museum Society was founded in 1962, with the aim of preserving representative items of transport interest that were disappearing from everyday life. [1]
The first decade of the Society's existence saw the preservation of many items that had been donated or purchased, and it was not until 1972 that a site adjacent to the railway station in Glenorchy was leased from the Glenorchy City Council. After the laying of track, the first items were moved there in 1976. [1]
After this time, the museum prospered in building on the site, with an electric traction shed built in 1976, as well as the Steam Technology building in 1983, a carriage shed in 1984 and a roundhouse in 1986. The most recent additions to the museum include a Fire Services shed completed in 2004, and a Road Transport shed completed in 2013. [1]
In 1979, after the cessation of passenger train services in Tasmania, the Museum purchased and moved the former New Town railway station building to the site in sections, and this was completed in 1980. The Museum also acquired a railway turntable from Brighton and a signal cabin from the Botanical Gardens railway halt. [1]
The Society has steadily acquired an extensive array of exhibits, relics, models and photographs, that portray many facets of the history of Tasmanian transport. Society members also have carried out much of the development work on exhibits and the site, with the State Government being the major financial contributor for capital works, however; membership is small and the Society relies mainly on volunteers, due to the financial and time constraints on the museum. [1]
In 2023, the Society reopened a section of the South Line between Elwick and Grove roads, allowing for the operation of both steam engines and railcars. [2]
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The Tasmanian Government Railways C class was a class of 2-6-0 steam locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
The Tasmanian Government Railways H class was a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
The Tasmanian Government Railways Q class was a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
