National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide

The National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia, is the current site of the Port Dock Station Railway Museum's vast Australian Railway Collection.

The museum was originally founded in 1963, by a group of rail preservationist who managed to convince the South Australian Railways Commissioner to allocate land on the site of the former Mile End Roundhouse to house a small collection of withdrawn steam locomotives. The original site, on railway terrace Mile End, had only a small number of exhibits under cover. Most items had to be housed on the site in the open air. The effects of weather took their toll on the exhibits, so an alternative undercover venue was sought. In 1988 the museum was fortunate enough, with the involvement of the History Trust of SA, to obtain a $2m Australia's bicentennial Commemorative Grant to relocate to tis current site and to provide covered accommodation for the exhibits.

On 2 January 1988 the gates at the Mile End Railway Museum closed for the last time and on 10 December 1988, after a year of frantic activity, the Port Dock Station Railway Museum Port Adelaide was officially opened by the Premier of South Australia, The Hon John Bannon.

In 1999, special funding was received as part of Australia's Centenary of Federation to construct the Commonwealth Railway Museum within the museum's precinct. This new facility, which was opened on 21 October 2001, houses a representative sample of exhibits from the "Commonwealth Railways" and "Australian National". Included is the original [[Tea & Sugar Train|Tea & Sugar train], as well as a number of vehicles that were used on the Ghan and Trans-Australian passenger trains.

At the opening of the Commonwealth Railway Museum the Port Dock Station Railway Museum was renamed the National Railway Museum. The name change is a response to the Commonwealth Railways operations being integrated into a National Transport Network that spans the whole of the Australian continent.

Collection

The museum currently houses their large static collection in two pavilions and the historical goods shed at the site of the original Port Dock railway station. On the site, all three gauges of Australia are represented, these being Narrow (3' 6" or 1067mm), Standard (4' 8 1/2" or 1435mm) and Broad Gauge (5' 3" or 1600mm). Operational locomotives and railcars on these gauges respectively are Steam locomotive Peronne (1918 Andrew Barclay 0-6-0 Tank Locomotive), DE 507 (South Australian Railways) and 801 (SAR), Redhen Railcars 400, 321 and trailer 863. The museum also operates a number of 18" gauge (457mm) equipment, mainly steam locomotives Bub (0-4-2T) and Bill (2-4-0 with 4 wheel tender).

Buildings

The museum has a number of historic building, some original to the site and other transported for display. Amongst the more historic of these are:

Goods Shed

The original Port Dock Station Goods Shed is included as part of the Museum complex. This building is constructed of large timber beams and is typical of the type of buildings constructed by the South Australian Railway in the 19th Century.

Woodville Signal Cabin

The former Woodville signal cabin of the South Australian Railways/State Transport Authority has been moved to the Museum site and connected to the narrow gauge yard. It is available for tours.

Callington Station

The "Callington Shelter Shed and Booking Office" is typical of the type of building used by the South Australian Railways at small country stations. It was originally built in 1951 for the then small rural community of Callington, located approximately 20 Kms west of Murray Bridge on the main Adelaide to Melbourne route.

Intense competition during the 1960's and 70's with road transport, for passenger and parcels traffic, eventually resulted in the withdrawal of all staff and the closure of Callington station. Following closure, the building was subject to extensive vandal attacks that left nothing but the exterior. In 1991 an approach was made to Australian National, who agreed to sell the building. This resulted in the building being purchased by a museum member, who subsequently arranged for its donation and transportation to Port Adelaide. It was placed in storage until 1994, when it was re-erected in its current location.

Eudunda Gang Shed

Located at rear of the rollingstock pavilion is the former Eudunda Gang Shed. It was purchased and relocated by member of the museum in 1990

Rollingstock

Locomotives - South Australian Railways

Item	Detail	Gauge	Date Built - By - Where
Rx 93	4-6-0 steam	1600 mm	1886 - Dubs & Co - Scotland
P 117	2-4-0 tank steam	1600 mm	893 - James Martin - Gawler SA
F 255	4-6-2 tank steam	1600 mm	1922 - Perry Eng - Mile End SA
504	4-8-4 steam	1600 mm	1926 - Armstrong - England
702	2-8-2 steam	1600 mm	1926 - Armstrong - England
624	4-6-2 steam	1600 mm	1937 - SAR - Islington SA
523	4-8-4 steam	1600 mm	1944 - SAR - Islington SA
351	Bo-Bo diesel	1600 mm	1949 - SAR - Islington SA
752	2-8-2 steam	1600 mm	1951 - Nth British - Scotland
900	A1A-A1A diesel	1600 mm	1951 - SAR - Islington SA
930	Co-Co diesel	1600 mm	1955 - Goodwin Alco - Sydney NSW
801	Bo-Bo diesel	1600 mm	1956 - English Elec - Rocklea Qld
515	Bo-Bo diesel	1600 mm	1966 - SAR - Islington SA
Y 97	2-6-0 steam	1067 mm	1890 - Beyer Peacock - England
T 253	4-8-0 steam	1067 mm	1917 - Walkers - Maryborough Qld
409	4-8-2+2-8-4 steam	1067 mm	1954 - Beyer Peacock - France

Locomotives - Commonwealth Railways

Item	Detail	Gauge	Date Built - By - Where
G 1	4-6-0 steam	1435 mm	1914 - Clyde Eng - Sydney NSW
DE 91	Bo-Bo diesel	1435 mm	1943 - General Electric - USA
GM 2	A1A-A1A diesel	1435 mm	1951 - Clyde Eng - Sydney NSW
NM 34	4-8-0 steam	1067 mm	1927 - Thompson - Castlemaine Vic
NSU 61	A1A-A1A diesel	1067 mm	1955 - Birmingham Car Co - England

Locomotives - Silverton Tramway Company

Item	Detail	Gauge	Date Built - By - Where
Y 12	2-6-0 steam	1067 mm	1893 - Beyer Peacock - England
A 21	4-6-0 steam	1067 mm	1915 - Beyer Peacock - England
W 25	4-8-4 steam	1067 mm	1951 - Beyer Peacock -England

Locomotives - Other Operators

Item	Detail	Gauge	Date Built - By - Where	Comments
4	4-6-0 steam	1067 mm	1914 - Baldwin Loco Co - USA	BHP Co. - Iron Knob/Iron Baron Tramway - Whyalla
Peronne	0-6-0 tank steam	1067 mm	1919 - Andrew Barclay - Scotland	Broken Hill Associated Smelters - shunt loco at Pt Pirie
E1	Electric Locomotive No.E1	1067 mm	1928 - Metropolitan Vickers, Trafford Park Manachester, England.	Broken Hill Proprietry Co. - Iron Knob Tramway
DO 2/03	0-4-0 mechanical	1067 mm	1954 - Malcolm-Moore - Melb Vic	SA Harbours Board at Price and South Australian Railways Port Broughton SA
Ruston	0-4-0 hydraulic	1600 mm	1950 - Ruston Homsby - England	Imperial Chemicals Industry/Penrice Soda - Osborne
1	Co diesel	1435 mm	1961- Clyde Eng - Sydney NSW	Electricity Trust of S.A. - Stirling North Power Station
Skipper	0-6-2 tank steam	610 mmm	1946 - Perry Eng - Mile End SA	Millaquin Sugar Mill - Queensland
304	0-4-0 mechanical	610 mmm	1938 - Ruston Homsby - England	Waratah Gypsum - Stenhouse Bay SA
306	0-4-0 mechanical	610 mmm	1956 - Ruston Homsby - England	Waratah Gypsum - Stenhouse Bay SA
1514	0-4-0 mechanical	610 mmm	Malcolm Moore - Melbourne Vic	Harbours Board (Deutz motor)

Passenger & Service Stock - 1600 mm Gauge

Item	Detail	Date Built - By - Where	Other Comments
Willochra	8 wheel service	1887 - SAR - Adelaide SA	Victorian & South Australian Railways joint stock Post (later special service) car used on Melbourne Express
294	8 wheel side load	1910 - SAR - Islington SA	Side loading compartment car - primarily used on country service
Onkaparinga	12 wheel sit-up/sleeper	1911 - VR - Newport Vic	Victorian & South Australian Railways joint stock sleeping car used primarily on the Melbourne Express (later named "The Overland")
276	12 wheel baggage	1912 - SAR - Islington SA	Primarily used as a long distance passenger brake van
376	8 wheel baggage	1913 - Pengelley - Adelaide SA	Built originally for Glenelg Railway Co, then modified in 1937 Centenary
446	8 wheel sit-up	1919 - Bagshaw - Adelaide SA	Centre and end loading car - used on suburban service
606	8 wheel passenger	1936 - SAR - Islington SA	Steel Second Class Main Line Corridor Passenger Car
4074	8 wheel compo-brake	1919 - SAR - Islington SA	Typical side loading passenger brake van
BE 42	12 wheel sit-up	1923 - SAR - Islington SA	Victorian & South Australian Railways joint stock second class sit-up used primarily on Melbourne Express (later named "The Overland")
Adelaide	12 wheel dining	1928 - Pullman Car Co - USA	48 seat dining car used primarily on Melboume Express
Dynamometer	8 wheel service	1932 - SAR - Islington SA	Victorian & South Australian Railways joint stock. Technical locomotive power testing vehicle
Murray	12 wheel service	1934 - SAR - Islington SA	South Australian Railways Commissioner's inspection vehicle
Vice Regal	8 wheel service	1940 - SAR - Islington SA	Use exclusively for Regal and/or Governors requirements
C 1	8 wheel cafeteria	1947 - SAR - Islington SA	Preserved static, minus wheels, as a special refreshment car
AVAP 396	8 wheel compo-brake	1971 -SAR - Islington SA	Typical brake van, fitted with 8 passenger seats. Originally GB 8394
DC 783	8 wheel service	1973 - SAR - Islington SA	Built originally as a country steel car 1942, converted to special service

Passenger & Service Stock - 1435 mm Gauge

Item	Detail	Date Built - By - Where	Other Comments
AR 33	8 wheel sit-up/sleeper	1920 - CR - Pt Augusta SA	Timber body - used on Trans-Australian service
DA 52	8 wheel dining	1930 - CR - Pt Augusta SA	Timber body - used on Trans-Australian service
FA 640	8 wheel Butcher van	1944 - CR - Port Augusta SA	Used exclusively on Tea & Sugar Nullarbor service
AFA 93	8 wheel lounge	1952 - Wegmann - Germany	Steel body & fitted with airconditioning - used on Trans-Australian service
OPA 1340	8 wheel Provision van	1955 - CR - Port Augusta SA	Used exclusively on Tea & Sugar Nullarbor service
AVEP 349	8 wheel compo-brake	1971 - Comeng - Sydney NSW	Used on North Australia, Central Australian & Trans-Australian Railways

Passenger & Service Stock - 1067 mm Gauge

Item	Detail	Date Built - By - Where	Other Comments
3	4 wheel sit-up	1877 - Adelaide Car - Adel SA	Timber used exclusively on Peterborough Division
144	8 wheel sit-up	1894 - SAR - Islington SA	Timber used exclusively on Peterborough Division
Baroota	12 wheel sit-up/sleeper	1900 - SAR - Islington SA	Timber sleeper used mainly on Broken Hill Express
7553	8 wheel compo-brake	1938 - SAR - Islington SA	Timber used exclusively on Peterborough Division

Inventory of all Major Railcars & Non-Power Cars

Item	Detail	Gauge	Date Built - By - Where	Comments
8	diesel	1600 mm	1924 - Brill Car Co - USA	Used in suburban and country service
41	diesel	1600 mm	1928 - South Australian Railways - Islington SA	Brill Car Co design - used in country & suburban service
257	diesel hydraulic	1600 mm	1957 - South Australian Railways - Islington SA	Bluebird - used on country passenger services (named "Kestrel")
321	diesel hydraulic	1600 mm	1957 - South Australian Railways - Islington SA	Red Hen - used on suburban passenger services
400	diesel hydraulic	1600 mnn	1959 - South Australian Railways - Islington SA	Red Hen - used on suburban passenger services
875	non power trailer	1600 mm	1958 - South Australian Railways - Islington SA	Built originally as car 812, 1945, converted to non-power Red Hen
CB 1	diesel hydraulic	1435 mm	1951 - Budd Car Co - USA	Used extensively by Commonwealth Railways to Marree, Woomera and Whyalla

Operations

The museum operates a number of historic locomotives for shunting purposes and special events where large passenger numbers are applicable, in lieu of this, the 18" gauge steam locomotives and a diesel operate rides of 1.2km around the museum. In 1992, the museum, in co-operation with the local council, built a 2km line along the beach from Semaphore to Fort Glanville. This is operated from October to April, weekends, public holidays and school holidays when temperatures are below 35 degrees celsius. The line travels along the coastline, through the sand dunes and the Fort Glanville conservation park, with the engine being turned and run around at each end of the line, which is a delight for tourists who enjoy the beachside trip.

References

• The Guide to the National Railway Museum (2003), The National Railway Museum website