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Hunter Valley Steamfest

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Hunter Valley Steamfest
3237 & 5917 at Maitland in April 2009
Begins9 April 2016
Ends10 April 2016
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Maitland, New South Wales
Years activeError: Need valid year, month, day
Inaugurated1986 (1986)
Most recent18/19 April 2015
Websitewww.steamfest.com.au

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 New South Wales Rail Transport Museum and Powerhouse Museum and railmotors from the Rail Motor Society.

History

SMR 10 at Maitland in April 2005
3265 at Maitland in April 2010

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] Steamfest attracts over 70,000 visitors[2] and has had 19 locomotives attend in its 30 years.

Locomotives

Hunter Valley Steamfest has seen different locomotives from over six different preservation organisations within New South Wales and even one from the United Kingdom. This list contains the locomotives that have attended the Hunter Valley Steamfest:

Local area of Maitland

  • SMR 10 Steam Display item at South Maitland Rail Yard 1990-95, 2006–07 and Steam trip in 2007
  • SMR 17 Steam Display item at South Maitland Rail Yard 1991
  • SMR 18 Steam Display item at South Maitland Rail Yard 1991-93, 2007 and Steam trip in 1994-95, 2007
  • SMR 25 Display in Maitland railway Yards in 1986 before being moved to Richmond Vale Railway
  • SMR 27 Static Display 1987

Richmond Vale Railway

  • Marjorie 1986-2015
  • SMR 24 1990 - 93, 1995-97
  • SMR 25 1991 - 96, 1998-99
  • SMR 30 2000, 2003, 2005-09

Ex NSWGR persevered Steam Fleet

United Kingdom

Excursions

During the Steamfest, trips to Broadmeadow, Branxton, Singleton, Paterson and Dungog are operated but both steam and preserved rail motor.[4][5] The Sunday Barrington Bullet travels to Dungog, then to Stroud Road loop and return. 2015 had a new trip to Port Waratah and every trip that was run was sold out.

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.[6] In 2013 and 2014 passengers were able to travel on the stock movement from Picton to Maitland, albeit on the Friday before and Monday after the festival.[7][8]

The Great Race

One of the excursions involves a race between one or more steam locomotives and one or more de Havilland Tiger Moth. In 2010 a triple parallel of 3265, 3642 and 3526 was organized taking months of planning. The locomotives raced against three Tiger Moths[9] and winner of the race was the oldest loco in the race, 3265.[10] A Tiger Moth eventually won the race for the first time in 2012.[11] 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of Hunter Valley Steamfest and the organizers are hoping to a four-train race.[12]

In 2004 Hunter Valley Steamfest received its own ground where steam traction engines are stored and run around a small track plus over Maitland. The ground is called Steamfest Rally Ground and events and displays include traction engines, road steam equipment, mini train rides (provided by the Lake Macquarie Live Steam group), vintage machinery, interpretive tours and Powerhouse Museum displays.[13]

Maitland Park plays host for the "Show 'n Shine car expo" where over 700 vintage, veteran and classic cars are on display. The car expo is held on the Sunday during Steamfest.[14][15]

As part of Steamfest, the Richmond Vale Railway Museum south of Kurri Kurri is open to the public with tours provided on the museum's own operational steam locomotive and with other steam related machines on site.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Steamfest History". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  2. ^ "Hunter Valley Steamfest (April)" (PDF). Growing Together – 2008–2012 End of Term Report. Maitland City Council. 3 August 2012. p. 16 (22 of 64). Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  3. ^ Driver, Robert (2010). Hunter Valley Steamfest The First 25 Years. Hunter Valley Steamfest. ISBN 978-0-9806771-1-9.
  4. ^ 2014 Steam Timetable Hunter Valley Steamfest
  5. ^ 2014 Diesel Timetable Hunter Valley Steamfest
  6. ^ "Heritage Week" Railway Digest July 1986 page 217
  7. ^ Hunter Valley Limited April 2013 Heritage Express
  8. ^ Hunter Valley Limited April 2014 Heritage Express
  9. ^ Briony Sneddedn (23 February 2010). "Trains versus planes in a Steamfest first". The Maitland Mercury. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  10. ^ "Steamfest's Great Race Comes to a Surprise End". NBN news. NBN Television. 18 April 2010. Archived from the original on 25 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  11. ^ Edwards, Amy (29 April 2012). "Thousands flock to Steamfest". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  12. ^ Sharpe, Donna (4 January 2016). "Full steam ahead for anniversary". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  13. ^ "Steamfest 2010 – Celebrating 25 years". Quest Serviced Apartments. 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2010.[dead link‍]
  14. ^ "All Things Auto". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  15. ^ "Show n Shine". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  16. ^ "Hunter Valley Steamfest 2012". Richmond Vale Railway Museum. Retrieved 6 April 2013.

Media related to Hunter Valley Steamfest at Wikimedia Commons

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