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Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre

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Coordinates: 32°58′30″S 138°49′34″E / 32.9751°S 138.8261°E / -32.9751; 138.8261
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This article is about a railway museum in Peterborough, South Australia. For the former heritage railway, see Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society.

Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre logo

The Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre is a railway museum located in the former South Australian Railways workshops in Peterborough, South Australia. Peterborough was the administrative and service centre for the Peterborough Division of the South Australian Railways,[1][page needed] employing up to 1500 people during its heyday.[citation needed] The workshops covered an area of 11 hectares (27 acres) to the west of the township; exhibits are displayed in a former machine shop, in a 19-stall roundhouse, and on a 23 metres (75 feet) turntable.

A picture showing rails spaced to three rail gauges on the turntable at Peterborough, South Australia
The turntable, with its three different rail gauges

History

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Switch using 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) / 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) track, between the roundhouse and the Peterborough West washout facilities

Before Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society's operations ceased in June 2002, some representatives of the Society, the Federation of North East Councils, the Northern Regional Development Board and the Flinders Ranges Area Consultative Committee met to formalise development of the workshops precinct. From this start, the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre proceeded.[2]

Development

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Part of the roundhouse showing some of the rolling stock
Part of the roundhose showing some of the museum's rolling stock
Inside the diesel shed showing the bogie drop-pit
Inside the diesel shed: the bogie drop-pit

The grounds were improved and new displays, including interpretive signage, were erected. A reception centre, including offices, a souvenir shop and a café, was built off Main Street, at the north-eastern corner of the site.

The turntable is unusual in that it accommodates three rail gauges: Narrow gauge (1,067 mm or 3 ft 6 in), standard gauge (1,435 mm or 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) and broad gauge (1,600 mm or 5 ft 3 in). In Australia there were only two similar turntables (located at Port Pirie and Gladstone); all three were on the same line, with the one at Peterborough the only one remaining. This unique situation arose from the standardisation project of the late 1960s.[1] At this time the broad gauge line was extended from Terowie to Peterborough and the Port Pirie to Broken Hill section (passing through Peterborough) was replaced by standard gauge line. The Peterborough to Quorn section remained narrow gauge.

Opening

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Inside the diesel shop: Fairmont section car and, behind it, NSU 55

The Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre was officially opened on 29 November 2009.[3]

Services

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A picture showing part of the Roundhouse where several engines and the Motor Inspection Car reside
Part of the roundhouse, showing some of the locomotives on display

The centre is open seven days a week; an entry fee is charged.[4]

Guided tours, lasting about an hour and a half, provide a narrative of the equipment displayed, the infrastructure on site and its social history as well as exploring amusing railway anecdotes and experiences.[4]

After the centre's opening, technical difficulties limited the availability of the planned sound and light show; but after considerable work to resolve the issues the show is now considered a huge success, operating most nights, dependent only on bookings. The sound and light show has contributed to an increase in the number of overnight stays in the town, which benefits the other tourist attractions and the town in general.[5]

The centre had accreditation as a rail-transport operator to run its motor inspection car, MIC 127, between the centre and the former goods platform in Peterborough yard, though this is rarely done.[6]

Operation

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Here you can see the sheep-cattle car that the local High School students are working on at the Centre
The sheep car that local high school students restored

The centre has been operated by a staff of volunteers sourced from the local community in conjunction with a paid manager and a receptionist.

1960s-vintage diesel locomotive workshop.


Through a skills-development program run in association with the local high school, students assisted with the refurbishment of a sheep wagon and a miniature train.[7] One of these students, Ben Graefe, who also runs tours at the centre, won a Rotary Pride in Workmanship 2010 Award for his efforts.[8]

The centre was planned to be cost-neutral to the council within seven years; however, attendances to both tours and its Sound and Light show were such that it was expected to break even within two to three years. It was expecting to achieve a visitation rate of 15,000 by the end of the 2011-2012 financial year.[9]

As of August 2025 the Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre and Peterborough Visitor Centre are closed owing to the District Council's financial position. It is hoped that they will be reopened in time for the 2026 tourist season, under a new operating model.[10]

Radium Hill Museum

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On-site at the centre is the Radium Hill Museum, which commemorates Australia’s first uranium mine, at Radium Hill (near Olary, 220 kilometres (140 miles) to the north-east of Peterborough). The mine opened in 1906 and closed in 1961. Members of the isolated though vibrant community of 37 different nationalities still meet to celebrate their experiences. [11][12]

Awards

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October 2010 the Centre won an Advantage SA award, in the Regional Tourism category for Yorke and Mid North Region During October 2012, the Centre won an Advantage SA award, in the Regional Tourism category[13] 2014 Steamtown won the SA Regional Award for Tourism 2015 Steamtown won the Hall of Fame Award for Tourism in the region of Yorke and Mid North

References

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  1. ^ a b Fitch, R. J. (1989). Making Tracks: 43 years in Australian Railways. Kangaroo Press. ISBN 0-86417-270-2
  2. ^ Workman, C. (Summer 2003). "President's Report, 26th October 2002". Steamtown Partyline Newsletter 78.
  3. ^ Mills, S. (3 December 2009). "Huge Celebrations for Steamtown Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine". The Flinders News. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  4. ^ a b Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre Tour Brochure Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  5. ^ "Steamtowns Visitations Booming". The Informer, May 2010.
  6. ^ Chandler, D. (2009). Post to South Australia forum Archived 2 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Railpage Australia. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  7. ^ Peterborough High School 2009/2010 Archived 18 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine. p. 3. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Congratulations" Peterborough High School Newsletter, 14 May 2010. p. [1]. Retrieved 21 July 2010
  9. ^ Sampson R - "Rising from the ashes". Catchpoint, January 2012, pp28
  10. ^ "Temporary closure of Steamtown and Visitor Information Centre". Steamtown Heritage Railway. 21 July 2025. Archived from the original on 5 July 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Radium Hill Historical Association". Radium Hill Historical Association. 23 January 2025. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Radium Hill Heritage Museum". Make tracks to Peterborough. District Council of Peterborough. 2025. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  13. ^ Mayfield, G 2012 "A full head of steam for Steamtown" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Flinders News accessed 11 November 2012

Further reading

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  • McNicol, S.; Mannion, J. (2006). Peterborough 125: Celebrating 125 years of Railways in Peterborough Elizabeth, SA: Railmac Publications. ISBN 978-1-86477-054-4
  • Evans, J. (2009). Proceed to Quorn: An Operational History of the Last Years of the Terowie–Peterborough–Quorn Railway Line, in Particular the Years 1957 to 1987. Elizabeth, SA: Railmac Publications. ISBN 978-1-86477-066-X {{isbn}}: ignored ISBN errors (link)
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32°58′30″S 138°49′34″E / 32.9751°S 138.8261°E / -32.9751; 138.8261

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