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Canberra Railway Museum

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34-548: The Canberra Railway Museum is located at Kingston in the Australian Capital Territory next to Canberra railway station on the Bombala railway line . Since May 2018, Canberra Railway Museum has been the trading name of a not-for-profit company, Capital Region Heritage Rail Limited , established to run the museum, while ACT Heritage Rail Holdings Limited is the company responsible for safeguarding

68-572: A distinct district within the suburb of Kingston, however, it is now abutted by the new Kingston foreshore development. The Causeway is on the edge of a road called the Causeway, which was planned as a dam across the Molonglo River that would back up East Lake , which was planned by Walter Burley Griffin but never built. The cottages at Causeway were designed by HM Rolland and were first erected at Westlake in 1924, then Acton and finally at

102-417: A key part of this focus, with both the broad policy and more detailed site procedures now in place". They also stated that "While the final transfer of some assets is dependent on the liquidator obtaining court approval as part of the finalisation of his work, recent developments have seen the company gain effective control of both the museum site and the valuable heritage assets. While the long term occupancy of

136-530: A major break-in and vandalism occurred at the closed museum site. Many heritage items suffered significant damage and theft, including most notably many valuable parts of ACT listed heritage asset, steam locomotive no. 1210. Following the vandalism and theft, some Canberra residents and railway enthusiasts decided "to do something to try and salvage some future for heritage rail in the ACT”. In May 2018, two new not-for-profit companies were incorporated: Members of

170-594: Is "To protect the valuable Heritage Rail Assets in our care whilst refocusing the Canberra Railway Museum activities towards its core purpose for the benefit of the Canberra / Capital region and its people." The directors of the company stated in their first annual report of June 2018 that they "have maintained a clear focus on the protection of the assets and our people, as well as maintaining strong financial discipline. Work, Health and Safety has been

204-401: Is adjacent to the suburbs of Barton , Fyshwick , Griffith and Manuka . The suburb of Kingston is situated about 4 km from the centre of Canberra . In the early years of Canberra's development, Eastlake occupied the area now known as Kingston. Eastlake Football and Cricket club is one of the few reminders of Kingston long past. Eastlake was designated as a workers living quarters while

238-498: Is built around a small park called Green Square. During recent drought years and water restrictions the exotic grass died and were replaced by native grasses that were more drought resistant, but more spiky, discouraging families with children. After a long campaign by local businesses, the exotic grass was reinstituted in early 2014. Kingston is also noted for a lively nightlife and bar scene. Other places of note in Kingston include

272-729: Is under this suburb, with Tertiary gravels over the top in the Causeway. New South Wales 44 class locomotive The 44 class are a class of diesel-electric locomotives built by AE Goodwin , Auburn for the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1957 and 1967. The 44 class were built by AE Goodwin , the Australian licensee of US company Alco , and were based on the Alco DL500B model. The locomotives were fitted with Alco 12-251B engines, developing 1343 kW. They were built in two batches,

306-513: Is zoned for a predominant height of "3 storeys, with a maximum height of 4 storeys only where it is not the dominant feature of a street frontage", although there are two high-rise blocks north of the shopping centre and the detached houses in three city blocks in the south have heritage protection. The most recent development is the Kingston Foreshores development in which large numbers of high-value apartments are being built along

340-758: The State Rail Authority were auctioned off in December 1994. While most were scrapped, a number saw service with other freight operators. Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia , Great Northern Rail Services , Independent Rail of Australia , Silverton Rail and Southern Shorthaul Railroad all operated 44s, with most ending up with Qube Logistics until their final withdrawal in 2014. A number of preserved examples are main-line registered and, as well as operating heritage trains, are used periodically by other operators. Three are on Transport Heritage NSW 's Heritage and Conservation Register list. 4401

374-493: The 2010s, Espee, a commercial arm was formed operating services for Access Recycling with CFCLA locomotives. It also operated infrastructure trains for the Australian Rail Track Corporation . In November 2016, the museum was suddenly closed after Espee, which had been started up to subsidise popular but expensive heritage train trips, collapsed with more than $ 700,000 of debt. The ACT Division of

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408-457: The ACT's population was only 250,000 – involved a mainly volunteer workforce collecting and restoring locomotives, rolling stock and railway memorabilia; preserving and recording railway history; and operating trains with restored rolling stock. Establishing the museum in the former Commonwealth Railways marshalling yard at Kingston fulfilled the essential need to be in a rail environment with access to

442-817: The ARHS ACT Division went into liquidation. It then became part of the Transport Heritage NSW collection in the custody of the NSW Rail Museum at Thirlmere. Diesel-electric locomotive 4807 – rated at 1050 hp with a Co-Co wheel arrangement – also became part of the Transport Heritage NSW collection in the custody of the NSW Rail Museum at Thirlmere. Diesel-electric locomotive D25 (400 hp Bo-Bo), formerly owned by Australian Iron & Steel ,

476-685: The ARHS was placed into liquidation. The significant heritage value to the people of Canberra of the museum being sited on the original Commonwealth Railways land was recognised by the ACT Heritage Council when on 1 June 2017 it decided to register the City Railway Remnants in Kingston on the ACT Heritage Register. In July 2017, in the face of protests from heritage conservationists and Canberra citizens, it

510-476: The Australian average of 72.3%), while 6.4% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses (Australian average: 12.6%) and 90.5% were flats, units or apartments (Australian average: 14.2%). 45.0% of the population were professionals, compared to the Australian average of 24.0%. Notably 25.5% worked in central government administration, compared to the Australian average of 1.1% and the ACT-wide average of 17.1%. 51.8% of

544-555: The Canberra Railway Museum become members of both organisations and elect different directors to each company. Capital Region Heritage Rail Limited was registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) to operate in both the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales under sub-type 2014, Advancing Culture . The vision of Capital Region Heritage Rail Limited

578-820: The Causeway in 1925–1926. The Westlake cottages were sold off from the mid-1950s – last cottage removed in 1965. A number are now in Queanbeyan and down the South Coast. One also sits with a new coat of paint, in River Street, Oaks Estate. A photograph showing one of the cottages on the move is in Westlake One of the Vanished Suburbs of Canberra – Gugler, A. The timber cottages at the Causeway were pulled down. The cottage design, referred to as portable timber cottages, designed by Rolland were based on

612-560: The Kingston Group Centre are now zoned to be redeveloped to a height of 4 storeys (including next to Highgate Lane, which is currently a back alley) and 6 storeys (part of the parking area to the southeast and the site of the former Cusack furniture store). Kingston contains the Kingston Shopping Centre, one of the earliest shopping areas built in Canberra. The northeastern corner of the shopping centre

646-586: The Kingston Powerhouse opened in 1915 and the Canberra railway station. The Old Bus Depot Markets , showing handcrafted goods and foodstuffs, are held on the lakeside every Sunday and have become a regular destination for locals and tourists. Kingston's streets are named after Australia's early European explorers. At the 2021 census , the population of Kingston was 6,579, including 99 (1.5%) Indigenous persons and 2,967 (66.3%) Australian-born persons. 3.0% of dwellings were separate houses (compared to

680-428: The Kingston site remains to be formalised the message coming from Government is encouraging." A complete list of exhibits as of November 2020 can be found in this PDF file . Another list is also on their website . Some of the exhibits before 2016 were as follows. Former NSWGR diesel-electric locomotive 4403 , which had been restored to operational condition at Junee, hauled tour trains, including lengthy trips, until

714-670: The commercial rail network. At times some financial assistance was provided, initially by the Australian Government and subsequently the ACT Government, in recognition of the museum activities' value to the community. In 2007, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly formally recognised the importance of rail heritage to the ACT and the significant contribution made by the Canberra Railway Museum. In

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748-552: The cottages erected at Westlake (present site, Block 3, Section 128 Stirling Park, Yarralumla) by Contractor John Howie for his married men – built 1922. He also built nearby 18 or more timber huts for his single men, known as the Hostel Camp. The Burns Club was founded there in 1924. The following areas are heritage listed: In recent years Kingston has been largely redeveloped with medium-density housing including townhouses and units. Most of Kingston south of Wentworth Avenue

782-447: The first 60 between July 1957 and April 1961 and the second 40 between October 1965 and December 1967. The last 40 had Associated Electrical Industries as opposed to General Electric generators and traction motors, as well as illuminated segregated number boxes at the No.2 end. The model was very similar to dual cab South Australian Railways 930 class . With driving cabs within both ends,

816-503: The foreshores of Lake Burley Griffin . The area had previously been used for industrial purposes and is located between the Canberra railway station and the Kingston Powerhouse. These new developments and the rise of a café society have reformed Kingston as one of the most exclusive suburbs in Canberra. The Kingston Foreshores are zoned for four-story units, but six-storey units are permitted under some conditions in some areas. Parts of

850-559: The front (No.1 end) of the locomotive had a rounded nose (although not as round as the Clyde/GM " Bulldog nose " type) and a flat nose at the No.2 end. During their career, the locomotives served every part of New South Wales and operated every type of train. In the late 1980s, some earlier examples in need of rewiring began to be withdrawn, but many survived into the 1990s, with the last being withdrawn in July 1997. Over forty still owned by

884-755: The heritage assets of the museum. Under ownership of the ACT Division, the museum housed locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, track machinery and railway memorabilia; some of these were operated outside the ACT on tours for the paying public. Notable among the assets were Australia's oldest operating steam locomotive, and one of the world's oldest mainline steam locomotives, 1210 of the New South Wales Government Railways (built in 1878) and Australia's most powerful steam locomotive, former New South Wales Beyer, Garratt articulated steam locomotive 6029 . Between 1967 and 2016,

918-639: The museum had been owned by the ACT Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS). In November 2016, the museum closed after its freight company collapsed with more than $ 700,000 of debt, and the ACT Division of the ARHS was placed into liquidation. Around two thirds of the museum's assets were auctioned off in August 2017. In December 2017, a break-in and vandalism occurred at the closed museum. In May 2018, two new not-for-profit companies were established, one to run

952-407: The museum, the other safeguarding the heritage assets. Since its establishment in 1967 and for the following 49 years, the ARHS ACT Division had the aim of preserving railway history, particularly that of Canberra and the southern districts of New South Wales, for the enjoyment and enlightenment of present and future generations. Progressive development of the museum since its inception in 1985 – when

986-458: The population had no religion, compared to the ACT average of 43.5% and the Australian average of 38.4%. The major road in Kingston is Wentworth Avenue which carries traffic through the suburb from the northwest to the southeast. Telopea Park East forms the northwest boundary of Kingston. Access to the shopping precinct is via Eyre Street or Giles Street. Kingston residents get preference for: Silurian age Canberra Formation, calcareous Shale

1020-402: The second world war, housing at the Causeway and Westlake was considered sub-standard. Although all of the original Westlake cottage have been demolished, the Causeway survives with the original temporary wooden cottages now replaced with brick veneer cottages. As it was separated from the rest of the suburb by Wentworth Avenue and was situated to the north of the railway station the Causeway was

1054-489: The suburb of Forrest was reserved for middle and higher ranking public servants. About 120 portable wooden cottages for construction workers were built at the Causeway in 1925 and 1926. Canberra's first hall for community gatherings and entertainment was at the Causeway where the recreation hall was completed in 1926 with voluntary labour using materials provided by the Federal Capital Commission. After

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1088-514: Was announced that the museum's historic collection would go to auction on 2 August. Subsequently, some assets, including steam locomotive 3016, diesel locomotives, railmotors CPH27 and CPH37, and rolling stock, were stored or lent to Transport Heritage NSW , Thirlmere . Others were sold to private owners, including locomotive no. 6029, which returned to hauling heritage tours on various lines in New South Wales. In December 2017,

1122-726: Was the yard shunter at the Canberra Railway Museum. It is now privately owned. Diesel-mechanical locomotive X203 (260 hp Bo) rail tractor. It is now held by the Yass Railway Museum. Three diesel-hydraulic railmotors (CPH 13, CPH 27 and CPH 37), and one other (CPH 2), are on loan to another organisation. CPH 13 was to have been transferred to the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway after restoration at Goulburn Roundhouse. The extensive collection of carriages, including end-platform cars, sleeping cars and special purpose passenger cars,

1156-406: Was widely dispersed after the ARHS ACT Division was liquidated. Kingston, Australian Capital Territory Kingston is the oldest and one of the most densely populated suburbs of Canberra , Australian Capital Territory , Australia . The suburb is named after Charles Cameron Kingston , the former Premier of South Australia and minister in the first Australian Commonwealth Government. It

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