Hunter Valley Steamfest
| Hunter Valley Steamfest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Begins | 12 April 2014 |
| Ends | 13 April 2014 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Maitland, New South Wales |
| Years active | 29 |
| Inaugurated | 1986 |
| Most recent | 14 April 2013 |
| Website | |
| www.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
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 70,000 visitors.[2]
Locomotives
Hunter Valley Steamfest has seen different locomotives from over 6 different preservation organisations within New South Wales and even one from the United Kingdom. This list contains the locos that have attend Hunter Valley Steamfest 28 year History
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 in1994-95, 2007
- SMR 25 Display in Maitland railway Yards in 1986– before being moved to Richmond Vale Railway
- SMR 27 Static Display 1987
- Marjorie
- SMR 24
- SMR 25
- SMR 30
Ex NSWGR persevered Steam Fleet
- 3001 – NSW Rail Transport Museum 1986, 1988
- 3016 – Canberra Railway Museum (ARHS ACT Division) 2013
- 3112 – Barry Tulloch 1988-89, 1992, 1994–96, 2002–07
- 3237 – Lachlan Valley Railway 2009
- 3265 – Powerhouse Museum 2010-13
- 3526 – NSW Rail Transport Museum 2007-12
- 3642 – NSW Rail Transport Museum 1986-87, 1990–92, 2008–13
- 3801 – 3801 Limited 1987, 1989–2006, NSW Rail Transport Museum 2007
- 3830 – Powerhouse Museum 1998–2009
- 5910 – NSW Rail Transport Museum 1986-88
- 5917 – Lachlan Valley Railway 1986, 2009
- LNER 4472 Flying Scotsman – 1989.[3]
Excursions
During the Steamfest, trips to Newcastle, Branxton, Paterson and Dungog are operated.[4] The Sunday Barrington Bullet travels to Dungog, then to Stroud Road loop and return.
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.[5] In 2013 passengers were able to travel on the stock movement from Picton to Maitland, albeit on the Friday before and Monday after the festival.[6]
The Great Race
One of the excursions involves a race between one or more steam locomotives and a de Havilland Tiger Moth. In 2010 three trains raced three Tiger Moths.[7] The winner of the race was the oldest loco in the race.[8] A Tiger Moth eventually won the race for the first time in 2012.[9]
Related events
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.[10]
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.[11][12]
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.[13]
References
- ↑ "Steamfest History". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ Driver, Robert. (2010). Hunter Valley Steamfest The First 25 Years. Hunter Valley Steamfest. ISBN 978-0-9806771-1-9.
- ↑ "2013 Draft Timetable" (PDF). Hunter Valley Steamfest. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ "Heritage Week" Railway Digest July 1986 page 217
- ↑ "Hunter Valley Limited". Heritage Express. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ Edwards, Amy (29 April 2012). "Thousands flock to Steamfest". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ "Steamfest 2010 – Celebrating 25 years". Quest Serviced Apartments. 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ↑ "All Things Auto". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
- ↑ "Show n Shine". Hunter Valley Steamfest website. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ↑ "Hunter Valley Steamfest 2012". Richmond Vale Railway Museum. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hunter Valley Steamfest. |
- "2010 Steamfest Great Train Race – the view from 3265.". YouTube. Retrieved 24 March 2012.