Rail Heritage WA

V1220 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum in April 2006
G233 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum in April 2006

Rail Heritage WA is the local trading name of the Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division) Inc.[1]

History

The Western Australian branch of the Australian Railway Historical Society was formed in February 1959.[2] In the 1960s, the Western Australian Government Railways placed its collection of historical items on loan, later donating the collection in 1992. In November 1974, a museum was opened on land donated by CSBP & Farmers.[3] While its collection is primarily rolling stock that operated in Western Australia, it does have examples from other systems.

It is the owner and manager of the Bassendean based Western Australian Rail Transport Museum. It conducts annual RailFest events (some times designated "Steamfest" if locomotives are active) at the Bassendean museum.

In the past the society conducted extensive rail tours - especially in the late 1960s in the final years of steam operation in Western Australia.[4]

It regularly produces materials that celebrate centenaries and other anniversaries for parts of the Western Australian railway network.[5][6]

It also has contracted consultants for submissions on railway heritage issues in Perth and Western Australia.[7]

Publications

It publishes books and pamphlets relative to Western Australian railway history. Recent publication by the organisation include:

  • Higham, Geoffrey (2007) Marble Bar to Mandurah, A History of passenger rail services in Western Australia ISBN 978-0-9599690-9-2
  • Gunzburg, Adrian (2008) Rails in the Bush
  • Gray, Bill (2010) Guide to the collection : The Railway Museum, Western Australia ISBN 9780980392234

It has also published a regular magazine The Westland[8] (sometimes The Westland Express[9] and The Westlander.[10]

References

  1. ^ Annual Report 2011/12 Archived 1 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Rail Heritage WA
  2. ^ Home Archived 7 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Rail Heritage WA
  3. ^ Bassendean Archived 27 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Rail Heritage WA
  4. ^ (1970) "King Karri" reso tour, 9–12 October 1970. Bassendean, W.A. Australian Railway Historical Society West Australian Division.
  5. ^ (1981) Centenary souvenir : 100th anniversary of the Fremantle to Guildford Railway. Bassendean W.A. Australian Railway Historical Society, W.A. Division, 1981."1st March, 1981"
  6. ^ Higham, G. J. (2006) All stations to Guildford : 125 years of the Fremantle to Guildford railway Bassendean, W.A. : Rail Heritage WA (Australian Railway Historical Society, W.A. Division)
  7. ^ Godden Mackay Pty. Ltd (1992) Midland Railway Workshops, Perth : heritage assessment and conservation strategy : report - prepared for Australian Railways Historical Society (Western Australia). Surry Hills, N.S.W. Godden Mackay
  8. ^ The Westland, The Division, 1985, archived from the original on 27 December 2013, retrieved 8 November 2012
  9. ^ The Westland express, Australian Railway historical Society, W.A. Division, 1972, retrieved 8 November 2012
  10. ^ Westlander, Australian Railway Historical Society, W.A. Division, 1900, retrieved 8 November 2012

Media related to Western Australian Rail Transport Museum at Wikimedia Commons