The Don River Railway is a heritage railway and museum in Don, Devonport, Tasmania. It operates a service from Don to Coles Beach (operationally known as Don Junction). The current line follows a reconstructed section of the former Melrose line that ran between Don Junction and Paloona.
The Don River Railway is open seven days a week, closing only for Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Anzac Day. Train services operate from Thursday to Sunday, using either a Tasmanian Government Railways DP class rail car, or a heritage carriage set hauled by either a steam locomotive or a vintage diesel locomotive.
History The heritage operations consist of the northernmost stretch of the Melrose line that ran from Don Junction (commonly called Coles Beach) to Melrose and Paloona. In the 1920s, the line was extended to Barrington, but this closed in 1928. Occasional trains ran on the closed section on Devonport Cup and Show days, but this ceased in 1935. The Melrose-Paloona section closed around this time, and following the 1948 closure of BHP's limestone facilities at Melrose, which had been the mainstay of operations on the line ever since it opened, the line was largely redundant. In October 1963, the railway was closed and later lifted.TGR News Divisional Diary December 1963 page 9
The Van Dieman Light Rail Society was formed in December 1971.Van Diemen Light Rail Society Trolley Wire issue 151 April 1974 pages 29/30Van Diemen Light Railway Society Continental Railway Journal issue 25 March 1976 page 405 In 1973, it began pushing to restore heritage operation, which it did three years later operated, under the trading name Don River Railway.
In May 1987, it began operating main line services to Burnie.Don River Railway Continental Railway Journal issue 72 December 1987 page 401 On 14 December 1991, the line was officially opened by the Governor of Tasmania, Phillip Bennett.Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 655 May 1992 page 127 Services originally ran into the main line Devonport station on the Western line before services were curtailed to operate between Don and Coles Beach.Don River Railway eyes disused Devonport station site Railway Digest May 2020 page 54
On 4 April 2023, a fire destroyed a carriage shed and some carriages.Fire that destroyed workshop at heritage railway accidentally lit, investigation finds ABC News 4 April 2023Fire destroys parts of heritage Don River Railway Pulse Tasmania 4 April 2023
Steam locomotives Fowler no. 5268 is Don River Rail's sole operating steam locomotive as of December 2024, seeing occasional use both on timetabled services and for functions.
Former Tasmanian Government Railways M4 is currently receiving mechanical overhall. CCS25 was reactivated in January 2023, but awaits approval to return to revenue operations.
BuilderBuilder'snumber and yearClassConfigurationOriginalnumberFinalnumber/namePrevious ownerConditionAdditional informationBaldwin Locomotive WorksUnknownDS2-6-4TUnknownUnknownTasmanian Government RailwaysBoiler onlyBeyer, Peacock & Company3392 of 1892A4-4-0A4Tasmanian Railways A4 Tasmanian Rail News issue 171 October 1990 pages 8/9Launceston City CouncilDismantledBeyer Peacock4415 of 1902C2-6-0CCS23Tasmanian C class survivors Railway Digest September 2015 page 54CCS23AN TasrailCosmetic restoration onlyRebuilt 1928 by Tasmanian Government RailwaysBeyer Peacock4417 of 1902C2-6-0CCS25CCS25AN TasrailMechanical overhaul UnderwayRebuilt 1926 by Tasmanian Government RailwaysDübs & Company1415 of 18804D92-4-2T131Tasmanian Transport CommissionDismantledDübs & Company3855 of 19002-8-0No.8 HeemskirkEmu Bay RailwayMechanical and Boiler OverhaulReturned to service October 1996Don River Railway Continental Railway Journal issue 110 July 1997 page 652John Fowler & Company5265 of 18860-6-0TTasmanian Transport CommissionOperationalVulcan Foundry5955 of 1951H4-8-2H7Tasmanian Government RailwaysStaticRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns7422 of 1951M4-6-2M2MA4Tasmanian Government RailwaysStaticModified and renumbered 1958Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns7423 of 1951M4-6-2M3AN TasrailStaticRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns7424 of 1951M4-6-2M4AN TasrailMechanical overhaulRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns7428 of 1951M4-6-2M1MA2Tasmanian Government RailwaysCosmetic restoration onlyModified and renumbered 1957
Diesel locomotives BuilderBuilder'snumberClassConfigurationOriginalnumberFinalnumberPrevious ownerConditionAdditional informationRuston & Hornsby, Boultham Works27957140DLBCornwall Coal CompanyOperationalNicknamed 'Spit and Giggle'Ruston & Hornsby, Boultham Works18707248DLBMount Lyell Mining & Railway CompanyOperationalAE Goodwin84712830Co-Co866First 830 Class Loco Preserved Catch Point issue 98 November 1993 page 24AN TasrailOperationalWalkers57710B'B'100210 Class Tasmanian Rail News issue 215 December 2001 page 6Australian Transport NetworkOperationalMalcolm MooreUBU6AN TasrailOperationalRebuilt by Launceston Railway WorkshopsVulcan Foundry22288 / D61VCV2Still running Track & Signal issue 21/1 February 2017 page 113AN TasrailOperationalEnglish Electric, Vulcan Foundry1799 / D91XBo-BoX4AN TasrailMechanical overhaulTasmanian Government Railways, Launceston Railway WorkshopsYBo-BoY6AN TasrailOperationalTasmanian Government Railways, Launceston Railway WorkshopsYBo-BoY8AN TasrailStaticEnglish Electric, RockleaA.250ZCo-CoZ22111TasRailStaticEnglish Electric, RockleaA.251ZCo-CoZ32112TasRailMechanical overhaulEnglish Electric, RockleaA.259ZaCo-CoZA12114TasRailMechanical overhaulEnglish Electric, RockleaA.2642350Co-Co23582100TasRailStaticEx ZB9 / ZR1 / ZP1, rebuilt by Australian National Railways, Port AugustaEnglish Electric, RockleaA.2752370Co-Co23712128TasRailMechanical overhaulEx ZB14
References
Further reading
Cooper, Greg (2002) The History of the Don River Railway's Locomotives, Railcars & Carriages, published by the Don River Railway, McKillop, Robert (2010) Australian Railway Heritage Guide, 2010 Edition Australian Railway Historical Society
External links