A lot of work has been done by several volunteers for the open day this Sunday over the past few weeks: There has been the relaying of points into the Goods Shed; removing a lot of dirt from the restored AYC (Australind saloon car), AQL (Albany Progress Buffet) and ZJA-travelling museum, along with charging their batteries and removing an unbelievable amount of possum smeg from the roofs; the loco Jardee started but I am not sure if it will be running for the open day; the RHWA side of the roundhouse was given a significant clean out with leaf blowers and G233 was given a high pressure clean along with a lot of the tractors; the other four compartments of the AH have been cleaned out and demoulded and electricity is being installed into the "picnic car"; there is a new barbeque shelter with a barbeque, sausage sizzles will be served on the day, along with tea, coffee and cakes in the AQL by the red hat ladies; a decade or so of dried leaves have been removed from the open tractor shed; and a signal was taken down because it was unsafe. On the day, the AYC, AQL and ZJA will be outside and on display, with G233, TA1801 and a half restored ACL in the roundhouse. There will also be operating historic tractors and a fettlers trolley that was restored.

Andrew

How many AH cars are at Boyanup?
Are they on appropriate bogies or are they still on workshop type bogies and do they have a roof over their heads?

A lot of work has been done by several volunteers for the open day this Sunday over the past few weeks: There has been the relaying of points into the Goods Shed; removing a lot of dirt from the restored AYC (Australind saloon car), AQL (Albany Progress Buffet) and ZJA-travelling museum, along with charging their batteries and removing an unbelievable amount of possum smeg from the roofs; the loco Jardee started but I am not sure if it will be running for the open day; the RHWA side of the roundhouse was given a significant clean out with leaf blowers and G233 was given a high pressure clean along with a lot of the tractors; the other four compartments of the AH have been cleaned out and demoulded and electricity is being installed into the "picnic car"; there is a new barbeque shelter with a barbeque, sausage sizzles will be served on the day, along with tea, coffee and cakes in the AQL by the red hat ladies; a decade or so of dried leaves have been removed from the open tractor shed; and a signal was taken down because it was unsafe. On the day, the AYC, AQL and ZJA will be outside and on display, with G233, TA1801 and a half restored ACL in the roundhouse. There will also be operating historic tractors and a fettlers trolley that was restored.

Andrew

How many AH cars are at Boyanup?
Are they on appropriate bogies or are they still on workshop type bogies and do they have a roof over their heads?

There is only one, it is plinthed in the house garden and is used for accommodation for the volunteers. It doesn't have a roof but it is watertight. I would guess that the plan is to put a roof over it. It is the one in the middle of the screen: https://maps.google.com.au/?ll=-33.479158,115.731944&spn=0.001893,0.003921&t=h&z=19

Another successful Open Day at the SWRHC with lots of visitors and quite a few names added to our list of "interested" and/or possible volunteers.

The Picnic van was well used, the cakes were worth killing for and the tables looked a treat with the small vases of lavender in the middle.

No bells and whistles this time, just the exhibits "speaking for themselves", with people on hand to answer questions/give more details about particular exhibits and/or the future, and past, of the SWRHC.  A lot of reminisces of "the good old days" ensued and encouragement given to continue the work to make the SWRHC a "must see" attraction for the South West.

Next Open Day is scheduled for January 27th, between 10am and 2pm.

Another successful Open Day at the SWRHC with lots of visitors and quite a few names added to our list of "interested" and/or possible volunteers.

The Picnic van was well used, the cakes were worth killing for and the tables looked a treat with the small vases of lavender in the middle.

No bells and whistles this time, just the exhibits "speaking for themselves", with people on hand to answer questions/give more details about particular exhibits and/or the future, and past, of the SWRHC. A lot of reminisces of "the good old days" ensued and encouragement given to continue the work to make the SWRHC a "must see" attraction for the South West.

Next Open Day is scheduled for January 27th, between 10am and 2pm.

Glad to hear it! I will be there for the 27th. I came to the last open day and put my name down as an expression of interest.

Aaron.

 SWRHC  open dates for 2013

January 27
February 24
March 24
April 28
May 26
June 23
July 28
August 25
September 22
October 27
November 24
December 15 (to be confirmed with the Boyanup Farmers Market)

Some of these dates will be "all singing all dancing bells and whistles" affairs with the co-operation of other groups and will be based on significant events - for example, the April opening will be in the middle of Heritage Month in WA - whilst the other dates will have 1 or 2 of the exhibits as the main focus.  Further details will be given as the significant events to be "celebrated" are identified.

The SWRHC is a member of the South West Working Life Trail.

January's Open Day was again quite a successful day, with 58 visitors, and 1 dog, through the gate.

The theme for the day was "Watch the Experts at Work" which involved RHWA and local volunteers working on the restoration of vintage carriage ACM 391 and loco TA 1807, Preston River Old Machinery Group members working on an old hay baler and Bobcat skid steer loader and the Mens Shed members displaying some of the fine woodwork they have made, as well as cooking up the goods on the barbecue.

The Picnic Van was again a busy place, with tea/coffee and cakes on the menu, all served in a very restful environment thanks to the "finishing touches" developed by our ladies.

A new volunteer joined us - a signalling technician who has taken on as his first project the restoration to working condition of 2 nearly 100 year old miniature electric staff machines which came from the Kalgoorlie to Parkeston narrow gauge section.

The next Open Day will be on February 24th, with the SWRHC open from 10am to 2pm - entry is by donation.

We look forward to meeting some Railpagers then or on a future Open Day.

Another busy day at the SWRHC yesterday - 83 through the gates but no dogs this time.  Lots of positive comments from people who hadn't been to the site for many years and many best wishes for future developments which are in the planning stages.

As has become usual, the ladies in the Picnic Van did a roaring trade such that when I went to sample one of their delights about 1pm there were none left!  The Mens Shed guys on the sausage and bacon buttie production line also reported a sell out.

For the first time in more than 20 years, the 1939 "magpie" hay baler spluttered into life, much to Gary's pleasure (relief?) as it meant that his 18 months or so of restoration work has paid off.  All that remains to be done now is a new paint job.

"Leschenault Lady" continues to charm the visitors and it will be a big day in Boyanup when she celebrates her 115th birthday in December.  The "story" of railways in WA as told through the photos, posters, builder's plates and bits and pieces on display in the Museum on Rails is also a popular exhibit with the public.

If you are thinking of venturing to the SW next month, don't forget to drop in to the SWRHC on Sunday, March 24th between 10am and 2pm and say hello.

Another Open Day has been and gone at the SWRHC - the number of visitors was less than previously but all seemed to enjoy what we had to offer and it gave us more of a chance to talk to the people and tell them a little more about various exhibits than we usually get.  The Farmers Market at the other end of town also experienced a downturn in the number of customers and many traders took home a lot of their fresh produce that on a "normal" day they would have sold.

For those in the South West look out for the Donnybrook-Bridgetown Mail as our cup cake queens from "My Picnic Van Rules" may well feature with a pose more akin to a centefold than a family portrait in an upcoming issue!

The April Open Day on the 28th will be "A Walk Down Memory Lane" as our contribution to Heritage Month celebrations.  Join us between 10am and 2pm to find out how the railways and agriculture led to the establishment of Boyanup as a gazetted town nearly 120 years ago.  We will be joined on the day by a number of "locals" with stories and artefacts from the town's past to share.

Another Open Day has been and gone at the SWRHC - the number of visitors was less than previously but all seemed to enjoy what we had to offer and it gave us more of a chance to talk to the people and tell them a little more about various exhibits than we usually get.  The Farmers Market at the other end of town also experienced a downturn in the number of customers and many traders took home a lot of their fresh produce that on a "normal" day they would have sold.
For those in the South West look out for the Donnybrook-Bridgetown Mail as our cup cake queens from "My Picnic Van Rules" may well feature with a pose more akin to a centefold than a family portrait in an upcoming issue!
The April Open Day on the 28th will be "A Walk Down Memory Lane" as our contribution to Heritage Month celebrations.  Join us between 10am and 2pm to find out how the railways and agriculture led to the establishment of Boyanup as a gazetted town nearly 120 years ago.  We will be joined on the day by a number of "locals" with stories and artefacts from the town's past to share.

One week to go before we take "A Walk Down Memory Lane" at the SWRHC.  Come and join us to see old cars and bikes, old operating machines, old photos and old trains and ask old people how the railways and agriculture resulted in Boyanup becoming a town and ask Norm about Leschenault Lady's return to steaming condition.  

While you are there, buy mum's Mothers' Day present from the Boyanup Collectors Club stall or from other stalls that will be there.

Make sure you stop in at the Picnic Van to enjoy the tea/coffee and cakes and/or the sausage sizzle and cold drinks.

We will also have a book stall on site selling new books about WA's railway history.

The South West Rail and Heritage Centre will be open from 10am to 2pm.

Fantastic day at the SWRHC on Sunday with 108 through the gate, surprisingly only 14 children, with another 20 or 30 manning stalls and displays.

The news, including an article in the South West Times, of Leschenault Lady's imminent repairs to bring her back to steaming condition has gathered a lot of interest and perhaps swelled the crowd.  As well as the exhibits at the SWRHC, we were wonderfully supported by community groups and individuals.  Old and new bikes from the Indian Harley club, vintage cars and trucks, 4 wheel drive vehicles, including a "Rock Climber"that apparently will go up near vertical obstacles (I am far too old to ask for a go at that!), an old motor driven cross cut saw cutting through large logs like a hot knife through butter, an operating blacksmith's forge (though he wasn't standing under a spreading chestnut tree as the old poem claims), photos of early times in the Capel Shire and DVDs of old rail scenes from throughout the South West were just some of the extras on show.

With Mothers Day just around the corner, we also had a couple of stalls with items for sale that mum would just love - collectable plates and other fine china and crystal, antiques and hand made jewellery using fresh water pearls, 14 carat gold and sterling silver were there for the buying.  Fortunately my wife wasn't!!!

The Picnic Van and the sausage sizzle both did a roaring trade throughout the day until there was no more left to eat.  Guess who missed out as usual!

And while all this was going on, RHWA members down from Perth were busy in the roundhouse adding the top coat of cream and Larch Green to ACM 391 and trying to remove nuts from bolts on Leschenault Lady that hadn't been touched for many a year to get her ready for the boiler to be lifted off and sent off to have some boiler stays replaced.  I think the total was about 5 nuts removed in about 5 hours work!

Our next Open Day at the SWRHC will be on Sunday, May 26th between 10am and 2pm - why not take a trip to the green South West and pay us a visit.  "Behind the scenes tours" are available for all rail fans - just look for the old guy in the bright green high viz top.

The news, including an article in the South West Times, of Leschenault Lady's imminent repairs to bring her back to steaming condition has gathered a lot of interest and perhaps swelled the crowd.  

Once it's back to steaming condition, what's the plans for G233?

Our ultimate aim when we started on the long journey to get the site in shape so that it could reopen was to run the Vintage Train (Leschenault Lady hauling 100+ year old country dogbox type carriages) to the various festivals in the South West.  These occur in Dardanup, Donnybrook, Balingup, Bridgetown and Manjimup.

The line to Manjimup has been closed to all traffic for nearly 10 years now and has just been left.  Twenty million dollars had been made available by the previous State Labor government to "fix"the track if a deal with the timber companies could be made to haul woodchips and logs from North Greenbushes to the Bunbury port by rail, as used to be the case.  This never eventuated and the money was spent elsewhere by the current State Liberal government, with the woodchips and logs now carried by large trucks and trailers along SW Highway to the port.

A friendly local track inspector has told us that the line between Boyanup and Donnybrook (~14km south of Boyanup), while not wonderful, could handle the train due to its slow speed and light axle loading but the line to Capel is poor and the trestle bridge over the Capel River to get into the town is decidedly wobbly.

I'm not sure how much you know about Boyanup so here's just a little about it.  It was once an important junction for 2 lines.  One went south through Donnybrook, Balingup, Bridgetown, Manjimup, Pemberton as far as Northcliffe and was important for transporting timber and agricultural produce initially and later woodchips.  The other went west to Capel then south to Busselton, Margaret River and finished just before Augusta, which is on Cape Leeuwin where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern(Antarctic) Ocean.

Back to Leschenault Lady - until the government makes a decision about the future of the line to Donnybrook, and further, the Lady will remain at the SWRHC and just be brought into steam for our Open Days.  The proposed new rail safety regulations well may prevent her from moving while the public is on hand so she won't even be able to put on a show inside the site.

I hope that this answers your question - and a few that you didn't even know you wanted to ask.

Further to my answer to VR Fan's question, I may not have made it clear that both Rail Heritage WA and the SWRHC, in which RHWA is a partner, are fully conversant with the current Rail Safety Act.

That is, not withstanding any future regulations, we are prohibited from moving the Lady, or any loco, under its own power (or by other means according to the letter of the law) unless we are an accredited rail operator for terminal or mainline operations, which we aren't as yet.

This prohibition in relation to moving locomotives has been in place since 1996.

Here is SWRHC's facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SouthWestRailandHeritageCentre Check it soon for pictures of restoration, information on open days, and progress on G233

Once it's back to steaming condition, what's the plans for G233?

Be nice to see it haul passengers between Dwellingup and Etmylin.

Thats my thoughts.....

Be nice to see it haul passengers between Dwellingup and Etmylin.

Thats my thoughts.....

I personally feel it is very plausible for SWRHC/RHWA to use the same accreditation as WHR, when it is up and running (I am saying it will, if anyone disagrees, this isn't the thread to say so). This however will have to happen in quite a few years and in the mean time, it seems an awful lot of work to get the loco up to steam for only four hours, once a month, and not to move. So while SWRHC/RHWA is waiting for accreditation, it makes sense to lend the loco to HVTR. I can understand though why many of RHWA's members may disagree, because when G233 was leased to the old Boulder Loopline after overhaul, it came back soon after in not so good condition, so people may not want G233 to leave RHWA's care again.

I personally feel it is very plausible for SWRHC/RHWA to use the same accreditation as WHR, when it is up and running (I am saying it will, if anyone disagrees, this isn't the thread to say so). This however will have to happen in quite a few years and in the mean time, it seems an awful lot of work to get the loco up to steam for only four hours, once a month, and not to move. So while SWRHC/RHWA is waiting for accreditation, it makes sense to lend the loco to HVTR. I can understand though why many of RHWA's members may disagree, because when G233 was leased to the old Boulder Loopline after overhaul, it came back soon after in not so good condition, so people may not want G233 to leave RHWA's care again.

Again just my thoughts... SWRHC/RHWA staff could join HVTR and operate and care for their locomotive as part of a joint venture under HVTR's accreditation?

Be nice to see it haul passengers between Dwellingup and Etmylin.

Thats my thoughts.....


Which raises a question. What is the problem G123

I personally feel it is very plausible for SWRHC/RHWA to use the same accreditation as WHR, when it is up and running (I am saying it will, if anyone disagrees, this isn't the thread to say so). This however will have to happen in quite a few years and in the mean time, it seems an awful lot of work to get the loco up to steam for only four hours, once a month, and not to move. So while SWRHC/RHWA is waiting for accreditation, it makes sense to lend the loco to HVTR. I can understand though why many of RHWA's members may disagree, because when G233 was leased to the old Boulder Loopline after overhaul, it came back soon after in not so good condition, so people may not want G233 to leave RHWA's care again.

I just might add: I personally think that G233 should stay in Boyanup.

I just might add: I personally think that G233 should stay in Boyanup.

And stay she will!  Once she is repaired, the opportunity will then be available to train boiler attendants and the like, with hopefully the ability to operate her and the Vintage Train sometime in the future.

It was quiet in Boyanup for May's Open Day, with not many visitors to show around the site, but our volunteers kept themselves busy cleaning up the site of leaves (our trees are lovely and shady in summer but a real pain in autumn!) and other "junk" while in the roundhouse the "Basso Boys" from RHWA made more progress in readying Leschenault Lady to have her boiler lifted and more painting was done on ACM 391.

The old blacksmith's shop has been cleaned out and a new generation of blacksmiths has taken it over and the "new boys" have begun bashing and shaping iron into various forms using portable forges.

The next Open Day is scheduled for Sunday, June 23rd, with the gates open between 10am and 2pm - we look forward to welcoming you to the site then.

And stay she will!  Once she is repaired, the opportunity will then be available to train boiler attendants and the like, with hopefully the ability to operate her and the Vintage Train sometime in the future.

It was quiet in Boyanup for May's Open Day, with not many visitors to show around the site, but our volunteers kept themselves busy cleaning up the site of leaves (our trees are lovely and shady in summer but a real pain in autumn!) and other "junk" while in the roundhouse the "Basso Boys" from RHWA made more progress in readying Leschenault Lady to have her boiler lifted and more painting was done on ACM 391.

The old blacksmith's shop has been cleaned out and a new generation of blacksmiths has taken it over and the "new boys" have begun bashing and shaping iron into various forms using portable forges.

The next Open Day is scheduled for Sunday, June 23rd, with the gates open between 10am and 2pm - we look forward to welcoming you to the site then.

It would be great to see G233 in steam again.... to see her working the Vintage Train would be magic too.

Well done to all who are working on her

It would be great to see G233 in steam again.... to see her working the Vintage Train would be magic too.

Well done to all who are working on her

A wet and windy day in downtown Boyanup saw people opt for the comforts of home and hence visitors were few and far between yesterday.  But that doesn't mean that further progress has not been made on making the site more visitor friendly.

Our volunteers braved the elements and sent a load of junk and rubbish to the tip and before any rail fans get agitated, no railway, or agricultural, related items were amongst it - try termite eaten cupboards, rusty down pipes and gutters etc. instead.

A South West Chapter of the Blacksmiths Association of WA has been formed and its members have taken up residence in the old blacksmith's shop.  The leather on the original bellows has perished beyond repair so they use home made portable forges to assist with their ancient craft.  The front of the building has been covered in by an authentic looking facade of timber boards, doors and windows, with an anvil swinging high above the doors.  Definitely worth a look if you are in the area.

No further work was carried out on Leschenault Lady this weekend but the "Basso Boys" are at the stage of figuring out how to lift the cab off the frame - haven't they heard of skyhooks!!!

Our next Open Day is scheduled for Sunday, July 28th - may the weather gods be kind to us between 10am and 2pm.  Why not use some of your tax return to fill the car up with petrol and come and pay us a visit.

Open Day at the SWRHC this Sunday (July 28)  will see the blacksmiths at work in their "new shop" - see the South West Rail and Heritage Centre Facebook page for a sneak preview.  Also, with the threat of rain, soup and scones will be available in the Picnic Van.  And if that's not enough to please all you rail fans, come and check on the progress of the boiler removal on Leschenault Lady, along with all of the other rail and agricultural exhibits.

Open Day at the SWRHC this Sunday (July 28)  will see the blacksmiths at work in their "new shop" - see the South West Rail and Heritage Centre Facebook page for a sneak preview.  Also, with the threat of rain, soup and scones will be available in the Picnic Van.  And if that's not enough to please all you rail fans, come and check on the progress of the boiler removal on Leschenault Lady, along with all of the other rail and agricultural exhibits.

Hmmm, something funny going on here, that is supposed to be July 28, not July smiley face, for the SWRHC Open Day.  However, you'll probably have a smiley face if you come and pay us a visit!

Hmmm, something funny going on here, that is supposed to be July 28, not July smiley face, for the SWRHC Open Day.  However, you'll probably have a smiley face if you come and pay us a visit!

Put a space between the 8 and the ) otherwise it gives 8)