Glenreagh Mountain Railway Explained

Glenreagh Mountain Railway, known as the GMR, was established in 1989 as a heritage tourist railway at Glenreagh, near Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. GMR's objective is to restore and operate a heritage tourist railway on the Glenreagh to Ulong section of the Glenreagh to Dorrigo railway line.

GMR is a non-profit, community-based organisation run entirely by volunteers, and has an authority to raise funds under the Charitable Collections Act.

The GMR acquired the 35-kilometre section from Glenreagh to Ulong in 1999 from the State Rail Authority for $1 and began restoring this section of line as well as rolling stock, to enable the heritage tourist railway to operate.^[1]

Tourist trains for the public were operated in 2004.^[2]

GMR's current rolling stock includes steam locomotive Z19 class 1919, 4-wheel watergin L568, TAM sleeping car, two heritage end-platform cars, S type carriages, ex-U set interurban carriages, and numerous trikes and track maintenance vehicles.

As of December 2005, GMR had completed trackwork to safe working standards for train operation from Glenreagh West Depot 3.5 km west to Tallawudjah Creek.^[3] Steam train operations were scheduled one weekend a month subject to fire bans.

In February 2008 operations ceased while GMR worked to fulfill its obligations under the Rail Safety Act.^{[4] [5]}

Rolling stock

• Z19 class locomotive

1919^[6]

• CPH railmotor

11^[6]

• Sydney R1 class tram

1936^[7]

• Melbourne W class trams

392, 447^[6]

See also

• Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum (further along the same former branch line)

Notes and References

1. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 738 April 1999 page 160
2. Web site: Glenreagh rail lines up tourism potential. Daily Examiner. 22 July 2014. 6 Oct 2004. 27 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727152117/http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/apn-glenreagh-rail-lines-up-tourism/132431/. live.
3. Web site: Scott. Belinda. Full steam ahead for Glenreagh Mountain Railway. Daily Examiner. 23 July 2014. 3 Feb 2006. 27 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727140728/http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/apn-full-steam-ahead-for-glenreagh-mountain/137633/. live.
4. Web site: Terry Deefholts. $1m battle for Mountain Rail. Daily Examiner. 23 July 2014. 8 Sep 2009. 27 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727140719/http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/1m-uphill-battle-for-glenreagh-railway/352906/. live.
5. Web site: Belinda Scott. Battle for Glenreagh Mountain Rail. Coffs Coast Advocate. 23 July 2014. 15 Sep 2009. 28 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728015122/http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/gmr-faces-uphill-battle-to-return-to-rail-track/357813/. live.
6. Glenreagh Mountain Railway / Tramway Trolley Wire issue 306 August 2006 pages 16-19
7. Glenreagh Trolley Wire issue 309 May 2007 page 45-47