Australian Railway Historical Society Explained

The Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS) has been a railway organisation concerned with history and preservation of railway heritage at a national level.

It has had divisions in every state and the Australian Capital Territory, although the ACT division was wound up in 2016, along with the Victorian division in 2020.Since 1967, when each division incorporated, the state divisions operated as separate entities. Each still trades under the ARHS brand, except in Western Australia, where the division is called Rail Heritage WA. Individual membership exceeds 2,500.

Background

The ARHS was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Railway Circle,[1] becoming the Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society shortly afterwards. The society's name was changed to the present form in 1952.[2]

Divisions were later formed in other states, most of which established a railway museum:

In February 2015, the ACT division commenced operating scrap metal services from Fyshwick to Port Botany through its commercial division, Espee Railroad Services, with locomotives and wagons leased from CFCL Australia.[4] [5] [6] In November 2016, the Canberra Railway Museum was suddenly closed after the commercial division, which had been started to subsidise popular but expensive heritage train trips, collapsed with more than $700,000 of debt.[7] That led to the ACT Division of the ARHS being placed into liquidation.[8]

In July 2020, the Victorian Division was wound up, as the result of a number of civil claims made against it by those who, as children, were abused by ARHS volunteers.[9] [10]

Both the Canberra Railway Museum (Capital Region Heritage Rail) and Newport Railway Museum are now run by organisations separate from the ARHS.[11]

Railway Resource Centre

Located at the Alexandria premises of the New South Wales Division, the Railway Resource Centre is a collection of historical material pertaining to Australian railways, managed by the Society and volunteers. Access to the collection is available to members and to the general public for private research only. It houses thousands of documents, books, periodicals, photographs and slides which the Society has acquired over many years. It is constantly being added to by acquisitions through donations and bequests from Australian Railway Historical Society members and others.[12]

Publications

Books

Each division has published and supported publishing of books and pamphlets about the history of regional railways. Significantly divisions have been the main resource of expertise in creating centenary and other anniversary publications regarding rail history.

The New South Wales Division operates a shop in Alexandria.[13] The NSW division also maintains the Railway Resource Centre. The centre houses the thousands of documents, books, periodicals, photographs and slides that the society has acquired over many years.[1]

Magazines

Some divisions publishes magazines at various frequencies. The state and divisions of the society publish magazines that vary in content and depth, but which provide items of local information about state railway history and activities.

Australian Railway History

In October 1937, Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin was launched by the New South Wales Division.[14] In May 1950, it was relaunched as the Australian Railway History Society Bulletin.[15] [16] In January 2004, it was renamed Australian Railway History, and is published monthly.[17]

Australian Railway Historyincludes historical material from all states and territories.[18]

Newsrail

In November 1957, the Victorian Division launched Divisional Diary.[19] From 1958 until 1965, it was also the publication of the Tasmanian division.[20] In January 1973, Divisional Diary was replaced by Newsrail.[21] [22] It is published monthly.[23] Since the winding-up of the Victorian Division in mid-2020, the magazine has been published by Victorian Rail Publishing Inc.[24]

Railway Digest

In March 1963, the New South Wales division launched Railway Digest.[25] It is published monthly.[26] [27]

Sunshine Express

After publishing a supplement within the Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin for 16 issues, in February 1966, the Queensland division launched Sunshine Express.[28] In 1968, annual publication was increased from six issues to eight.[29] As of 2023, it is published bimonthly.[30]

Tasmanian Rail News

From 1958 until 1965, the Victorian Division publication, Divisional Diary, also served as the Tasmanian Division's publication.[20] In August 1965, Rail News was launched, which was renamed Tasmanian Rail News in July 1968.[31] [32]

The Recorder

In October 1963, the South Australian division launched The Recorder.[33] [34] In May 1992, The Recorder ceased publication with the ARHS deciding to pool resources with the National Railway Museum's Catch Point.[35] [36] [37] The arrangement ceased in December 2008.[38]

The Westland

In July 1972, the Western Australian division launched The Westland Express.[39] It ceased in June 1973 after 12 issues.[40] [41] In January 1985, it was revived as The Westland.[42] Publication ceased in 2019 after 287 issues.[43]

Affiliations

Other societies and organisations with which the Australian Railway Historical Society is affiliated include:-[44]

Other groups

Rail heritage is not the exclusive domain of the ARHS in Australia, and at various stages other groups of enthusiasts and individuals have endeavoured to create niches in the publishing and rail heritage businesses.

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW) . 10 July 2023 . MGNSW . en-AU . 9 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230309190459/https://mgnsw.org.au/organisations/arhs-nsw/ . live .
  2. The Constitution and the change of the Society's name Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin January 1952 page 10
  3. Web site: Rosewood Railway Museum . ARHS Queensland . 6 June 2017 . 18 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170218032706/http://www.arhs-qld.org.au/rosewood-railway-museum . live .
  4. https://archive.today/20150311220943/http://www.accessrecycling.com.au/6_march,_2015.html Canberra railway freight services to start again after 32 years
  5. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/a-new-railway-plan-for-canberras-scrap-metal-20150306-13wxly.html A new railway plan for Canberra's scrap metal
  6. "Rail freight returns to Canberra" Railway Digest March 2015 page 8
  7. Web site: Back on track: Canberra Railway Museum set to reopen. O'Mallon. Finbar. The Canberra Times. 3 August 2018. 22 August 2018. 4 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180804120804/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/canberra-news/back-on-track-canberra-railway-museum-set-to-reopen-20180803-p4zvb8.html. live.
  8. News: Railway Museum runs out of steam – Canberra CityNews. 17 November 2016. Canberra CityNews. en-US. 18 November 2016. 19 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161119004010/http://citynews.com.au/2016/canberra-railway-museum-steam/. live.
  9. https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/file_uploads/Investigation_into_child_sex_offender_Robert_Whiteheads_involvement_with_Puffing_Billy_and_other_railway_bodies_z8D8MdDJ.pdf Investigation into child sex offender Robert Whitehead’s involvement with Puffing Billy and other railway bodies
  10. https://rctlaw.com.au/legal-blog/2020/railways-changes-should-not-prevent-making-abuse-claims Railways changes should not prevent making abuse claims
  11. Web site: Newport Railway Museum . Newport Railway Museum Inc. . 2024-07-25.
  12. Web site: Railway Resource Centre . 17 April 2014 . 28 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140228030842/http://www.arhsnsw.com.au/resource.htm . live .
  13. https://arhsnsw.com.au/contact-us/ Bookshop
  14. "Bulletin 1937–1987", Australasian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, issue 600, October 1987, pages 218–220
  15. "Celebrating 50 Years of the New Series of Bulletin", Australian Railway History Society Bulletin, issue 751, May 2000, pages 183–185
  16. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2722622 Catalogue entry: Australian Railway History Society Bulletin
  17. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3095439 Catalogue entry: Australian Railway History
  18. https://arhsnsw.com.au/australian-railway-history/ Australian Railway History
  19. "A Note from the President", Divisional Diary, November 1957, page 3
  20. "DD 186", Divisional Diary, March 1958, page 20
  21. "Divisional Diary", Newsrail, January 1988, pages 4–7
  22. "1973 – 2023 50 Years", Newsrail, January 2023, pages 6–15
  23. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/913597 Catalogue entry: Newsrail
  24. Web site: Victorian Rail Publishing Inc. . 29 July 2020 . 7 July 2023 . 8 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230708221245/https://vicrailpublishing.com.au/ . live .
  25. New South Wales Digest – The First Ten Years Railway Digest March 1973 page 3
  26. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1563417 Catalogue entry: Railway Digest
  27. https://arhsnsw.com.au/railway-digest/ Railway Digest
  28. Sunshine Express Sunshine Express issue 17 February 1966 page 3
  29. Editorial Sunshine Express issue 29 February 1968 page 2
  30. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2873049 Catalogue entry: Sunshine Express
  31. "TRN turns 40", Tasmanian Rail News, issue 229, October 2005, page 19
  32. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1899450 Catalogue entry: Tasmanian Rail News
  33. South Australian Recorder Divisional Diary January 1964 page 15
  34. The Recorder Completes its First Ten Years The Recorder October 1973 page 2
  35. From the Editor Catch Point issue 88 March 1992 page 3
  36. The Future The Recorder April 1992 page 100
  37. https://catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/record=b1045285 Catalogue entry: The Recorder
  38. Catch Point celebrates 30 years Catch Point issue 208 March 2012 page 30
  39. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 421 November 1972 page 11
  40. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 432 October 1973 page 11
  41. https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1427032 Catalogue entry: The Westland Express
  42. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 567 January 1985 page 1
  43. https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1145747 Catalogue entry: The Westland
  44. Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Div. Annual Report 2007–2008

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