Number of Images on this Page = 6


Private Railways

This directory contains miscellaneous private railway systems around Australia. The major system amongst those that are collected here is the South Maitland Railways, a once-extensive coalfields system near Newcastle.

Since many government railways have been broken up into private operations, and locos sold off, this section will doubtless expand. Where possible I include locos in private livery here, with a link in the home government organization.

Australian Iron and Steel

  • Image : dir=private/ page=index 145627 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : 1997 (?)
  • Photographer : David Dawe
  • Medium : duplicate colour print, forwarded from the photographer and used with permission
  • Catalogue :
  • Description : Australian Iron and Steel's locomotive, now in private ownership.


Australian Transport Network

  • Image : dir=private/ page=index 98482 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : 17 Apr 2002, catalogued 02 Jan 2004
  • Photographer : Stewart Hughes
  • Medium : email digital image
  • Catalogue : , image location quintuple header small
  • Description : Stewart writes:
    This is the most number of locomotives I've seen in Rozelle Yard for a very long time - taken last week. The quintuple header consists of: ANR 422 class 42211, ATN L class 254 and 830 class 8?? and 8??, and Great Northern unidentified GM class. One of the 830 class appeared to have broken down which may be the reason for all these loco's being coupled to one train. On the left in front is Austrac 18 class 1872 which is often here. On the right is CFCLA KL class KL80. A veritable cornucopia of Aussie private locomotive stock!


Australian Portland Cement Co.

Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia

  • Image : dir=private/ page=index 527353 bytes, 800x523 pixels
  • Date : 2009, catalogued 14 Feb 2011
  • Photographer : Alex Teran
  • Medium : email digital image
  • Catalogue : , image location VL357-2009
  • Description : VL357 in CFCLA colours at Dynon, Melbourne


Hammersley Iron

  • Image : dir=private/ page=index 137903 bytes, 851x541 pixels
  • Date : Oct 1998, catalogued 28 Aug 2000
  • Photographer : Dwight Mitchell
  • Medium : email digital image, scanned from a Kodal Ektachrome original
  • Catalogue :
  • Description : This photo was sent to me by Dwight Mitchell, as a link between Australia and the US. It is an SD50, originally at Hammersley Iron, now sold to a US railway company in Bow, New Hampshire.


Independent Railways of Australia

  • Image : dir=private/ page=index 82423 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : 11 May 2007, catalogued 28 Jul 2007
  • Photographer : Neil Quigg
  • Medium : email
  • Catalogue : , image location /home/ajh/Desktop/1432.jpg
  • Description : A rare glimpse of Independent Railways of Australia number 1432 in Broadmeadows yard, NSW


The Railways of J & A Brown

Next to the SMR, the railways of J and A Brown were the next most extensive coalfields system in Newcastle. Based at Hexham, the system almost outlived the SMR, in spite of having no locomotives of its own left to work the system, and having to borrow 10 class from the SMR to run the line. Alas, the last vestige closed in the late 70s.

The system was notable for having some of the ex Railways Operating Division locomotives built for the 1914-18 war, and hence were the target for many British rail enthusiasts. In 1967, the decision was made to stop major boiler work on the ROD locomotives and as these locos were withdrawn, they were supplemented by 10 class from the SMR. Fortunately, some of the RODs have been preserved, and you can read all about them in the ROD section .

The Hunslet Locomotive Co in England was requested at the time to evaluate the cost in reboilering both classes of locomotives. They decided 10 class to be a better proposition than the ROD. If it had been the other way, ROD locomotives would have worked SMR from 1970's onwards. Hunslet provided 6 sets of boiler pressings to allow the withdrawn 10 class to be returned to service for both railway systems. (thanks to Brian Andrews for some of this information.)

The South Maitland Railways

The South Maitland Railways in the 1970s were the last remaining vestige of a once extensive coalfields railway system. During 1973, I took the opportunity of visiting this system a couple of times, and recorded steam in its last great regular revenue service in Australia.

State Electricity Commission (of Victoria)

  • Image : dir=private/ page=index 119323 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : Sep 1997
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : colour print, taken on Kodak Gold
  • Catalogue :
  • Description : These 3 foot gauge locomotives were used for hauling brown coal from the SEC open-cut mines in Yallourn to the power stations, on the once-extensive private network of lines.


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