By Mikayla van Loon
After such a popular uptake last year at the close of the original Lilydale train station, Steamrail Victoria will be returning to Lilydale with two steam locomotives in early May.
Steamrail Victoria operations team member Noah Clancey said it will be a nice milestone to have the first steam train pulling into the new Lilydale station on Saturday 7 May almost one year later.
With such interest and fascination with the steam locomotives last year, Mr Clancey said it seemed fitting to hold another event for the community.
“We had so many families, so many locals coming along, lots of people that remember the steam trains from when they were younger, back in the days when they used to run out there, and lots of families that just wanted to come along and come for a ride,” he said.
Whether lucky enough to book a spot on one of the shuttles throughout the day or happy to stand on the platform and watch the train pull in, Mr Clancey said locals will be able to see two K-class locomotives in action.
“They were built in the 1920s, at the Newport railway workshops here in Melbourne and that’s actually the workshop we’re based out of,” he said.
“We’ll bring two of them up along with some of our old country carriages, which date back to about 1908.”
Mr Clancey said these types of K-class engines would have been used regularly on the Lilydale line in the mid-20th century carting goods out to Healesville, Yarra Glen and Warburton.
Although the steam trains provoke memories for older generations, Mr Clancey said it’s the faces of the younger children that bring him joy and make him feel proud of what Steamrail Victoria does.
“It’s not like a modern train that just goes and stops. It’s almost as if it’s a living thing. It’s got steam hissing out and makes all the sounds, you hear the whistle too.
“And then you see the drivers, they’re not just sitting there pushing buttons. They’re shoveling coal into the firebox and it’s very manual labor to make this machine go.
“It’s just something really exciting and interesting for people to see.”
Sessions are still available to book. Visit www.steamrail.com.au/tours for more information.
