A post for Mitchell, Little T, and Brydie’s Little Monkeys…
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Small Man is a railway enthusiast.
His childhood love of Thomas the Tank Engine has grown into a fascination with steam engines in specific, and railways in general. On Sunday, we drove an hour out of Sydney to visit Train Works in the southern town of Thirlmere.
The last time we were there, the centre was known as the NSW Rail Transport Museum. Back then it was a large shed filled with old engines – now it’s a flash museum with interactive displays, an audiovisual show and a small café. Steam train rides are available on Sundays.
The cab of locomotive No. 18 (top photo), the oldest engine in the museum, built in 1864
The M78 Mixed Traffic Engine intrigued us – it was decommissioned over a century ago, which means no-one alive has ever ridden on it…
Despite that, it was still leaking oil…
Women played a service role in railway history, and were dressed accordingly…
I’m not sure who wore this cool Sgt. Pepper outfit…
An old-fashioned signal/switch box…
Mail trains used to carry letters throughout the country, with the mail being handsorted for delivery on the train…
This cool little pay bus, powered by a Ford V8 engine, ran along the tracks and delivered wages to the railway workers…
The 4-8-4+4-8-4 Garratt engine was the most powerful steam locomotive to ever operate in Australia. It was too large to fit into a single photo!
There were lots of old-fashioned steam engines…
A turntable and a roundhouse full of engines being restored…
Naughty coal trucks!
Next weekend, the museum will be holding their Day out with Thomas event…
..and we caught a glimpse of the little tank engine hidden under a tarp (I’d recognise those colours anywhere)…
If you’re looking to entertain the kids these holidays, I’d highly recommend a visit to Train Works. Even we big kids enjoyed it!
Train Works
10 Barbour Road
Thirlmere NSW
02 4681 8001
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
WOW! This is where I can be lost… I love old trains… Wonderful sharing with us dear Celia, you did a great set. Thank you, love, nia
Nia, I wish you could have been there, your photos would have been much better than mine! :)
Wow! My sons recognized Thomas right away as well. They are also big Thomas the train fans. The old trains are fascinating, my brother likes the oldies as well; he would find it really interesting. The mail car is very unique. If we ever get to Australia I’ll be sure to go there for a visit!
Manuela, it’s a fun place to go – there were heaps of kids there on Sunday. Lots of old guys too, peering at the wheels and engines. Something for everyone, I guess.. :)
We have some working steam trains here, last year we hired a whole carriage and a party of us went on a day trip to see the aloes flowering, fabulous day. They even stopped so we could all get out and the train backed up and then came towards us so we could all take pics.
Sue, that’s fantastic! Fancy being able to hire a steam train for a day trip!!
Small Man is in good company. My maternal grandfather earned his living based in Preston Railway Sheds for the whole of his working life. He started apprenticed as a cleaner, worked his way up through sweat by day and study at night school until he eventually became a steam engine driver. I dare not guess at the tons of coal he must have shovelled & the long, exhausting hours he spent on the footplate in all weathers on shifts.
He raised three daughters on his weekly wage, earning double what the average man took home because of his mastery of his trade. He survived many dangers running services through the bombing in WWII and earned commendations for timekeeping from British Rail. Best of all he showed me some of his locomotives when I was about 5 or 6, driving the trains we took to the seaside at Blackpool. “That’s my granddad driving the train” I used to shout proudly. I inherited his retirement gold watch, engraved for 45 years service, which my son now owns.
Peter, thank you for this lovely story – you sound rightfully very proud of your grandfather. There was so much tradition and history in the railways back then…
great post celia..there’s something about trains that i can’t articulate except to say that i love everything about them..rail journeys for me are the best form of travel..
Jane, there’s something quite magic about them, isn’t there? :)
What a great day out. I know my husband would love to go there. That pay bus is amazing – I’ve never seen one before. Things were so much better back then when you’d be handed your pay in cash and it seemed to go a whole lot further. Love the uniforms too. xx
Charlie, that’s what we thought! The pay bus was very cool, but I’m honestly surprised it wasn’t held up and robbed – after all, everyone would have known what it was for! The uniforms made me laugh – I remember catching trains as a kid and the women in the canteen on the stations wearing them.. :)
How fascinating Celia. I especially like the mail sorting room. I bet the workers used to like the sight of that bus!
The Thomas song instantly started playing in my head at the sight of those steam engines.
The mail van was really interesting, Claire! I think I’d have had motion sickness if I had to sort mail as the train was rocking along.. :)
I love the romance of train travel.
Sleeper and dining cars- comedies with the sleeping berths being made up and closed on individuals and of course, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. My grandsons love Thomas and the island of Sodor- I like the mystique of the railways. :)
Great post!
Heidi, a couple more pics for you, from the Royal Tour in 1954:
Woah, those were some racy outfits. You should warn us when somethings not for work! Hee. Hee.
Sorry Greg, it must have been tricky to have them pop up on your work monitor.. ;-)
My kids – boy & girls – all loved trains when they were young & would have adored a visit to a place like this. those big engines are very shiny and handsome.
Amanda, there were really happy kids running around the place! :)
My 4yo nephew is a mad train buff. So cute.
Last time we were at train works they had a great knitting exhibit, did you see it?
A knitting exhibit! I can’t believe we missed it! Sounds amazing… :)
Wow, that is amazing. We have a heritage railway where we live, in operation. It runs on weekends and during school holidays. It is very, very popular. It never ceases to amaze me how many people travel to our remote little corner to see it. Trains continue to have a magical, mystical allure about them, clearly!
~S.
Sorcha, they do seem to be popular with all ages. There were guys in their motorbike jackets strolling around in amongst the littlies.. :D
Took me right back to sitting on the floor and playing with all those gorgeous wooden pieces with my little one…she wouldn’t be seen dead playing with them now of course, oh how quickly they change although it sounds as if small man isn’t so fickle. My grandfather worked on the railways and it was an absolute passion for him. Thanks for all the memories.
Alison, they really do grow up so quickly, don’t they? I’m glad the post reminded you of your grandfather.. :)
We spent our kid’s college fund on Brio and Thomas. (Not really but close. :-) Now when little kids come over we pull out a glorious tub of wooden track and trains.
Somewhere around here I have photos of the train museum in Los Angeles. http://www.griffithparktrainrides.com/
Yep, we’re with you Maz, I think we spent a fortune on Thomas and Brio too. Then again, the boys played with them every second day for maybe five years between them, so it was a great investment! The miniature train park looks like fun! :)
Wonderful photos, and what a great interest for a young man to have! Many years ago we took our (then) small boys to the transport museum in York, and they absolutely loved it. It’s so good that children can see something so magical right up close. A wonderful post!
Thanks Misky! We all enjoyed it, and the small children that were there had a ball!
I love your new photo icon whatsit! So cute!
Thanks Misky.. xxx
What a fun day! I’ve never been a train enthusiast but I love museums of all sorts.
Maureen, it’s an interesting place to wander – there were lots of instructional boards and old tools and equipment to look at. They’re really thought it out well..
Celia, Small Man may be interested in this site which a friend of my very Big Man sent to him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6VAuPPufNro
I can tell you, that it is a passion which some men never outgrow.
Oh that IS cool, thanks Carmen! I’ll show him when he gets up!
Well the small man might like to visit Adelaide then. Here he could ride on one. An old steam train still runs along the coast. http://www.steamrangerheritagerailway.org
Jason, I’m sure he’d love that! Thanks for the headsup..
Dear Celia,
I never realised there is a museum down that way. Would definitely check it out the next time we venture down south towards the south coast. The trains look like they are in pretty good condition too after so long.
Chopinand, they’ve all been lovingly restored. The roundhouse was full of engines and carriages under repair!
Celia you should have seen their faces when they heard there was a post that mentioned them and then alllll those trains :-) Followed by, THOMAS!!!! when they saw the red and blue paint. Very funny.
We really need to go for a drive I think.
Brydie, maybe even this weekend when the big Thomas event is on? ;-)
That looks a fascinating day out. We’re just getting into Thomas with our very small man. I have lots to learn! I like your new gravatar – I only realised about a month ago that you were wearing glasses in the old one.
Thanks Jo! The old gravatar was nearly 10 years old, so I thought it was time for an update. And welcome to the Thomas club, it’s going to be a fun journey for you! :)
Oh wow. My little boys are obsessed with Thomas (they’re running around in their little Thomas pj’s as I write this…) I would love to take them here the next time we visit AU. Do you think it’s something for little kids (mine are 1 & 3) or for the slightly older crowd? Thanks!
Emilie, I’m not sure how much your one year old will enjoy it, but your three year old will have love it. There are full size naughty coal trucks, and breakdown vans, and turntables – everything looks like a full scale version of the tv shows, minus the faces.. :)
In the main building, kids were climbing through the display engines and one had a slide attached. Here’s a photo…
Thank you so much Celia! This is perfect :)
Small man obviously was in seventh heaven! I love your new photo.
Thanks Elaine! :) He did have a wonderful time.. x
Small man is a very lucky man indeed!
He did have a wonderful time! :)