NSW Rail Museum

at Newcastle preparing to head south with a Newcastle Flyer special in 2007 The NSWRTM was established in October 1962 with 62 members. A survey of potential sites around Sydney found Enfield Locomotive Depot to be the most suitable and in 1963 a successful submission was made to the Department of Railways. Under the arrangement the department would retain ownership of the locomotives and rolling stock and responsibility for their maintenance. As Enfield depot was still active, exhibits were sent to Enfield for storage but not able to be accessed. In 1967, the department made an area adjacent to Petersham station available to the museum. The first locomotives outshopped were 3526 and 3609 painted blue and green respectively. In July 1969, the NSWRTM was able to move into Enfield Roundhouse Number 3 with all exhibits transferred by September. In 1970, the museum was able to relocate into the larger Roundhouse Number 1, allowing the majority of the collection to be stored undercover. In October 1972, the display at Enfield was officially opened by Commissioner for Railways, Neil McCusker. as a static exhibit circa 1991 The NSWRTM had always maintained a good relationship with the Department of Railways, but in October 1972 it was replaced by the Public Transport Commission. The PTC under Commissioner Philip Shirley decided it wanted all steam locomotives, including those owned by preservation organisations, off the network with 3820 operating the NSWRTM's last tour to Taree in 1974. The PTC also decided it wanted nothing to do with maintaining the NSWRTM's collection and handed over the exhibits to the museum under a Deed of Gift. The NSWRTM opened at its current location in on 1 June 1976. Services on the loop line between Thirlmere and Buxton began on 13 June 1976. In 1993, the museum concluded a lease for the Picton – Buxton railway line following its closure by the State Rail Authority. The NSWRTM was removed as a board member of 3801 Limited in November 2006 after the 20-year lease of 3801 was not renewed. The locomotive was returned to the NSWRTM. ==Redevelopment==

In 2006, the Government of New South Wales endorsed the Sustainable Rail Heritage Asset Management Strategy to ensure the collection of the State's rail heritage assets are maintained and conserved by dedicated volunteers and shared with the public for current and future generations to appreciate and enjoy. In 2007, RailCorp's Office of Rail Heritage commissioned the development of a concept design for the NSWRTM’s upgrade. This saw ownership in the NSWRTM vested in Trainworks Limited, a 100% subsidiary of RailCorp. A major redevelopment saw the locomotive depot relocated to a roundhouse built at the southern end of the site opening in November 2009. To create room for stage two of the development of the museum, some of the exhibits were moved to Broadmeadow and Goulburn in 2009. Work on stage two began in December 2009, which included demolition of the existing locomotive maintenance building, construction of a new major exhibits building and other works. The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum re-opened in April 2011. ==Organisation==

The museum has over 2,300 members, including an active volunteer workforce of over 400 and a small number of full-time staff. ==Amalgamation==

In May 2013, the Minister for Transport, Gladys Berejiklian, announced Transport Heritage NSW, a new not-for-profit company, would be established to manage rail heritage in NSW following an independent review of rail heritage commissioned by the NSW Government. , THNSW currently has responsibility for the rebranded NSW Rail Museum and the Valley Heights site. All assets were transferred to THNSW after the merge. ==Museum exhibits==

The museum has an extensive collection of railway locomotives, carriages, wagons and other railway equipment from both the NSWGR and privately operated railways displayed at Thirlmere: Other locomotives • 40 class diesel locomotive 4001 • 42 class diesel locomotive 4201 • 43 class diesel locomotive 4306 • 44 class diesel locomotives 4490 • 442 class diesel locomotive 44211 • 45 class diesel locomotive 4501 and 4520 • 48 class diesel locomotive 4803, 4807 and 4833 • 49 class diesel locomotive 4916 • 86 class electric locomotive 8646 • BHP D1 class D1 • CPH railmotor CPH 18 and CPH 13 {under restoration} Carriages ==== The Governor-General's state carriage ahead of the opening of the first parliament of Australia when it was used by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. In 1920 it carried the Prince of Wales whilst he was visiting Sydney aboard HMS Renown and in 1927 it carried the Duke and Duchess of York whilst they were visiting to open the first session of the Australian Parliament in Canberra. The carriage was also used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during the 1954 royal visit. In 1964 the carriage was used for the visit of Princess Marina. C3804 C3804 One of four motor carriages built by Tulloch Limited at Rhodes between May and November 1968, C3801-C3804 entered service on January 6th 1969 as part of the experimental electric set "S10", the first full double deck train in New South Wales. For evaluation, it and the other three motor carriages were fitted with tractive equipment from different manufactures. The carriage was in service until January 1972 and was sent to the Electric carriage workshops in Chullora, were it would be partly stripped for parts including the windows and drivers controls. The carriage would be repainted with "Electric Car Workshops" on its left side. While It's siblings were converted into trailers and scrapped, C3804 remained at Elcar until 1994 before being transferred to the museum as it was preserved because of its status as the first double deck motor car built in Australia. ==Publications==

• Roundhouse (periodical) ==See also==