Despite the restrictions that COVID-19 has placed on all of us, the Bellarine Railway has reassured that it will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.
The volunteers are looking forward to welcoming the public back with a COVID safe plan in place and have thanked everyone for the support they have given so far.
Members of the public have supported the railway by purchasing vouchers to use when it reopens and even calling (from as far as Benalla) to find out when the reopening date is.
A number of the railway’s awesome volunteers have returned to continue with work on carriages, locomotive maintenance and important projects at their workshops (at a social distance) and by taking ‘homework’ to do in their own garages.
One such project reached a milestone at the end of June when the Australian Standard Garrett was moved into the Queenscliff workshop.
Originally from the Fyansford Cement Works, the steam locomotive reached a milestone when it was moved undercover for the first time since 1964.
The locomotives are lovingly and painstakingly restored by the Geelong Steam Preservation Society.
The work is carried out in a large shed known as ‘the yards’ only a few hundred metres from the Queenscliff station.
New volunteers are always welcome at ‘the yards’, which has become something of an unofficial Men’s Shed.
While no passenger trains have been operating, track work and test trains are still running. These can occur at any time.
See bellarinerailway.com.au for more information.
