Tourist rail may make comeback

TRAINS could run between Korumburra and Leongatha within 12 months, as the Southern Rail Preservation Group plans to invest $5 million to reinstate the tourist railway.
Eventually, the group plans to return a rail service along the full 58 kilometres of line between Leongatha and Koo Wee Rup.
Southern Rail president Stuart Gilbert said the project was in its early stages, but was hoping the model they were planning to adopt would ensure its success.
He said the funding needed to get the project started was being provided by a private investor.
The tourist railway that operated previously between Korumburra and Leongatha stopped running around two years ago.
“It will be more community focussed this time around, we want the local businesses to get involved to provide services for passengers,” Mr Gilbert said.
“There will be a consultation process with interested businesses to get their input.”
Mr Gilbert said the railway line between Koo Wee Rup and Leongatha was one of the most scenic in the country.
He said coupled with the decent infrastructure already in place, it could become the longest, most scenic heritage railway in the world.
“That is a great selling point,” he said.
Mr Gilbert said the group is currently “knee deep” in paperwork, but was positive any hurdles will be overcome and work should be able to start soon to get the track up to standard.
He said the railway was in good condition between Leongatha and Korumburra and would need minimal work to get it up and running.
“We have been talking to a large rail maintenance contractor who is keen to give us a hand,” he said.
“We are working on striking up a deal with training rail workers to get the work done at a discounted rate. We get the work of a main line standard and they get certified.”
The proposed extension of the Great Southern Rail Trail could be impeded by the return of trains, but Mr Gilbert said he didn’t see any reason the trail couldn’t be built alongside the railway line.
“We see the benefits of both,” he said.
“It seems ludicrous to pull up decent infrastructure. Once it is removed, it will never return.”
Once the trains are running between Leongatha and Koo Wee Rup, Mr Gilbert said it could create up to 40 jobs.
“Initially most of the work will be done by volunteers, but we will be pushing towards employing people,” he said.
“How long that takes will depend on how popular the service is. With the marketing model we have, there are enough attractions down here to warrant it.”
Mr Gilbert said their marketing model was largely aimed at tourists from Asia.
The group plans to run both steam and diesel engines on the line, starting with diesel and eventually, the line could incorporate a passenger service as well.
Mr Gilbert said they had all but secured several locomotives for the tourist railway.
“There are a lot of good things coming. The train will be back,” he said.

Bring it back: from left, Southern Rail Preservation Group member Luke MacWhirter and president Stuart Gilbert were in the area last Thursday, inspecting the condition of the railway. Their group hopes to see a tourist railway service return to the line between Leongatha and Korumburra within 12 months.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Jul 17 2018. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry