The Tasmanian Transport Museum Society has successfully launched its extended heritage rail service to Berriedale.
The official launch took place on Saturday with invited guests and their families experiencing the newly extended route.
Tasmanian Transport Museum president Jeff Bronstein said the event exceeded expectations.
“[The] official launch of extended training rides to Berriedale went extremely well,” he said.
“[People] thoroughly enjoyed the unique perspective of travelling by heritage rail past the old suburban stations of Montrose, Rosetta and Berriedale.”
The service was officially launched by Opposition Leader Josh Willie and Glenorchy Mayor Sue Hickey.
It featured a special heritage train featuring two locomotives – steam locomotive M5 and diesel locomotive Y4 – hauling nearly century-old carriages.
Public interest has already proven strong, with the first five scheduled public rides on December 28 completely sold out.
“Additional services are planned for every Sunday in January and members of the public wanting to enjoy an extended train trip should check the museum’s website for details,” Bronstein said.
The museum has undertaken extensive restoration work to make the extension possible, including replacing more than 400 sleepers to ensure safety along the line.
The project is the second stage of the Museum’s Greater Hobart Heritage Rail Project, which aims to eventually connect Glenorchy to Granton.
Further extensions are already in planning, with the museum focusing on infrastructure improvements.
“The next significant step planned by the Museum is the installation of warning bells and lights at the Grove Road intersection next year which, when completed, will enable a further extension of the journey to be opened,” Bronstein said.
The museum is currently seeking government funding assistance through the next Federal Budget to support future extensions of the service.
