Tasmanian Government Railways

The early railways of Tasmania were constructed by a number of private companies, each using a differing gauge. In 1871, the Launceston and Western Railway (L&WR) opened the first railway line in Tasmania, with a 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) line from Launceston to Deloraine. The Tasmanian Main Line Railway Company (TMLR) later opened their Hobart to Evandale line in 1876, to a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm). Because of the break-of-gauge, the TMLR laid a third rail upon the L&WR line, and operated dual gauge for the final 11 miles (17.7 km) to Launceston.[2]

The Tasmanian Government Railways had already been established in 1872 after progressively taking over failed railway companies across the state, and as financial issues toiled the larger railway companies, the TGR took over the L&WR in 1888 and the TMLR in 1890, thus creating an official public railway service in Tasmania.[1] As a result of this takeover, all Tasmanian railways were relaid or newly constructed in 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge.

On 1 July 1939, the railway administration was absorbed into the newly created Transport Commission and became its Railway Branch. The Commission was empowered to co-ordinate and improve land transport within the State, and one of its policies was to encourage the use of the railway wherever possible. Consequently to aid the railway, Tasmania's road network was divided into nine road transport zones, with levies instituted against trucks which crossed between zones if they were in competition with the railways.[3]

From February 7 to February 14, 1971, the TGR celebrated its centenary of operations, with special trains scheduled during this time for trips between Launceston and Deloraine with intermediate stops. Special fares were arranged for these trips, with return tickets between the two termini priced at $1.00 (approximately $9.74 in 2012). Trains were arranged with either single, double or triple-headed steam locomotives, depending on the type of stock and number of passengers carried.

On February 10, the official ceremony was held at Launceston Railway Station, with addresses from the Transport Commissioner George Webb and Minister for Transport Leonard Bessell, as well as the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the then-Premier of Tasmania William Angus Bethune.[4] Richard Green, the Mayor of Launceston, also presented the Guard of the centenary train with "Scrolls of Greetings", which were presented to the Wardens of the Municipalities of Evandale, Longford, Westbury and Deloraine. The Centenary Train also conveyed special mail from the Launceston Post Office, as well as politicians and invited guests.

After the Centenary train, further special trains were run through to St Marys on the Fingal Line, south down to Ross on the Main Line, and as far up as Railton on the Western line. Several trains were also timetabled to pick up passengers flown from Melbourne to Western Junction.[4]

The centenary celebrations were overall viewed as an astounding success, with most seats booked on each special train. Aside from the use of one Y Class diesel locomotive on a train for "special guests", every train scheduled as part of the centenary used well-maintained steam locomotives that were still in use on Tasmanian main lines.

In 1975, the Federal Whitlam Government sought to nationalise and take control of ailing state rail systems in a bid to revitalise them. Tasmania accepted the proposed Australian National Railways Commission on 23 May 1975, and the Railways (Tasmania) Act 1975 was passed. The Commission took control from the Transport Commission on 1 July 1975.[5][6] As a result of the transfer, the Tasmanian Government ceased claimancy for funds from the Commonwealth Grants Commission, and was relieved of its debt obligations and interest payments incurred for money borrowed from the Commonwealth in construction of the Bell Bay Line in 1971.[7]

• Main Line – Running north/south between Hobart and Launceston.
• Western Line – Running from Launceston to Wiltshire Junction.
• Derwent Valley Line – Running from Bridgewater Junction to logging areas in Florentine.
• Fingal Line – Branching from Conara Junction, south of Launceston, to St Marys on the East Coast.
• Irishtown-Trowutta Line – A short line from Irishtown Junction (outside Smithton) to rural areas southwards.
• Bell Bay Line – Opened in the early 1970s, this line connected Launceston to its northern port at Bell Bay.
• Apsley Line – Branching from Brighton Junction north into rural farmlands. Closed in 1947.
• Mole Creek Line – Branching from Lemana Junction south from the Western Line into logging areas. Closed 1985.
• Strahan–Zeehan_Railway Line – An isolated line joined to private railways, that linked the Queenstown to Strahan Mount Lyell railway line to the Emu Bay Railway line and as a result to Burnie and the rest of the Tasmanian railway system. .
• Bellerive–Sorell Line – An isolated and short-lived line that joined the Hobart suburb to the rural communities in the East. Closed in 1926.

The largest terminus in the state was built in Hobart in 1871 by the Tasmanian Main Line Company, and was further expanded in the 20th century, with the station reconstructed and modernised in 1950. After the completion of construction works, the station had four platforms and a large concourse, as well as shopping stalls and food vendors.

In the 1960s and early 1970s the railway station saw more than 70 trains a day come and go. With the gradual cessation of passenger services in the latter half of the 1970s and the takeover by Australian National Railways in 1978, the railway station was sold and redeveloped in the 1980s. Sections of track that went into the station were demolished for the extension of the Tasman Highway onto Davey Street and Macquarie Street, and today, the redeveloped site houses the studios of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Baháʼí Faith Centre of Learning, with the only remaining part of the rail terminal the original sandstone TMLR station building from 1871.[11]

The Tasman Limited was the only named train operated by TGR (The West Coaster was operated by the private Emu Bay Railway). Inaugurated in April 1954, the train originally began as an express railcar service; however, later became a first-class luxury passenger service, operated with special articulated coaching stock, buffet service and modern X class diesel locomotives. Seating was reserved, and the service ran from Hobart to Wynyard with connections to Launceston, every day of the week except Sundays.

The Tasman, as it was colloquially known, outlasted all other TGR passenger services, and was officially the last regular scheduled government passenger train to operate on the Tasmanian rail network, departing Hobart at 9.20am on Friday July 28th, 1978.

In the 1930s, the TGR formed the Railway Institute as a social and recreational branch for employees of the TGR and their families. Staffed by railway personnel, the TGR provided facilities to the Institute; with recreation halls and branches founded in Hobart, Launceston, Conara, Devonport and Wynyard. These halls contained offices, libraries, billiards rooms, a kitchen and other sporting and social facilities. The Launceston branch was unique, in that it also held a Commonwealth-recognised indoor small-bore rifle range, and boxing stadium.[12]

The Institute was tasked with training and certifying employees who were to be in charge of railway station accounts. The Institute also formed an intrastate sporting events calendar, with teams from each branch participating. More central branches (e.g. Hobart), because of the higher number of members, often fielded two or more teams.

As well as providing hall facilities, the Institute purchased several holiday homes located across Tasmania, as a way of providing members and their families with affordable holidays. A two-bedroom home at Scamander and a three-bedroom former station master's house at Claremont were initially acquired. The TGR also provided a six-bedroom house in both Stanley and Devonport, and later a house in Wynyard and South Burnie were also requisitioned. In 1978 when passenger services and the TGR ceased, employee numbers fell and subsequently the houses in Stanley, Wynyard and South Burnie were abandoned. Railway Institute facilities were also sold off, and the halls in Devonport and Wynyard were the last to be sold; with Devonport selling just prior to the sale of AN Tasrail to the private consortium ATN TasRail.[12]

Today, the Railway Institute still remains, but is now known as the AN (Railway) Institute of Tasmania Inc.. Several holiday homes also still exist and are in use, with the house in Devonport having been retained from TGR days. Two units in St Helens and two units in Claremont are also available, as well as a three-bedroom house in Launceston which was attained from AN Tasrail after they vacated offices there. These are owned outright by the Institute, after in the 1980s during the time of the Australian National Railways Commission's ownership, a Master of Operating lease was created to prevent future railway administrations from taking away Institute facilities.

Due to legal threats from the state government, however; the Institute was made to purchase the outstanding equity in the holiday homes of the TGR, to become completely separate to the railway administration. The Tasmanian membership paid $100,000 and the national administration of the ANR Railway Institute borrowed some more to buy the railway's equity in St Helens, Launceston, Devonport and Hobart. In 1997, the Institute in Tasmania became almost autonomous and became administered by volunteers. The Institute in Tasmania is assisted in administration by the board of AN Institute Inc. and its staff in Port Augusta, South Australia.[12]

The TGR had a large and varying fleet of both steam (and diesel in 1950) locomotives, and many served a multi-purpose position in the system; hauling freight, passenger, and mixed trains. The company also had a fleet of railcars used for inter-suburban commuter services.

Diesel

• V class[14]
• X class (introduced 1950, first mainline diesel locomotive in Australia)
• Y class (introduced 1961)
• Z class (introduced 1973)
• Za class (introduced 1973)

Za class locomotive, hauling a train through Bell Bay, Tasmania.

Railcars

• TGR DP class (introduced 1939)

These railcars were built by Waddingtons and served the Hobart-Parattah regional and suburban services up until 1974.

Steam

• TGR M/MA class (introduced 1952/1957)
• TGR H class (introduced 1951)
• TGR F class (introduced 1949)
• TGR G class (introduced 1944–50)
• TGR DS class (introduced 1939–44)
• TGR CCS class (introduced 1924)
• TGR Q class (introduced 1922)
• TGR M class (introduced 1912)
• TGR L class (introduced 1912)
• TGR CC class (introduced 1912)
• TGR K class (introduced 1909, first Garratt in the world)
• TGR G class[15](introduced 1896)
• TGR C class (introduced 1885–1937)

Much of the TGR's former rollingstock and traction has been preserved by enthusiast groups and museums, or have been placed in public parks in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Transport Museum,[16] Don River Railway[17] and Derwent Valley Railway[18] all hold extensive collections of TGR-related ephemera, infrastructure and rollingstock; either operational or non-operational/unrestored. The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, which is housed in the former TGR locomotive workshops in Inveresk, Tasmania, hold examples of the TGR's industrial operations, as well as a Y class locomotive, wagons, and locomotive nameplates and builder's plates.[19] The Bellarine Railway in Queenscliff, Victoria, also has a number of ex-TGR carriages and locomotives.[20]

During the 1980s, the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway (HVR) south of Perth, Western Australia, purchased two V-class diesel-mechanical shunting locomotives and several ex-Tasman Limited SS/SSD passenger carriages.

A couple of steam locomotives have been plinthed over the years and used in public parks since their withdrawal, with MA3 placed at the markets in Margate, and H6 placed at a park in Perth.[21]

Internationally, a handful of TGR locomotives still remain, with the first Garratt, K1, surviving at the Welsh Highland Railway in Wales;[22] and M2, an M class Pacific steam locomotive, which was moved from a park in Stanley in 1984, now remains at the Tanfield Railway in County Durham, England; however, this locomotive remains derelict and unrestored, and its future is uncertain.[23]