GREAT TRAIN RACE

2015 – 50th Anniversary of
Puffing Billy’s return to Emerald
I
t was on 31 July 1965, three years after the
return to Menzies Creek, that Puffing Billy
finally made it up the bank and back to
Emerald. e Puffing Billy Preservation Society
had extended the line from Menzies Creek,
adding a further 2 miles and 23 chains to the
journey from Belgrave. Now, 50 years later, we
can remember those events of 50 years ago when
6A and its train of 10 vehicles first made the
triumphal return to Emerald.
It is interesting to note that amongst the
vehicles in that reopening train were ‘Mount
Lyell’ carriages Nos. 1 and 2 NBL, only recently
arrived at Puffing Billy from their former home
in Tasmania and used on the day to convey the
guests of honour. ese included the then
Governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe;
the Minister of Transport, Mr E.R. Meagher;
the Chairman of the Victorian Railways
Commissioners, Mr E.H. Brownhill; together
with local worthies and representatives of the
Society.
2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the
principal reopening of Puffing Billy to Menzies
Creek, and that event was celebrated in fine
style. So this year, the commemoration of the
reopening to Emerald will be more low-key.
No VR Commissioners (even if they still
existed), but we will take the opportunity to
recreate that special train from 1965 and also to
host the launch of Volume 1 of the Society’s new
book – Saving Puffing Billy. is tells the story of
the first ten years of the Society from its
inception in 1955 through, appropriately
enough, to the reopening to Emerald in 1965.
e book is edited by David Burke, who should
need no introduction and without whose efforts
and foresight all those years ago, there might just
not be a Puffing Billy today.
We would like to welcome along to the
celebrations those who were around 50 years ago
and who helped to extend Puffing Billy those
extra two and a quarter miles to Emerald. Seats
on the special 2015 reopening train will be
limited, so we would like to ask for expressions
of interest from all those who helped to rebuild
the Railway, to attend on Sunday 2nd August.
Please send your expressions of interest to Jean
Clowes at [email protected] and
invitations will be issued prior to the event.
– Jeff Goodwin
GREAT TRAIN RACE
Sunday 3 May 2015
Are you interested in supporting
this major Society fundraiser?
Many volunteers are required to
make the Great Train Race happen.
Please contact us on
[email protected]
if you would like to be involved.
ere are a number of roles in
early to mid April requiring people
to assist with mail-outs to runners or
with delivery of flyers to local residents.
is is another way of helping if
you are unable to help on the day.
Any queries to...
[email protected]
Opposite page: As is usual, the 2014 PBPS Annual Report booklet included, on page 2, a
list of both Honorary Life Members and Gold Pass recipients. Not usual was the mysterious
omission of a few names from the Gold Pass list! To make amends, the list opposite is current
as at mid-February 2015 and includes names of recent award recipients.
Our apologies to those members whose names had disappeared from the 2014 Annual Report!
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