LVR Ten Tunnels Tour
Over the weekend of the 16 and 17 October, LVR ran a series of trains between Lithgow, Katoomba and Wallerawang to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Ten Tunnels, which replaced the famous Lithgow Zig Zag in 1909, in conjunction with the Zig Zag Railway and Lithgow Visitor Information centre.
The train was top and tailed by our 117 year-old Beyer-Peacock steam stalwart 3237 and the much younger diesel 4701.
Saturday brought a freezing and windy day on, with snow and sleet alternating with sun for much of the day over the whole route from Katoomba to Wallerawang! Despite the cold weather people jumped at the rare opportunity to see and ride a mainline steam engine in the snow! Historical notes on the line, locomotives and the Ten Tunnels were provided by Ross Langford-Brown.
A dinner train was run from Lithgow to Tarana and Bathurst with 4701 on Saturday night and was quite successful.
Sunday had much nicer conditions for passengers and crew as the wind died down and the sun stayed around for most of the day. The LVR special became a Ministerial train for a little while - on the first trip between Katoomba and Lithgow the Minister for Transport, the Hon. John Robertson boarded at Mount Victoria for a ride to Lithgow, where he unveiled a plaque commemorating the event. Accompanied by LVR Secretary/Treasurer Gavin Knowles the Minister rode in style in a first class compartment aboard the train and from all accounts very much enjoyed the ride.
The train then proceeded to Wallerawang where 3237's water supplies were replenished from one of the few surviving [and working] water columns in the state. The train, now led by 3237, worked to Lithgow and then on to Katoomba, before the train returned to Lithgow, dropped off its passengers and returned to Lithgow Up Yard to stable. 4204, 4701, 3237 and two FS' were worked back to Sydney on Monday 18 October.
Liam Brundle, LVR Carriage Attendant
