page_title: NSW Rail Museum
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: NSW Rail Museum / History
caption_attribution_description: English: New South Wales Government Railways 38 class locomotive 3820, at the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere, circa 1991.
context_page_description: The NSW Rail Museum is the main railway museum in New South Wales, Australia. A division of Transport Heritage NSW, it was previously known as the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum and Trainworks.
  Transport Heritage NSW has divisions located in Thirlmere, New South Wales, where the NSW Rail Museum is dedicated to displaying locomotives, passenger cars, and freight rolling stock formerly operated by the New South Wales Government Railways and various private operators. The Blue Mountains division is located at the Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum.
  At Thirlmere, the NSW Rail Museum operates steam heritage trains on the Picton – Mittagong railway line between Picton, Thirlmere and Buxton. It also hosts the Thirlmere Festival of Steam in March each year.
  In addition to this, Transport Heritage NSW regularly operates mainline tours under the NSW Rail Museum branding. These can consist of day or extended tours, usually over a weekend.
  At Valley Heights, the co-located Valley Heights Steam Tramway runs an 1890s steam tram and trailer, and a Stephenson loco 0-6-0 CPC2 with open ended carriage over track in the former roundhouse and associated access tracks.
context_section_description: The NSWRTM was established in October 1962 with 62 members. A survey of potential sites around Sydney found Enfield Locomotive Depot to be the most suitable and in 1963 a successful submission was made to the Department of Railways. Under the arrangement the department would retain ownership of the locomotives and rolling stock and responsibility for their maintenance. As Enfield depot was still active, exhibits were sent to Enfield for storage but not able to be accessed. In 1967 the Department made an area adjacent to Petersham station available to the museum. The first locomotives outshopped were 3526 and 3609 painted blue and green respectively.
  In July 1969, the NSWRTM was able to move into Enfield Roundhouse Number 3 with all exhibits transferred by September. In 1970, the museum was able to relocate into the larger Roundhouse Number 1, allowing the majority of the collection to be stored undercover. In October 1972, the display at Enfield was officially opened by Commissioner for Railways, Neil McCusker.
  The NSWRTM had always maintained a good relationship with the Department of Railways, but in October 1972 it was replaced by the Public Transport Commission. The PTC under Commissioner Philip Shirley decided it wanted all steam locomotives, including those owned by preservation organisations, off the network with 3820 operating the NSWRTM's last tour to Taree in 1974. The PTC also decided it wanted nothing to do with maintaining the NSWRTM's collection and handed over the exhibits to the museum under a Deed of Gift.
  The PTC also wanted to demolish the Enfield roundhouses to make way for a container terminal and offered the museum a site at Thirlmere on the then lightly used Picton – Mittagong loop line. Site clearing began in late 1974 and works were sufficiently advanced for the transfer of stock to begin in June 1975.  While some trains were hauled by diesel locomotives, most were worked by the museum's own steam locomotives.
  The NSWRTM opened at its current location in on 1 June 1976.  Services on the loop line between Thirlmere and Buxton began on 13 June 1976.  Initially uncovered, the first section of roofing was completed in 1979.  It was over a decade before the whole site was covered.
  The PTC relaxed its ban on main line steam in October 1976. 3801 returned to the main line.  By the early 1980s it was operating enthusiast journeys on a regular basis including a monthly service from Sydney Central to Thirlmere.
  In 1984, the NSWRTM became a founding member of the 3801 Limited managerial board that was created to oversee the operation of the locomotive 3801.  The famous British railway locomotive 4472 Flying Scotsman visited Thirlmere in March 1989 as part of its tour around Australia.
  In 1993, the museum concluded a lease for the 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) Picton – Buxton railway line following its closure by the State Rail Authority.
  The NSWRTM was removed as a board member of 3801 Limited in November 2006 after the 20-year lease of 3801 was not renewed.  The locomotive was returned to the NSWRTM.
caption: 3820 as a static exhibit circa 1991
exif: {}