Don River Railway
Introduction The '''Don River Railway''' is a volunteer-run vintage railway and museum in Don, a suburb of Devonport, Tasmania. It provides a passenger train ride from Don to Coles Beach (operationally known as Don Junction) and return. The current line follows a reconstructed section of the former Melrose line that ran between Don Junction and Paloona. The Don River Railway is open seven days a week, closing only for Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Anzac Day. Train services operate from Thursday to Sunday, using either either a 1940s ex-Tasmanian Government Railways DP rail car, or a heritage carriage set hauled by either a steam locomotive or a vintage diesel locomotive.
History On 4 April 2023, a fire destroyed a carriage shed and some carriages.
Steam locomotives Don River Railway at Coles BeachA former Tasmanian Government Railways Pacific-type locomotive, M4, is the Don River Railway's primary operational steam locomotive. CCS 25 was reactivated in January 2023, but awaits approval to return to revenue operations. Fowler no.5268 is currently non-operational following the expiry of its boiler ticket, but there are plans for its reactivation following CCS 25's return to operations.Future plans include an overhaul of M4, including potential for refurbishment or replacement of its boiler, or the return to service of MA2 or No.8 Heemskirk.BuilderBuilder'snumber and yearClassConfiguration (Whyte notation)OriginalnumberFinalnumber/namePrevious ownerConditionAdditional informationBeyer Peacock3392 of 1892Tasmanian Government Railways A class4-4-0 A 4Launceston City CouncilDismantledBeyer Peacock4415 of 1902Tasmanian Government Railways C class2-6-0C 23 CCS 23AN TasrailCosmetic restoration onlyRebuilt 1928 by Tasmanian Government RailwaysBeyer Peacock4417 of 1902Tasmanian Government Railways C class2-6-0C 25 CCS 25AN TasrailMechanical overhaulRebuilt 1926 by Tasmanian Government RailwaysDübs and Company1415 of 1880Queensland Railways 4D9 class2-4-2TQueensland Railways  no.131Tasmanian Transport CommissionDismantledDübs and Company3855 of 19002-8-0 No.8 'Heemskirk'Emu Bay RailwayMechanical overhaulJohn Fowler and Company5265 of 18860-6-0TTasmanian Transport CommissionMechanical overhaulRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns7422 of 1951Tasmanian Government Railways M class (1952)4-6-2M 2 MA 4Tasmanian Government RailwaysStaticModified and renumbered 1958Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns7423 of 1951Tasmanian Government Railways M class (1952)4-6-2 M 3AN TasrailStaticRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns7424 of 1951Tasmanian Government Railways M class (1952)4-6-2 M 4AN TasrailMechanical overhaulRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns7428 of 1951Tasmanian Government Railways M class (1952)4-6-2M 1 MA 2Tasmanian Government RailwaysCosmetic restoration onlyModified and renumbered 1957Vulcan Foundry5955 of 1951Tasmanian Government Railways H class (1951)4-8-2 H 7Tasmanian Government RailwaysStatic
Diesel locomotives BuilderBuilder'snumberClassConfiguration (UIC)OriginalnumberFinalnumberPrevious ownerConditionAdditional informationRuston & Hornsby, Boultham Works27957140DLBCornwall Coal CompanyOperationalInveresk shunterRuston & Hornsby, Boultham Works18707248DLBMount Lyell Mining and Railway CompanyOperationalA. E. Goodwin under licence from American Locomotive Company84712South Australian Railways 830 classCo'Co'866AN TasrailOperationalWalkers Limited577Emu Bay Railway 10 classB'B'1002Australian Transport NetworkOperationalMalcolm MooreTasmanian Government Railways U classBU6AN TasrailOperationalRebuilt by TGR Launceston workshopVulcan Foundry22288 / D61Tasmanian Government Railways V classCV2AN TasrailOperationalEnglish Electric, Vulcan Foundry1799 / D91Tasmanian Government Railways X classBo'Bo'X4AN TasrailMechanical overhaulTasmanian Government Railways, InvereskTasmanian Government Railways Y classBo'Bo'Y6AN TasrailOperationalTasmanian Government Railways, InvereskTasmanian Government Railways Y ClassBo'Bo'Y8AN TasrailStaticEnglish Electric, RockleaA.250Tasmanian Government Railways Z classCo'Co'Z22111TasRailStaticEnglish Electric, RockleaA.251Tasmanian Government Railways Z classCo'Co'Z32112TasRailMechanical overhaulEnglish Electric, RockleaA.259Tasmanian Government Railways Za classCo'Co'ZA12114TasRailMechanical overhaulEnglish Electric, RockleaA.275Queensland Railways 2370 classCo'Co'23712128TasRailMechanical overhaulEx ZB14English Electric, RockleaA.264Queensland Railways 2350 classCo'Co'23582100TasRailStaticEx ZB9 / ZR1 / ZP1Rebuilt by Australian National Railways, Port Augusta
References
Further reading ** Cooper, Greg (ca.2002) ''The History of the Don River Railway's Locomotives, Railcars  & Carriages'', published by the Don River Railway, * McKillop, Robert (2010) ''Australian Railway Heritage Guide'', ''2010 Edition'', Australian Railway Historical Society (New South Wales Division),
External links