Ida Bay Train in Ida Bay | Community organisation

Ida Bay Train

Locality: Ida Bay

Address: 328 Lune River Rd 7109 Ida Bay, TAS, Australia

Website: https://idabaytrain.org

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• Non-profit organisation
• Charitable organisation
• Community organisation
• Local & travel website

24.01.2022 IDA BAY TRAIN SERIES 1 RECAP! The Ida Bay Railway belongs to the people of Tasmania; bought for $81000 in the mid 70s by the Government of the time, after limestone cartage moved to road transport. Then leased to series of private operators to run as a (very popular) tourist and heritage railway. Ida Bay Train Series 1 opened with a derailment in September 2018. We watched as this was followed by the termination of the commercial operators lease. ... The Ida Bay Railway Preservation Society was formed as a community based, registered charity to fight for the railway to operate again into the future. We watched as community support grew and the Society made numerous approaches to officials and Government. In a surprise development midway through Series 1 the Government announced the Ida Bay Railway station precinct would become the 'gateway' to a MONA/Dark Labs art installation. More representations, drama and delay featured in the next episodes. More meetings with Government officials and Dark Labs representatives. One episode featured a Ministerial visit. Another productive discussions with the art installation proponents. The Series ended on a high note with the Society signing a Licence with the Government that offers hope of a renovated operating railway for the future. The final episode of the Series featured somewhat dazed Society members having a look at the sorry state of the station precinct and rail assets. Series 2 is off to a slow start. Practicalities around Licence implementation, volunteer insurance and power are being sorted before real renovation work can begin. Previous episodes are on the Society's Facebook page along with much history and great stories about this 100 year old railway, the area and the people.

23.01.2022 THANK YOU! THANK YOU! AT LONG LAST A LICENCE! The Ida Bay Railway Preservation Society Inc and the Government have signed a Licence that will allow the Society to proceed with a staged restoration of the railway. Many, many people supported our case to reopen the railway and for this we give a sincere THANK YOU! Society membership has grown, some additional volunteers have signed up and some donations have been made or promised, another thank you! Thanks are also due to Minis...ter Roger Jaensch for talking with us on site and requesting an agreement be drawn up "to allow access to the site and rail assets for the purpose of conserving and restoring the heritage rail assets with a view to returning the railway to operation". The Society is a not-for-profit, registered charity. It is well placed to raise funds and have volunteers as the base of renovation efforts BUT .... A heck of a lot needs to be done before the railway runs again. It has been closed for over two years and track and rail assets have further deteriorated. The Society is totally committed to safety; accreditation by the National Rail Safety Regulator will be the goal of each renovation stage. This will take time, money and much work. At least now we will be able to CRACK ON! The Society is also continuing productive discussion with MONA/Dark Labs as planning for an art installation close to the Ida Bay site continues. We will continue to provide information on the railway, its history and renovation through this Facebook Page. Thank you again for your support to date. If you would like to continue helping by joining or volunteering please sign up at the website http://idabaytrain.org The Society can also be reached at [email protected] A scatter of photos today from the railway's colourful past. Photo credits to Trove, Miles Pitman, Mick Williams, David Hanlon.

20.01.2022 OVERHANG? WHAT OVERHANG? Photos today from the Tasmanian Transport Museum Society charter of the Donnelly Railcar back in 1972. The Railcar features in previous Posts and the trip was featured last time as well. However more photos! The chaps under the Railcar at Deep Hole are surely checking out the overhang. What overhang? The one shown in the second photo of course; the engine/bonnet etc is all ahead of the front wheels creating an impressive overhang. It is actually pr...etty common for railcars to feature "short wheelbases" with long superstructures and there are some great examples to be found on the web. Included today too a photo of how to turn a Railcar around and another of a Railcar crossing a road. Photo credits to Tony Coen via Miles Pitman. Notice of a fully signed licence to allow IBRPS Inc to attempt a renovation rescue remains imminent. See more

18.01.2022 NOT IDA BAY... BUT what a great picture, suits the season too; it has to make you smile! This is the Pebbly Bight tram from the Cockle Creek mill (not too far from Ida Bay). George Heather, daughters Nancy and Jean, and sons George and Noel built the 2 kilometre line in 9 months from November 1944. The youngster ambling along the log rail might be the youngest, age 9.... The converted tractor-locomotive used to work the line features those great wide flanged wheels we have featured in previous posts (worth a look). Here it is pushing that log around the curve and on to the mill. Credits today to Scott Clennett's book Engaging the Giants, (an excellent read) and for the photo Mrs Jean Burgess (Heather). We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and New Year. Thank you to all our supporters and followers; we will be back on Facebook early in 2021 hoping like every one it will be a less crazy year.

15.01.2022 RETURN TO THE RAILWAY! Yesterday Society members had the first chance in over two years to return to Ida Bay. Very much a preliminary look as we are still finalising handover, keys etc. following the signing of the Licence. Around thirty of our now fifty members had an enjoyable lunch at Southport Tavern (thank you!) then decamped to the railway. There was a lot of pointing, close inspecting and happily more head nodding than head shaking. The photos give some idea of the ch...allenges. Most importantly members left convinced that with hard work and community support this railway will run again! If you can help, at our website https://idabaytrain.org you can join the Society, register as a volunteer or make a donation.

01.01.2022 LONG POST ON THE LONG SLOW ROAD IN THE FAR SOUTH. With apologies to all our followers for the lack of recent Posts. Here's the reason. The optimism on the signing of a Licence to allow site access and restoration (see previous posts) has been dampened somewhat as Parks Tasmania has issued a second, replacement, Licence with detailed and changed requirements. Access has been withheld while this was done and it has contributed to making the road to restoration a long hard one! ... Another contributor has been the imposition of a requirement to obtain Public Liability Insurance, initially for $20million. Those of you following the debate about insurance and tourist railways will understand the additional difficulties this provides. The Society had obtained Volunteer Insurance to cover the renovation stage when public liability should not be an issue - but there you go. We have undertaken to progress with the second Licence and to seek Public Liability Insurance but our request for access in good faith remains unanswered. The long slow road goes on. On the positive side with temporary access granted for the day Steering Committee members met with representatives of the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator on site. Excellent meeting with ONRSR subsequently offering to work with the Society on a staged Accreditation Plan. As well, ever the optimists, we have begun stockpiling sleepers that one day will be able to be used in renovation efforts! Our pictures today show the Donnelly railcar and a Malcolm Moore taken on the day of the ONRSR visit. They quietly wait for the TLC they need. Also sleeper crew in action. Photo credits today James Shugg and Dave Collins. Last picture is Edmund Tyler an initial Ida Bay achiever. Surely looking down on the slow road in disbelief. (For the full story on Edmund see previous Posts).