The old North West Mail is a distant memory for passengers who once boarded the steam train for their journeys to Sydney and back.
But memories can be renewed and a new generation can see, and climb aboard, a steam train when the age of steam returns to Narrabri for a day.
A steam loco and carriages of the 1930s era will pull into Narrabri railway station on Friday at midday as part of a heritage trip across the northwest.
The train will be on a four-day journey beginning on Thursday, August 28 with a trip from Maitland to Werris Creek including stops at Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone and Murrurundi.
On Friday, August 29, the journey continues from Werris Creek to Narrabri and returns taking in stops at Curlewis, Gunnedah and at Boggabri.
The four-day journey will see locomotive 3642, familiar for hauling elegant, express passenger trains throughout NSW almost 90 years ago make the 500 kilometre journey from its home at ‘Trainworks’ at Thirlmere.
More than 30 volunteer train staff, along with locomotive and mechanical crew, will be on board.
It’s all part of ‘Transport Heritage in Your Town’, an initiative of Transport Heritage NSW, a new not-for-profit organisation responsible for the State’s rail heritage collection.
“This is a rare opportunity for people in the Narrabri district to come aboard a beautifully restored steam train and meet the many volunteers who maintain these fantastic relics of the past” said Andrew Killingsworth, CEO Transport Heritage NSW.
“It’s also a chance for younger members of the community to gain first hand experience at what train travel was like in NSW during most of the 20th century.”