DownsSteam celebrates inaugural journey of Pittsworth Pacer in Toowoomba
The memory of a volunteer who worked tirelessly to repair an priceless piece of Queensland’s rail history was honoured at its grand unveiling, with his surviving wife and daughter stepping onto its first trip. SEE THE GALLERY.
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Badged with the word “special” on its destination indicator, the Pittsworth Pacer rolled into DownsSteam’s Tourist Railway and Museum, ready for its inaugural journey.
The moment was undoubtedly special. It’s special for the volunteers who poured their hearts and souls into refurbishing the grand commissioner’s car to its former glory, for the iconic artefact of Queensland’s history to be given a second lease on life, and for the residents of Toowoomba to finally have luxury public transport.
Before the train departed on its Saturday morning journey to Pittsworth, the project’s patron and passionate long-time volunteer, Robert Ketton, addressed the crowd on the Drayton Station platform.
“For too long the disadvantaged proletariat of Toowoomba have had to be content with a transport system that takes approximately six months to travel from Harlaxton to Drayton by bus,” Mr Ketton said.
The crowd heard that now, with the refurbishment of a train that was once the transport of choice of Queensland’s commissioner, the people of Toowoomba would finally have luxury transportation.
DownSteam’s president, Ros Scotney said her vision is for Toowoomba’s corporate community to book the Pittsworth Pacer to host meetings around the stately table in the boardroom carriage of the train.
Former mayor of Pittsworth, Mrs Scotney, has been an active volunteer and advocate for DownsSteam for the better part of 23 years.
“I always had a fascination with steam trains; travelling on them from boarding school at Ipswich back up to here,” Mrs Scotney said.
“And then a lovely departed gentleman, John Peel, he brought a steam train to Pittsworth in 1997, to celebrate the 110 years of the opening of the railway line to Pittsworth.”
“The rail car — the one we’re using today — came from Mackay.”
Mrs Scotney said DownsSteam was able to save the train courtesy of Clive Berghofer.
“(Queensland Rail) were going to scrap it ... When we got it, it was not in good condition,” Mrs Scotney said.
She said restoring the train took about two years, and was made possible by volunteers who were so committed to the cause.
While many of the volunteers were in attendance, the absence of Tom Redwood was noted.
Mr Redwood tragically passed in January 2024, but his daughter, Simone Redwood, said helping to refurbish the train was so important to him.
Ms Redwood said he sometimes worked on the train five days per week.
Ms Redwood attended the inaugural train journey with her mother, wife of the late Tom Redwood, Trish Redwood.
“We’re so proud,” Ms Redwood said.
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Originally published as DownsSteam celebrates inaugural journey of Pittsworth Pacer in Toowoomba
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