Wheels in motion: Restoration project on-route to final stop

The Toowoomba region has been waiting with bated breath for the completion of the exciting project but now the end is in sight.

JOURNEY'S END: DownSteam Tourist Railway and Museum volunteer project manager Andrew Caldwell said the restoration of The Pride of Toowoomba is nearing completion. Picture: Rhylea Millar

It’s full steam ahead for a local tourism operator who are on the verge of finalising an exciting long-term project.

Running on the efforts of local volunteers the DownSteam Tourist Railway and Museum is set to open in the coming months.

But that’s not all that the local community organisation has in the pipeline.

Volunteer project manager Andrew Caldwell said the restoration of the historical C16 steam train famously known as The Pride of Toowoomba is nearing completion too.

“This locomotive is very special to Toowoomba … it was built here in 1914 and it did a lot of notable jobs particularly running down to the border to do a special mail trip before ending up as a heavy shunter,” Mr Caldwell said.

“It is very special because it came from the Toowoomba Foundry in town which is now known as Bunnings Warehouse and it’s the only locomotive of it’s type and from the Toowoomba Foundry left to exist.”

JOURNEY'S END: DownSteam Tourist Railway and Museum volunteer project manager Andrew Caldwell said the restoration of The Pride of Toowoomba is nearing completion. Picture: Rhylea Millar

Over the course of its lifetime The Pride of Toowoomba which started its service in 1915, travelled more than 1.1 million miles and was responsible for transporting goods, services and soldiers around the countryside during the first and second world wars.

“Naturally that takes a huge amount of wear and tear so we are now doing what is essentially known as a major overhaul where everything get strips a part,” Mr Caldwell said.

“Every single nut, bolt, rivet and wheel gets taken a part, inspected and many of them get replaced to make sure its conditions are fully operational.”

After working to restore the historical steam train since 2018, the volunteer said the project will be complete by the end of the year but estimates it will take a matter of months.

“Luckily Clive Berghofer was very generous in donating a substantial amount of funds to see this project to fruition and we are very grateful for this support,” Mr Caldwell said.

“With his kind contribution we were able to complete the majority of the work in the last 18 months and we’re now in the home stretch.

“We’re at a really exciting time of the restoration where everything is coming back together now – the boiler has been tested and certified and we will be testing a number of fittings and components by the end of this month to ensure everything is running efficiently.”

JOURNEY'S END: DownSteam Tourist Railway and Museum volunteer project manager Andrew Caldwell said the restoration of The Pride of Toowoomba is nearing completion. Picture: Rhylea Millar

Once up and running the DownSteam Tourist Railway and Museum plans to initially operate from the Drayton precinct and eventually from Toowoomba South.

The service will be operating to areas including Wyreema, Pittsworth, Brookstead and Clifton and transporting tourists as well as smaller town residents.

“The intent for this locomotive is to serve Toowoomba, provide tourists with a railway service with a beautiful heritage listed railway station surrounded by beautiful gardens,” Mr Caldwell said.

“Looking back throughout the history of time and development of Queensland, railways played a huge and pivotal role.

“It brings back that last piece of moving history for the town and it will be one of those major drawcards that will increase tourism, operations and regional spending.”

DownSteam is on the corner of Cambooya and Ball Sts in Drayton.