All Aboard at Broadway, Wycheproof
Wycheproof’s Broadway was a busy place over the weekend as locals and visitors gathered to watch the “Wycheproof Weekender” steam train pass through the middle of town.
The overnight trip, operated by Steamrail Victoria, left Newport and travelled via Geelong, Ballarat and Maryborough, picking up passengers in Charlton before arriving at Wycheproof Railway Station at 5.55 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.
Led by steam locomotive R711 (currently the only mainline certified oil-burner in Victoria), “Spirit of Bendigo”, with diesel locomotive N452, “Rural City of Wodonga”, also on the journey, the arrival was a treat for railway enthusiasts and curious onlookers alike.
Wycheproof is more accustomed to the rumble of grain trains passing through Broadway, so the sight of an historic steam locomotive in their place was a welcome change. The sound of the whistle, the chug of the engine and the smell of coal smoke brought a little railway history to life.
Families, children, motorcyclists and people walking their dogs stopped to watch, while residents and staff from Wycheproof Aged Care came down to enjoy the spectacle. Photographers and train enthusiasts also travelled from surrounding towns and further afield.
The extra foot traffic was good news for local businesses. The bakery was doing a roaring trade, while visitors wandered through the shops and op shops as they waited for the next part of the weekend’s activity. Some also visited the preserved K-class steam locomotive K167 in the nearby park.
On Saturday night, Wycheproof CFA helped refill the locomotive’s water supply, playing its part in the visit.
Sunday morning offered another chance to watch as the carriages travelled north along Broadway towards the GrainCorp siding. R711 then returned on its own, tender-first, to Wycheproof’s railway turntable.
The 70-foot turntable was restored and reopened to rail traffic in 2021 specifically to allow steam locomotives to turn around, making it easier for heritage trains to visit Wycheproof. A crowd of enthusiasts gathered to watch the R Class make the turn before it headed back to collect its carriages.
With passengers back on board, the “Wycheproof Weekender” made its way through Broadway once more. At 10.47 a.m. on Sunday, October 18, a long blast of the whistle marked its departure for Newport.
While grain trains are a familiar sight along the line, the weekend’s visit offered something a little different, giving the community a chance to enjoy a piece of railway history rolling right through the heart of town.
