HUFF AND PUFF

SWAN Hill Rural City Council says no decision has been made about the future location of a steam train at Pioneer Settlement following rumours the historic locomotive would be relocated to Castlemaine.

“Council has not made a decision on the Pioneer Settlement steam train’s future location,” council chief executive officer John McLinden said in a statement.

Rumours swirled across the town the train was being relocated to Central Victoria to make way for the new riverside building on Monash Drive that will house the new art gallery, information centre, Aboriginal cultural centre and Settlement entrance.

“In order for Our Place to be built in the agreed location, the Settlement’s steam train will need to be relocated,” Mr McLinden said.

“Council has been considering the most appropriate new home for the steam train.”

Mr McLinden said council had been looking at a number of possible local locations, and have also held initial discussions with the Victorian Goldfields Railway in Castlemaine.

“We are considering this because the train was the first of its kind to be built in Castlemaine, and the volunteer group there believes that with their input and expertise, the train could be restored to working order,” he said.

The locomotive was constructed by Thompsons Foundry as their first locomotive, builder’s number one of 1914.

It was originally numbered DD 633 by the Victorian Railways, being one of the 261 members of the DD-class.

It was renumbered D1 633 in 1923 before being rebuilt with the superheated D3 boiler in 1930, becoming D3 688. It was renumbered to D3 640 in 1963.

Mr McLinden added further investigations would take place and a report was expected to be prepared for councillors in February.

Friends of the Pioneer Settlement, which is made up of a group of volunteers at the attraction, has been reached for comment.