Steamrail Victoria operated a series of shuttles between Hurstbridge and Eltham, with steam locomotive, K183, along with Elecrail’s preserved Tait Set “numbered: 317M-208T-230D-341T-381M” as they ran the shuttles for the first time for the 20th anniversary of the Hurstbridge Wattle Festival.
The first of the annual Hurstbridge Wattle Festival shuttles started on the 5th of September 2004, by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre, using 2-8-0 steam locomotive J515 and Clyde/EMD G8B diesel electric T357. From 2005, Steamrail took over the operation of the shuttles with push-pull K class steam locomotives.
Following a long-term successful event, Steamrail Victoria went on to operate the shuttles with K classes from 2005 to this day and into the for scene future. In 2007, the shuttles ran as far as Diamond Creek, up until 2008, when they ran all the way to Eltham.
The last wattle festival shuttles ran in August of 2019, following the years of 2020 and 2021, when the festival cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemics.
The Hurstbridge Wattle Festival shuttles returned to the rails on the 28th of August 2022, with K183 operating its first trip to Hurstbridge after returning to service in October of 2021.
Date: 25/08/2024
Steamrail Victoria: https://www.steamrail.com.au
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