Railway reopening shelved due to restrictions

A PLANNED resumption of tourist trains on The Bellarine Railway this coming Sunday has been shelved due to the extension of COVID-19 restrictions announced at the weekend.
It’s a big blow to the volunteer group which was hoping to get back on track after losing thousands of dollars in revenue throughout the coronavirus shutdown.
“It is with a very heavy heart that we need to advise everyone that we will not be opening on Sunday June 28,’’ Bellarine Railway president Steve Dalton said in a statement this week.
“The railway will remain closed until further notice. Any persons that have booked for our services can contact us and obtain a full refund or have their booking moved to another service once we know when we restart.’’
It comes as the railway continues a never-ending search for more volunteers to assist with myriad restoration projects and the day-to-day maintenance of infrastructure between Drysdale and Queenscliff.
“This is a very sad moment for our volunteers and railway, and I would like to thank everyone for your ongoing support during this time,” Mr Dalton said.
“We will keep you updated with details of our railway and advise once we know when we can safely reopen.
“This decision has not been made lightly; it is for the safety of the public and our dedicated staff and volunteers.’’
Mr Dalton said there was a lot more to running the railway than just selling tickets and driving trains, with opportunities for people from all walks of life to get involved.
“We have and require more people with skills such as fitting and turning, welding, fabricating, woodworking, carpentry, upholstering and painting,’’ he said.
“We’re always looking for more people – from diesel mechanics to gardeners – you don’t need to have an interest in railways to be of value, and we can help train people if they have the time and willingness to get involved.’’
“Our maintenance crew has been busy and we hope to have one steam locomotive back soon, and a second running maybe in October,’’ Mr Dalton said.
To find out how to volunteer, head to bellarinerailway.com.au.