Sturt Reserve steam train is about to get moving
Sturt Reserve steam train is about to get moving
The locomotive RX 160 will be shifted to make way for a new shelter.
For the first time in more than 50 years, the steam engine parked at Sturt Reserve is about to get moving.
Sadly, it won’t be able to do so under its own steam.
A crane will pick it up and move it about 100 metres closer to the rail bridge, to a spot near the old Shell depot, to make room for a shelter to be built.
It will then be restored by members of the Murray Bridge Riverboat, Rail and Steam Group – not to working order, but to a more presentable state.
The locomotive, RX 160, was built by South Australian Railways at Islington in 1913 and hauled both passengers and freight in its early days, then for shunting trucks prior to its retirement on August 21, 1969.
The shelter being built in its place will shade tourists as they wait to board river cruises, and may also be used to stage events such as Murray Bridge’s Christmas carols.
Its design will be similar to a smaller shelter which was recently finished next door to the Murray Bridge Club.
Riverfront redevelopment continues
The shelter project was anticipated at the launch of the Murray Bridge “make it yours” campaign in 2019, funded by the federal government in 2020 and given a definite shape with the publication of concept pictures in 2021.
It will not be the last upgrade in the area, however.
The federal government has already committed $1.5 million to the replacement of the wharf itself, to benefit the tourist boat operators who use it and, by extension, the local economy.
The wharf is due to be rebuilt by the end of 2023.
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I hope when they rebuild the wharf they will do something constructive with the viable timber and not just dump it maybe we can have something done as street art. All we have left of our beautiful and unique Post Office is one hitching post. Isn’t that shameful.
Think how hard it was for the ancestors to have built the wharf in those early days mostly with manual labour and the beautiful trees sacrificed to make the structure. We cannot keep discarding the structures of the past as we seem to discard the memories . We need to take lessons from our First Nations Peoples their strength through so much adversity is their reverence of their ancestors and past history. Susanne Job
The RX160 Locomotive was moved before this move from its original fenced location which was closer to the Boat Ramp as this was the area designated for it by Council when then Murray Bridge Historical Society secured it for Murray Bridge after raising the required amount of money with a "Puffathon". South Australian Railways ( SAR ) pushed it to the site back in the early 1970's. RX 160 was one of the last Loco's to have its boiler reworked at the Islington Workshops so had it been better protected over the years it could have been restored to move under its own steam. A committee was established on the 2nd. February 2007 by Murraylands Regional Development Boards Darryl Webb in conjunction with RCMB and Community Members to do exactly what is about to happen now. The committee met regularly to eventually prepare a "Draft Conservation Plan for Steam Locomotive RX 160" in 2011 and this move was planned to happen with Moore Engineering Crane assistance but the coupling between the Engine and Tender was ceased so it didn't happen then but it was planned once the coupling was oiled etc. Well, for whatever reasons, the powers that be lacked support or motivation, thus the wheels turn very very slowly don't they ( 10 YEARS ) unless they want it moved for other reasons. I applaud our Mayor Brenton Lewis who, without his motivation and discussions with our Community with regard to the history of our riverfront, we would still be waiting for our heritage to be maintained and displayed to its full potential. What about our MILK BOAT - UNION , Council bought that about 20 YEARS AGO or more ! ! !