Heritage rail progresses
• Launceston and North East Railway members. Photo supplied.
By Daisy Baker
May 13, 2020
After years of negotiations, the prospect of heritage rail is coming closer to fruition, with the Launceston and North East Railway (L&NER) rearing to go once COVID-19 restrictions ease.
Launceston and North East Railway (L&NER) chair Wendy McLennan said they signed the lease as corridor managers on March 11, for the section of line between Lilydale Falls and Coldwater Creek.
The group currently have their sights set on developing Turners Marsh into a railway hub.
A concept plan is being drawn up, which will include a new station and several workshops.
“We want to create a hub for activities, farmers markets, events, while we’re developing the site to bring a bit of interest,” Mrs McLennan said.
Notices have been installed at road crossings and stations along the L&NER managed section of the line, advising that public access is prohibited and to be aware of work crews and rail movements.
Due to their insurance policy, they do not have access to the line itself for the time being, just around the line where they are able to fix up vegetation and culverts.
While they await accreditation from the office of the national railway safety regulator, L&NER members have been working on a railway car at Karoola, with another two locomotives parked at the Inveresk railyard.
Mrs McLennan said they are looking into federal funding that may be available to support the project moving forward.
She said while the use of the line has been a divisive issue in the past, L&NER are focused on making the most of the section of line they have access to.
“We’ve moved from the fighting mode and we’re excited about this and we can move forward and prove what we can do,” she said.
“We will need the $200 million insurance policy as our long-term goal if we want to get onto the main Bell Bay line to get to Launceston.”
As for the Council managed section of the line between Scottsdale and Lilydale Falls, Mayor Greg Howard said they are at a ‘standstill’.
With the previously allocated funding set to expire in June, Council are waiting to find out which stream of funding they will be able to access for the rail trail development.
Had it not been for COVID-19, Mayor Howard said subject to approvals, Council likely would have been getting close to letting tenders.
“We could probably go ahead with planning process but it’s really a bit pointless unless we can be guaranteed with funding,” he said.
“Our planners are very busy at the moment with the statewide planning scheme and establishing special area provisions for our area.
“Once that’s done and dusted we’ll start looking at it then.”
Mayor Howard hopes to find out about the funding within the next few months, prior to the federal budget in October.