R-766 steams into Junee ahead of historic tour

FOLLOWING a near 20-year restoration and conversion effort, the historic ex-Victorian steam locomotive R-766 stopped traffic and captivated onlookers in Junee this morning, as it departed the railway town enroute to Albury.

The impressive, re-gauged oil-fired locomotive spent the night in Junee after arriving in the town for the first time on Thursday afternoon.

It’s the first time an R-class steam locomotive has travelled this far south in NSW, with R-766 being the first of its kind to be converted from broad gauge to standard gauge for operation in the state.

The journey is part of The Picnic Train’s landmark Southern Steam Tour, which officially kicks off in Albury on Saturday.

While R-766 will haul the Picnic Train for most of the tour, its assisting diesel locomotives may be required to take over in certain circumstances due to operations requirements.

That was the case on Thursday as the train arrived in Junee, and again on its transfer to Albury on Friday.

Train and history enthusiasts will have the rare opportunity to experience the legendary locomotive in action from tomorrow, with R-766 scheduled to operate seven two-hour return trips between Albury and Gerogery this weekend.

The famed steam locomotive will return to Junee on Sunday afternoon, where it will rest at the Junee Roundhouse until next weekend, when it will begin its first-ever passenger trips from Junee’s heritage-listed railway station.

On Saturday, April 5, R-766 will haul its 1930s heritage carriages on two four-hour return trips between Wagga and Cootamundra, offering passengers the chance to experience steam travel over the iconic, heritage-listed Bethungra Spiral.

Passengers will be able to board at either Wagga or Junee.

Then, on Sunday, April 6, R-766 will operate six 60-minute return trips between Wagga and Uranquinty, giving more people the chance to ride behind this historic steam engine.

▪️ A LEGEND OF ITS TIME

The R-class locomotives were built for express passenger services on Victorian Railways between 1951 and 1953.

Designed in Victoria and constructed by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow, 70 of these powerful steam engines were produced to meet post-war travel demand.

However, delays in construction due to material shortages, coupled with the arrival of first-generation diesel locomotives, led to the R-class having relatively short working lives.

R-766 entered service in 1956 and was among the last of its class in operation before being withdrawn in 1968. Fortunately, several R-class locomotives survived, with R-766 now emerging as a historic ambassador of Australia’s steam legacy.

▪️ A COLOURFUL HISTORY

The locomotive has changed hands multiple times since its retirement.

It was acquired by Australian Vintage Travel in 1981 and restored for luxury rail services, before being purchased by a syndicate of shareholders after Australian Vintage Rail folded in ’86.

Over the years, it was leased to Steamrail Victoria and later West Coast Railway, undergoing multiple livery changes, including Brunswick green, Canadian Red, and the WCR corporate scheme.

During this period, the locomotive also received several modernisation upgrades, including an oil-firing conversion under West Coast Railway in 2001.

A pivotal moment came in 2005, when R-766 was leased to the Hunter Valley Railway Trust before undergoing a ground-breaking conversion from broad gauge (1,600 mm) to standard gauge (1,435 mm).

The locomotive was then trucked across the border to North Rothbury, NSW, in 2007 where extensive modifications continued.

▪️ BACK ON THE RAILS

The locomotive was unveiled in its fresh Victorian Railways Red and Black livery in July 2021, before making history with its first test run on the NSW standard gauge mainline in October.

This marked the first time an R-class locomotive had ever operated in this part of Australia.

In 2022, R 766 was relaunched as part of The Picnic Train’s heritage fleet and was relocated to Telarah Yard in 2024, which now serves as the main NSW base for the organisation’s heritage rail operations.

Although capable of reaching speeds of up to 115 km/h, the engine is currently limited to 80 km/h.

REMEMBER: For safety reasons, members of the public are prohibited from entering the rail corridor. Passengers, spectators and photographers must remain behind the yellow line at stations at all times and never enter a restricted area to take a photo.