English: Thirtieth Anniversary Triple-Header

To mark the thirtieth anniversary of the re-opening of the railway between Belgrave and Menzies Creek, a special 12-car train was run between those stations on Saturday 25 July 1992 for members and volunteers. The loco was 7A and the driver Ian Barkla, the same loco and driver to run the first revenue train in July 1962. A “second division” of five cars was also run hauled by D21. To avoid being visually offensive to the crowds at Menzies Creek (or possibly to get it out of the way), D21 then ran empty cars to Emerald. At Menzies Creek, special events included the Climax on a five car train running two push-pull trips to the site of the landslide, and the Peckett, Sir John Grice, running a three car train to Clematis and back three times. Sir John, running funnel-first towards Belgrave, put on a really excellent performance working up the grade into Menzies Creek, all its trains being very heavily loaded.

Encouraged by this success, Sir John then headed a packed 17 car train back to Belgrave, an amazing performance for a 7 ton 0-4-ST, (though admittedly the Climax, and 7A, both bunker first, as the second and third engine on the train may possibly have done some of the work!). D21, which had previously returned its empty cars back from Emerald to Menzies Creek, returned to Belgrave as second engine on the last regular passenger train of the day, which was hauled by 14A. (From "Light Railway News":No.90 October 1992).