Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre receives Engineering Heritage Award

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers London has honored the restoration of steam locomotive Loco 1076 with an Engineering Heritage Award. The award was presented at the Braidwood Road rail heritage centre on October 31.

Volunteers at the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre spent 18 years restoring the locomotive, which had arrived in Goulburn in a derelict state in 2008 after languishing in open storage at Thirlmere. The locomotive has been in service in New South Wales since 1883.

Loco 1076 is one of only 160 items worldwide to receive this recognition since the 1980s, joining a list of notable engineering icons such as the Concorde and the Supermarine Spitfire. Officials noted the significance of the locomotive being a functional, working machine rather than a static museum piece.