Calendar of upcoming Events @ Bassendean

NEW VALUE - ANNUAL MUSEUM PASS

Would you like to visit the Railway Museum more often? or would your child like to?).
You can fix a very reasonable price to visit as often as you like with an Annual Platform Ticket for a family for just $60.00 for a whole year.

For more information, download this form, or enquire at the museum.

Museum's History

In the 1960s the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) had a small but significant collection of historical items that it displayed each year at the Royal Show. This collection was given on permanent loan to Rail Heritage WA for display in a future museum. The Society ran rail tours to raise funds and in 1969 serious work commenced to develop a museum to display the collection of locomotives, rollingstock and items of railway memorabilia that had been collected over the years.

There were no structures available but the WAGR assisted by laying rail trackage and loaning items for display. The Museum was opened in November 1974 on land generously donated by CSBP and Farmers in recognition of their ties with railways in WA.

In 1979 the Exhibition Building with its comprehensive display of photographs and ephemera was opened. The building also had a small office and archives / library.

The collection continued to grow beyond the early vision e.g. the founders had not considered that one day diesels would be preserved. Further land was obtained at the rear of the property - some by donation and another area was vested by the crown from a POS allocation. However the biggest problem was the exposure of the collection to the elements.

In 1991, using funds from the commercial lease of a locomotive purchased by the Society, the first section of roof cover for locomotives and rollingstock was constructed. In the following ten years three more stages were added but less than half the collection was undercover. Further roof cover for 'as is' vehicles was built in 2003 and 2004.

In 1992 Westrail (WAGR) made a formal donation to RHWA of all items on permanent loan. This included some items at Boyanup Museum as well. With the donation was a sum of $30,000 which was to be used to provide roof cover for the special service carriages.

There are several heritage structures relocated to the museum. These structures would otherwise have been destroyed and could not be left in situ. In 2005 a new entry building was opened - formerly an apprentice classroom at Midland Workshops, the front has been altered to look like a railway station. This is an attractive and functional addition to the museum.

The museum relies entirely on the voluntary efforts of the membership of Rail Heritage WA to undertake the massive task of restoration of exhibits and running the museum.

You are welcome to assist in the preservation of the unique rail heritage of Western Australia by becoming a volunteer or a member of the society.