Ready to entertain on the platform of Goulburn Railway Station on 19 October, Lilac City Brass was a welcome attraction during the city’s Lilac Time Festival. Photo: John Thistleton.
Exciting new entertainers Lilac City Brass will amplify the nostalgia of steam train travel to coincide with this year’s Steampunk Victoriana Fair in Goulburn.
About midday on Saturday, 19 October, the band will perform on the platform of Goulburn Railway Station to welcome more than 400 people aboard a steam train from Sydney.
Beginning in the tradition of a British brass band in May last year, the band and a 190-tonne steam train, which began operating in Victoria in 1951, are unprecedented features for the Steampunk fair, which brings tens of thousands of people to the heritage city.
The Picnic Train and Lilac City Brass are initiatives of philanthropic organisation the Southern Tablelands Community Foundation. Both new features have been embraced by Goulburn Mulwaree Council, organiser of the popular steampunk event, now in its 10th year.
Lilac City Brass musical director Andy Yule, who studied music at the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music and has taken bands to championship success, is looking forward to playing on a railway platform.
“We are going to get this sort of mix of the noise from the steam train, the band playing and people hustling off the carriages,” he said.
Musicians will entertain for about half an hour, starting 10 minutes before the steam train’s arrival until the passengers have left the station.
“Directly after we finish at the station, we are going to be heading down to the rotunda at Belmore Park and do one or two light-music public performances, not specifically for Steam Punk, it will be for the community, really,” Andy said.
He has had his sights on performing in the band Rotunda since Lilac City Brass formed.
The band’s first gig at the Goulburn Club proved a smash hit.
“It was packed,” Andy said.
Consequently, two new players joined, taking the overall number to 21.
Southern Tablelands Community Foundation president Bob Kirk booked the band for Steampunk Victoriana.
“When I first wanted to start a band, I emailed all of the (Goulburn Mulwaree) councillors at the time,” Andy said.
“Bob was one, among others, that phoned me back and has been very supportive. He was at the first concert and sent me a nice email, he loved it.”
STCF is paying for the gig, and while Lilac City Brass wants to become less reliant on grants and Bunnings barbecues, it will continue playing free for worthwhile community organisations.
Bob said one of the foundation’s aims was to nurture groups to enhance the Goulburn community and surrounding villages.
The Picnic Train charging up into Marulan during its last visit to Goulburn on 15 April, 2023. The R-class steam locomotive is leading another of the operator’s fleet, an American-built 59-class. Photo: Leon Oberg.
“Much like our organisation, Lilac City Brass is tuned into serving the community and we are pleased to be encouraging them to develop into a long-term asset for Goulburn,” Bob said.
STCF’s core business is raising community investment funds, investing them in perpetuity, and equitably distributing investment earnings to community-based organisations.
Securing a steam train at short notice would ordinarily be a challenge, but STCF member Mick Cooper, who is the managing director of PowerRail Australia, which manufactures and distributes parts and components for locomotives, has a network of rail contacts. Mick was able to quickly enlist the Picnic Rail operators.
“I have known (Picnic Train chief) Paul Stapleton for years, he is a tremendous supporter of communities and charities and helps them everywhere,” Mick said.
He cited the nostalgia factor as the reason for the huge demand for seats on trains being hauled by a steam locomotive.
Lukas White, of Picnic Train operations, said the train bound for Steampunk Victoriana was almost booked out and he expected 420 passengers on the day.
Prolific rail author and photographer Leon Oberg said the R-class locomotive that would be working the train to Goulburn for Steampunk was one of 70 class members delivered to the Victorian Railways for mainline express passengers’ use during 1951-1952.
“Although all were built to suit Victoria’s then-universal 5ft 3in (1600 mm) gauge, the manufacturer designed them so they could be convertible to standard 1435 mm gauge, if necessary,” Leon said.
Now privately owned, R766 was converted to standard gauge at Branxton (NSW) and since then has appeared in countless Picnic Train adventures in Northern NSW and out of Sydney.
“Its 6ft 1in (186 cm) driving wheels are the largest ever used in Australia,” Leon said.
The Steampunk Victoriana Fair will be held at the Goulburn Historic Waterworks on Saturday, 19 October. For more information on Steampunk Victoriana, click here.
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