David Semczuk with his father Peter in front of the original Yass Junction sign at the town’s railway museum. The station marked its 150th anniversary on 3 July. Photos: Sally Hopman.
It’s just over 150 years to the day that Yass Railway Station officially opened — not in the centre of the then-thriving agricultural town, but almost five kilometres north of it.
At the time, the decision was far from well received by Yass residents, who wanted the railway station in the centre of town, but were told routing the Main Southern Railway Line, linking Sydney to Albury, was too expensive, with multiple bridge crossings, tunnels and cuttings required. Figures in excess of 30,000 pounds to do the job were mentioned — and quickly disregarded by the government of the day.
Despite the debate, the main railway line was laid north of the town, opening on 3 July, 1876.
Originally named Yass Station, it later became known as Yass Junction. To placate locals, a “tramway” was constructed from the main line into Yass and completed in 1892.
The small train, a 1301-class steam locomotive, was known as the “Yass tram”. It ran directly down the middle of Dutton Street — the tracks remain there today — and would pick up and drop off passengers on request. It was quite the feat for drivers, though, having to keep constant watch for pedestrians.
Yass Railway Museum volunteers Corrine Chalmers and David Semczuk with some of the historical photographs on display.
It was the same for those who lived in the streets it ran, often looking outside to see the tram chugging past their front doors or knowing exactly why their windows always rattled.
Before that, locals faced a journey, mostly by horse and cart on a goat track-type road out to the station, about three miles out of town in the old money.
Today, Yass Town Station is the home of the Yass Railway Museum, a thriving centre run by volunteers and showcasing the region’s transport and social history.
For museum vice-president David Semczuk, a passion for trains and all things railways was a given.
His father, Peter, holds the same position but at the Canberra Railway Museum, and his connection with all things trains goes back even further, with grandfathers on both sides of the family buffs.
“You could say I grew into it,” David laughed. “It was all around me when I grew up.”
A rare kerosene railway lamp, used at the Yass Railway Station in its heyday, was recently donated to the Yass Railway Museum.
David, who lives at Sutton, says it was the combination of history and mechanics that attracted him to volunteering at the museum.
“It’s something that can involve a lot of different skills; that’s what I really like about it.”
When the Yass town line closed in 1988, David said, a small group of locals wanted to ensure that this part of the town’s history was not forgotten.
“It is unique, so they wanted to preserve it,” he said.
Work to establish the museum on the site began in 1992 and it opened in 1998.
Donations of railway memorabilia, ranging from train carriages, engines and a tram to old signs and photographs, have helped the museum become a rich source of local history with its plethora of stories about bygone days.
The Yass Junction Railway Station as it looks today. Having celebrated its 150th anniversary on 3 July, the station is listed on the NSW Heritage Register. Photo: Yass Railway Museum.
One of the most recent was a rare kerosene railway lamp. Used at the Yass Town station, it was donated by the former station master, Roy Peisley.
The Yass museum has about 30 volunteers, ranging in age from 10 to 80.
“The volunteers include some men who worked on the original line,” David said. “It is wonderful to have their first-hand knowledge of how it was.”
David said more volunteers were always needed at the Yass Railway Museum, especially those with a passion for all things trains and old-school skills.
The museum volunteers hope to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the station … down the track.
