New England Railway Inc

12/05/2026

10/05/2026

Work has commenced on the overhaul of the engines in 635.
Over the weekend oil and filter changes were complete along with pressure testing.
Shout out to Reece and Jordan who are both mechanics who have volunteered their time to help. On their next visit they intend cleaning and testing the fuel systems.

30/03/2026

It has taken some time to get as far as we have. We have a fantastic group of volunteers helping with everything from restoration to accreditation and safety preparation.
As we have advanced, we have had more success with grants, and we are forever grateful for the donations and sponsorship.
It is however time to get the old girl on the road.
We now have enough money to finish off most of 635-765, however we need to get the mechanicals done before we can go anywhere.
To achieve this, we are trying very hard to raise $50,000 which will complete a full overhaul of mechanicals and safety systems. This will all be done in Armidale, and local tradespeople will be invited to come and learn new skills relevant to maintaining a train.
As a charity, every amount over $2 is tax deductible. If you can spare a few $$ we will gladly take donations via direct deposit or our GoFundMe page.
https://gofund.me/92beda3d4

29/03/2026

New England Railway Inc. Would like to thank those that have donated so far to help us reach our goal of restoring 635-765 railmotor to operational condition. The restoration is progressing steadily and we hope to have all internal works completed soon which is stage 1 of the project. Stage 2 of the project is the mechanical and undercarriage works that have begun and motors now running. Stage 3 being the external painting which has also started. More funds are still needed to complete the project to a operational condition for mainline use. Check out our current go fund me fundraiser

Hello, join us in making a difference by supporting a good cause… New England Railway Incorporated needs your support for Full restoration of railcars 635-765

26/03/2026

The windows going back into 635 thanks to the assistance of LockMan glass Armidale.
The flooring and seats are also ready to go back in, however we really need to get the two Cummins diesel motors serviced first.
If there are any mechanics that are happy to help, please reach out.
We are also looking for a professional with all the safety equipment to seal and paint the roof. If anyone wants to provide a quote, we would love to hear from you.
To contact, simply message or email [email protected]

23/03/2026

LockMan Doors and Glass has recently been added to our sponsorship board after supplying glass at "Mates Rates".
Thanks to these legends all the windows for 635-765 have been reglazed. These windows were being reinserted over the weekend as part of our monthly working bee. More pics on these soon.
Thanks also to our volunteers Rob and Paul for prepping and painting the frames.
If any other businesses want to get involved, please reach out.

02/03/2026

Seeking letters of support for the Great Northern Railway.
Many of our supporters would be aware that we (NERI) have been working with Northern Regional Railway Company Pty to undertake a range of processes to reopen the Great Northern Line north of Armidale. We are also grateful for the support provided by Trains North as we assemble the rest of our application.
We recently completed the application for Bluff Rock to Jennings so we can run trikes, rail bikes and rail motors. That application is now undergoing assessment with the powers that be, and we are expecting a good outcome.
We have also looked at applying to reopen the section from Armidale to Llangothlin (which includes Guyra) and had undertaken extensive design and engineering studies. We had started work on an application, however potential funding was going to be an issue. That all changed recently with the acquisition of a well-known location in Guyra. Whilst we aren’t out to steal anyone’s thunder, the acquisition will require access to container transport, with their preferred option being trains to the port of Newcastle. This means that initially there will be three separate companies wanting access to the train, with other local businesses also now expressing interest.
In even better news, this also means that if our application is successful, there will be access to private equity which will assist with reopening the line.
We are aware that Armidale Regional Council are still pushing ahead with their rail trail, despite knowing that there is now a significant case for the return of rail, which also won’t mean ratepayers have to provide funding of over $1 million per year to maintain the rail trail.
Basically, everything that council is doing, we have already done.
We do however need the help of everyone that lives along the Great Northern Railway, especially those that live in the Armidale, Guyra, Llangothlin area. We are urgently seeking letters and emails of support to reopen the railway. If you live in proximity to the Great Northern please email your support to [email protected]
Please note that NERI is not using any form of grants or donations that have been given for restoration efforts to fund the reopening of the Great Northern. We will however provide more details on how people that want to see the line reopen can help.

24/02/2026

Council Business Papers & Meeting Minutes

27/01/2026

Painting the internals of 635 and 765 have been complete for some time, however many people will be wondering where our restoration is up to.
The internal restoration of 765 is now complete with flooring laid, seats reupholstered and returned, all windows glazed and installed, and light shades also installed.
Progress continues with 635 with the repair and painting of all windows and reglazing now close to completion. We have the flooring, and we have the seats, and the light shades have been organised.
Our attention is now starting to move to the exterior. Thanks to grants we have the paint for both the body and the roof so this will become the new primary target for volunteers. We would of course love to find a few more volunteers to help ease the workload.
In February we have an onsite meeting with the Office of National Rail Safety Regulator. Our aim in this meeting is to finalise our application to become a mainline operator so we can start running trains.
We continue to apply for grants with some success, however we really need to get all the mechanicals and brakes serviced. Some of this we can do with local tradespeople, however we will need to bring in the experts and lift the train to undertake the major works and get the train certified.
To complete the restoration and get the train fully operational to mainline standard, we are trying to raise $50,000 to help pay for the majority of remaining work. If anyone has skills in diesel mechanics, carriage building, or air brakes and bogies, and are willing to donate some time, we would love to hear from you as that may help the reduce the amount of money we need to become operational.
If you want to help, the best way is to volunteer. If you can help with cash donations, please feel free to donative via our gofundme page or via direct deposit to our account.
Alternatively, you can nominate NERI as part of the return and earn for cans and bottle, meaning for every item you return, the money goes to NERI. We are also a beneficiary of The Lott’s Play for Purpose where NERI gets $5 for every $10 ticket sold. If you are feeling lucky just search for New England Railway on the Play for Purpose website.
We would love to make 2026 the year we become fully operational. A big thank you to all our current and future contributors.

29/11/2025

Just a reminder that our open day is in full swing, come and see our progress of restoration project 635-765 railmotor. Enjoy a sausage sizzle and meet our members. Entry is by Gold coin donation. We are here till 4pm.