R Class Productions

04/02/2022

An Iconic Puffing Billy Experience Returns! Since 1900, Puffing Billy Railway has proudly transported over 11 million passengers through the magnificent landscapes and lush greenery of the Dandenong Ranges. 🌿

For more than 100 of those operating years, we have shared a truly iconic experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world – sitting on the sill of our open-side carriages with your legs hanging out 🚂

We know almost every Melburnian has a special memory on board Puffing Billy, chugging through the forest, rolling hills, and open farmland with legs hanging over the side as they marvelled over soaring wooden bridges and quaint historic stations. A true thrill for young and old!

Which is why, after a small hiatus, we are absolutely thrilled to share that Australia’s favourite steam train is welcoming families back to experience the decades-old tradition of dangling your legs from our open carriages! 🥁🥳🙌

Parents, grandparents, friends, and families with fond memories of sitting on the carriage sills can now experience it again with a whole new generation!

To ensure you have an experience that is both safe and fun, there are a couple of safety instructions you need to know about first. You can read those here: www.puffingbilly.com.au/visit-us/sitting-on-our-carriage-sills/

To book your tickets, visit www.puffingbilly.com.au. We can't wait to welcome adults and children back to share in the excitement!

23/05/2021

The Puffing Billy Railway is a 15-mile long 2'6" railway in Melbourne's east, running on the old "Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook railway, built in 1899. The line is one of four Narrow Gauge routes built by the Victorian Railways to catter to the remote communities in the mountain ranges of the state where the more common 5'3" Broad Gauge system should not reach. It was closed in 1953 when a landslide blocked the line between Selby and Menzies Creek, but the section between Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave remained open as the line and its little NA class 2-6-2 locomotives had become well-loved. This section remained open until 1958 when the Victorian Government contracted plans to regauge and electrify the remaining section, meaning that "Puffing Billy" would come to an end, or so they thought. The Puffing Billy Preservation Society was formed in 1955 with their aim to restore the the rest of the line for future generations to enjoy. The line was reopened in stages between 1962 and 1998, forming the 15 mile line as seen today, operated in true Victorian Railways fashion with most of the locomotives and rollingstock being maintained in their original conditions.

For more information please visit http://puffingbilly.com.au/en/

27/04/2021

Victoria is priviledged to have a number of mainline operators commited to running heritage trains on Victoria's metropolitan and regional rail networks, using equipment dating from as early as the 1880s

28/11/2020

After 250 days of no public trains due to the COVID 19 Pandemic, the Puffing Billy Railway saw the return of steam-hauled passenger trains today (28/11/2020) following a number of setbacks in part with the Virus which kept pushing back the resumption of services. A grand day for Puffing Billy and the state of Victoria!

24/04/2020

R Class Productions would be possible without, well, R Classes :P Here's another video to ward away the isolation blues with a look at the three operationally-preserved Rs in Victoria - Steamrail Victoria's R761 & 711 and 707 Operations Inc R707 - as they took to the rails between 2015 and 2017.

Please consider donating to these organisations so that they can successfully resume operating once the current restrictions have lifted

Please visit R Class Productions' page for stills and other great content https://www.facebook.com/Rclassproductions/ The name 'R Class Productions'...

18/04/2020

Beat the isolation boredom with a new video. Happy viewing!

Yes, I know it's been a VERY long whilst since I posted a 'real-life' railway video, but now more than ever seems a more fitting time. With the Puffing Billy...

17/04/2020

The Puffing Billy Railway is a 15-mile long 2'6" railway in Melbourne's east, running on the old "Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook railway, built in 1899. The line is one of four Narrow Gauge routes built by the Victorian Railways to catter to the remote communities in the mountain ranges of the state where the more common 5'3" Broad Gauge system should not reach. It was closed in 1953 when a landslide blocked the line between Selby and Menzies Creek, but the section between Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave remained open as the line and its little NA class 2-6-2 locomotives had become well-loved. This section remained open until 1958 when the Victorian Government contracted plans to regauge and electrify the remaining section, meaning that "Puffing Billy" would come to an end, or so they thought. The Puffing Billy Preservation Society was formed in 1955 with their aim to restore the the rest of the line for future generations to enjoy. The line was reopened in stages between 1962 and 1998, forming the 15 mile line as seen today, operated in true Victorian Railways fashion with most of the locomotives and rollingstock being maintained in their original conditions.

For more information please visit http://puffingbilly.com.au/en/