Parramatta Steam Train Rides — Transport Heritage NSW

Transport Heritage NSW runs Parramatta Steam Train Rides with the Powerhouse Museum to celebrate the opening of Powerhouse Parramatta, which the operator describes as Western Sydney's first state cultural institution. The operator announces locomotive 3265, a Powerhouse Collection steam locomotive that entered service as a 4-6-0 express passenger engine, to haul the trains. The operator's notes say it was built by Beyer, Peacock and Co. in Manchester and later carried the name "Hunter" to haul the Northern Commercial Limited express to Newcastle.

Each ride is a 60-minute return journey from Parramatta Station to Riverstone and back, with four departures a day. Passengers choose an Open Saloon seat or a private compartment for up to six people in Edwardian-era carriages with polished cedar interiors.

Around the rides the operator adds a free vintage bus link: single-deck buses from the Sydney Bus Museum, driven by its volunteers, run in a continuous loop between Parramatta Station and Powerhouse Parramatta, with a donation appreciated on boarding. The NSW Railway Band, described by the operator as the last remaining railway band in Australia, plays on the Western Concourse of Parramatta Station.

A 60-minute return steam train ride behind locomotive 3265 from Parramatta Station to Riverstone, in an open saloon car or a private compartment, plus a free vintage bus link to Powerhouse Parramatta and live music from the NSW Railway Band at the station.

Trains leave from Parramatta Station. The vintage buses stop at Darcy Street at Parramatta Station and on Phillip Street outside Powerhouse Parramatta. A compartment holds up to six people and is booked as a whole. Transport Heritage NSW members see member fares when they log in at checkout. Tickets are sold online through the operator's ticketing page.