The Zig Zag Railway has released photos of some of the infrastructure and rolling stock damaged in what has been described as a ‘malicious attack’ on the historic railway, believed to have taken place sometime between February 18 and Sunday March 4.
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Zig Zag Railway said that in total eight wagons, carriages and a dining cart had been damaged, including the BV 270 Composite Brake Van, which is the oldest operational passenger carriage in Australia, built in 1882 by G & E Negus of Maryborough.
Seven windows were also smashed in the recently restored Top Points Signal Box.
An open wagon on a secluded section of the track was pushed up the railway by unknown persons and left to freewheel into a cliff and other rolling stock was harmed in a second collision.
“It caused a large amount of damage,” a Lithgow police officer said.
Along with the open wagon, two other carriages were detached from several others stored on a siding and their brakes removed.
Police believe the unknown persons who entered the railway attempted to push these up the incline as well and failed to do so, releasing them 50 metres on and causing them to collide into other rolling stock.
The incident is believed to have wrought $400,000 of damage on the railway, with the co-op currently reviewing what rolling stock is beyond repair.
Police have made a public appeal for information about the damage, asking anyone who can assist the investigation to contact Lithgow Police Station on 6352 8399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
