THERE will be a time warp of sorts in Dubbo this weekend as a 60-year-old steam locomotive rolls into the central west.
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For the next two days men, women and children of all ages can have a look at the City Of Canberra, a Beyer-Garratt 6029 locomotive operated by the Canberra Railway Museum.
They will also get a chance to step back in time and take a ride aboard the train, which has been brought back to life by volunteers.
Alan Gardner, a driver of 6029 at Canberra Railway Museum, led the team that brought this dinosaur of the steam age back to life.
"It's built in England and identical in length to Captain Cook's Endeavour and about the same weight," he said.
"But the big locomotive has the extra dimensions of the sound shock load. People experience it as we power down the line toward them.
"We have had whole villages set up barbecues and wait for us. When we come into hearing distance they perk up and then you see sheer amazement on their faces as we blast past them.
"Garratts like this operated in the Dubbo region every day years ago. Today, it is very rare to be able to see a locomotive on this scale operating on a main line as we will be when visiting Dubbo."
The 6029 will run four trips from Dubbo to Geurie and one to Eumungerie each day of its stay.
The trips each last 70 minutes. Ticket prices are: Adults $30, concessions $25, children $20, family of four (2 adults, 2 children) $80, children under 3 on lap free.
