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In 1978 two Western Mining employees, Bryan Smith and Mike Wheeler, both railway enthusiasts, decided to have one last look at what was left of the loop line before it all disappeared. Using an English Wickham track inspection rail car they decided a weekend tourist run of around 2km seemed viable.

In 1982 the LoopLine Tourist Railway started full time operation, based at Boulder City Station, initially working with the same inspection car, towing an open wagon. Built in 1960, that original rail car from the inaugural service is still part of the LoopLine's rolling stock.

Much of what remains of the original line, now the LoopLine Tourist Railway between Boulder City Station and the old Chaffers Mine, is about to be "lost" to Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines' expansion of their Super Pit, the largest open cut gold mine in Australia and the country's richest goldfield. Located in the south east corner of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, it is mined 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, non stop. The current Super Pit is already approximately 2.9km long, 1.2km wide and 260m deep - and getting bigger.

Realizing the heritage value of the tourist railway, KCGM is backing the railway with US$1m to build a new extension that will once again link Boulder with Kalgoorlie. With additional fundraising planned, it is projected to extend the line to the Mining Hall Of Fame, with a loop at each end, enabling through running of trains - with an eventual total length of perhaps 13km.

"It will be fantastic when the railway reaches the Hall," said Leanne Gunther. "People will be able to see and learn about past and future aspects of mining at the Hall, then travel by train to the other end of the historic Golden Mile, to the lookout at the Super Pit (pictured overleaf) to see how present day mining is carried out there. The two projects will complement each other superbly."



In 1978 two Western Mining employees, Bryan Smith and Mike Wheeler, both railway enthusiasts, decided to have one last look at what was left of the loop line before it all disappeared. Using an English Wickham track inspection rail car they decided a weekend tourist run of around 2km seemed viable. In 1982 the LoopLine Tourist Railway started full time operation, based at Boulder City Station, initially working with the same inspection car, towing an open wagon. Built in 1960, that original rail car from the inaugural service is still part of the LoopLine's rolling stock. Much of what remains of the original line, now the LoopLine Tourist Railway between Boulder City Station and the old Chaffers Mine, is about to be "lost" to Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines' expansion of their Super Pit, the largest open cut gold mine in Australia and the country's richest goldfield. Located in the south east corner of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, it is mined 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, non stop. The current Super Pit is already approximately 2.9km long, 1.2km wide and 260m deep - and getting bigger. Realizing the heritage value of the tourist railway, KCGM is backing the railway with US$1m to build a new extension that will once again link Boulder with Kalgoorlie. With additional fundraising planned, it is projected to extend the line to the Mining Hall Of Fame, with a loop at each end, enabling through running of trains - with an eventual total length of perhaps 13km. "It will be fantastic when the railway reaches the Hall," said Leanne Gunther. "People will be able to see and learn about past and future aspects of mining at the Hall, then travel by train to the other end of the historic Golden Mile, to the lookout at the Super Pit (pictured overleaf) to see how present day mining is carried out there. The two projects will complement each other superbly."
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Review is published by Rio Tinto, 6 St James' Square, London SW1Y 4LD, England Telephone +44 (0)20 7930 2399 Editor: Cherry DeGeer