Taylah Eastwell
After being closed for 250 days, Puffing Billy will return to the tracks on Saturday 28 November as metropolitan Melbourne continues to take gradual steps towards Covid-normal.
Passengers will be welcomed back aboard one of three services available, with Puffing Billy travelling from Belgrave to Lakeside every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The services will be running with a Covid Safe Plan in place, as well as increased safety and sanitation protocols.
Team members of the Railway have made the most of the closure by conducting maintenance on the various trestle bridges along the corridor, clearing parts of the 24km track and servicing the locomotives, which are now fired up and ready to go.
CEO of Puffing Billy Railway, Steve O’Brien, said team members have been working carefully behind the scenes to minimise the number of contact points between customers, staff and volunteers and preparing their Covid Safe Plan.
“This time of temporary closure has also given us the opportunity to introduce new Covid Safe experiences that we now look forward to sharing with the community,” Mr O’Brien said.
Bookings are essential as passenger numbers currently remain restricted.
For further information on the Railway’s Covid Safe Plan visit https://puffingbilly.com.au/covid-safe.
