The Picnic Train `race’ event started with a photo op at the Canberra Railway Museum. Photo: We Love Our Cars Photography, MazdACT, Facebook.
Local trainspotters have been left slightly baffled after a recent visit by the Picnic Train when the steam locomotive used for the ever-popular rail tours between Canberra and Bungendore ditched its traditional headboard for one containing the Mazda logo.
But Justin Bush knows the answer.
As head of the local Mazda car club, MazdACT, Justin had approached the Picnic Train organisers a couple of years ago with an idea for a race between train and car, Top Gear style.
And this year, the Picnic Train agreed.
Pulled by R766, a Scottish-built steam locomotive later converted to run on oil, the Picnic Train has been making the journey from its base in Kiama to Canberra for a couple of years, running tours between the Kingston and Bungendore stations over the Easter and October long weekends. And they’re always a sellout.
“We tried for years to be seen by the Picnic Train as a club, and this year, they came aboard,” Justin says.
“The guy who owns the engine … gave me a call and said, ‘How about we stop the train and let you guys come to the rail yard and do this?'”
The Picnic Train drivers with MazdACT lead Justin Bush. Photo: We Love Our Cars Photography, MazdACT, Facebook.
MazdACT is no stranger to organising regular events for its members, including car cruises through the Snowy Mountains or Riverina and meetings at various coffee shops.
This event started with a photo opportunity alongside the locomotive at 10 am on Easter Saturday as it brimmed its oil tanks at the Canberra Railway Museum for the day’s work. On the front, it sported its new custom-made ‘MazdACT’ headboard.
“Everyone came down one of the corridors between the rail tracks and just waited their turn. That part was really good because it was just nice to have everyone socialising,” Justin says.
From there, the train and cars proceeded to the start line near the Metro petrol station in Fyshwick where the train stopped and the two chequered flags (ordered from UK) dropped. The race was on.
“What happened next was the big surprise,” Justin says.
“They’d redone the engine’s running gear a couple of weeks ago but because the R-Class is a big express engine from Victoria built for running on flat lines and NSW doesn’t have that, we thought we had them. But they pushed this thing hard.
“I reckoned it would have been the fastest they’ve ever run from Canberra to Bungendore – it would have been there in 25 minutes.”
The first cars rolled across the finish line at the Bungendore station a good 10 to 12 minutes after the train. But Justin didn’t mind.
“The thing that really stunned me was the headboard that says ‘Picnic Train’ never comes off. So the fact they agreed for us to create a new wooden headboard and make it the ‘MazdACT Train’ for that day was – for a little boy who grew up with trains – just a dream come true.”
Even if it “just broke the minds” of local trainspotters who took to various social media forums asking about the history of the weird logo on the front of the train.
“They’re like, ‘What is this? It’s a logo, but it doesn’t match anything on record.'”
Train chasers were baffled by the Picnic Train’s Easter Saturday custom-made headboard. Photo: Screenshot.
Both parties are keen to host the race again when the Picnic Train next visits Canberra (dates to be confirmed), even if there are a few changes.
“We’re thinking of moving the finish line to make it more definitive, and look at saying that at least 10 cars have to cross the line first for the cars to be victorious,” Justin says.
“I’d also like to make it a fundraiser for something like the Cancer Council. And we need a trophy, something that’s an actual physical representation of victory.”
Justin hopes it will fill a hole in Canberra’s event calendar vacated by “those really niche, fun events like the Birdman Rally … as one of those things people can come to and just have a good time”.
“And as far as I’m aware, this is the only car-train race in Australia at this time, so it’s really quite special.”
