steamtown heritage rail centre

A great collection of trains and memorabilia together with a very informative guide. We were most impressed by this museum, how it utilises what it has and how it gives back to the community. Well done Peterborough.

Don't drive past without visiting the train museum "Steamtown". Even if you're not a train enthusiast, you will enjoy seeing the wide variety of restored carriages and volunteer's tour and stories. Didn't go to the night show as didn't have time, but maybe next time!

I am not a train enthusiast and wasn't especially interested in visiting Steamtown, but I thought it was great. Very interesting and well worth a visit. I haven't seen the 'sight and sound show' which is held in the evenings yet, but I am sure that it is also well worth stopping for.

Great record of steam rail which made this town of Peterborough.Well worth the stop here to enjoy some of the pass history.

Nestled in the sleepy little South Australian town of Peterborough (off the beaten track, so you need to make a concerted effort to go there) you can take a fascinating journey back in time to the days of the majestic steam trains and the part they played in forming our country. Both the museum and the Laser Sound and Light Show are worth spending your tourist dollar on. It is a Council-run operation so funding is limited. However, the staff do their best to be accomodating. They are locals, many born and bred in the time of the steam train era so they know there stuff. The guided tour through the museum is excellent. The laser and light show is great too. With more funding and a bit more "get up and go" by the people in high places this attraction could certainly put Peterborough on the "top tourist" list. Not to be missed if you are in the area.

Funding and a lack of representational local motive Power of the steam age hold this place back. The staff do what they can with what they have got and it is worth the visit.a live steam exhibit would lift the experience.

An outstanding exhibition of heritage steam rail locomotives, carriages and related items.It's a bit of a shame Peterborough is off the main road to/from Adelaide/Port Augusta because this is an excellent attraction which as many people as possible should make an effort to see. Informative tours can be tailored to time and information preferences.

A great museum for anyone interested in history and especially the history of rail in South Australia (and Broken Hill). An excellent place, good guided tour and excellent "sound and light show" in the evening.

My sister and I anjoyed a visit to this great museum and recommend it to anyone with the slightest interest in steam railways and the history of Peterborough. Others have outlined the details of what's there and we simply tagged along with the volunteer guide and his group for an hour or so. The tours seemed to run continuosly (it was school holidays in South Australia).The gift shop was well stocked, particularly with books.I went back that night for the Sound & Light Show. It consisted mainly of a walk through some exhibits and then into a carriage situated on the turntable with 2 rows of seats facing the 23 or so engine bays. They are illuminated and following a brief description an excellent movie is shown outining the history of the railways in the Mid North of South Australia. As well as ample footage of steam trains and its focus on the railways, it was a very informative social and historical documentary. My one big disappointment was that a souvenir copy of the DVD was not available for sale.

The tour was fantastic and the explanation of the carriages and engines were first rate and knoweldgeable. It was terrific that you could climb aboard and have a look around the carriages and engines. Pretty cramped when all get on at once and try to move in both directions but i guess that is also a taste of how it used to be. The night show telling the story of steam in the North east district was fascinating. It was a nifty way to present it by using the carriage on the turntable to seat people and drop a screen in front of the roundhouse. Our family loved it and we had 3 kids from 11-6 and us adults. You don't need to be a history or train buff to appreciate it

The tour takes about 1.5 hours so make the time! Not sure how many days a week the tour operates as volunteer's are used.

Have been here twice in 12 months. They have great tour guides, who really know their rail history. You have to go to the sound and light show, it's very interesting and educational.

Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre is one of the best industrial "archaeology" centres/sites that I have experienced. It really is a near complete rail industry site with all of its attendant maintenance equipment and services intact. Because of Peterborough's unique role in the rail history of South Australia it is of interest to not only rail "buffs:; but also all those interested in industrial and general history. The knowledge and obvious interest/passion of the volunteer guides also make it an interesting and educational experience.

We had a very enjoyable time venturing through the railyard. Our guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer the bizarre questions of the other members of the group. Worth the visit.

Peterborough is justifiably proud of it's railroad history and it shows. The volunteers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable, displays are well prepared and thoughtful and they really do get the message across that in the days of steam Peterborough was the hub of it all for South Australia. Perhaps if this was in a big city with the vast amounts of recourse you'd expect more and rate it less highly, but this is a country town run on the pride and commitment of its people without whom the rail history would be lost. It's to be commended and encouraged. Bravo.