Rare sight stokes family's fascination

Sunday morning's promised sighting of two historic steam locomotives travelling from Kingston to Bungendore was too good an opportunity for Rowan and Meaghan Ferguson to miss.

With a camera and video equipment at the ready, Meaghan wrapped sons Cody, 4, and Angus, 2, in blankets as the Kambah family waited for that most predictable rumble of a steam train to arrive.

''Ever since Thomas the Tank Engine, trains have been everything for the boys,'' Rowan said. ''Any time we drive past here we say it would be a great place to see a real steam train so we decided to do it today.''

Highway traffic flew by the waiting spectators as more than 10 cars arrived with their passengers to witness the journey from a high patch of overgrown grass.

When thick steam and black smoke finally became visible over the treetops, Meaghan picked up Canberra's youngest trainspotters for them to see the 1878 and 1903 locomotives tow carriages of waving passengers. For a brief moment, the eclectic group watched as the locomotives travelled across the bridge with their whistles howling. Then they disappeared as quickly as they came.

''Any trip we go on, seeing a train track is enough for them,'' Meaghan said. ''We don't even have to see a train.''

Later hundreds gathered at the Bungendore train station, with its 1885 station master's office and waiting room, where the Australian Railway Historical Society readied the transport for the return journey.

The society's passenger services manager John Barlow said more than 680 people took part in the Easter Steam Spectacular on Saturday, with a further 225 travelling to Bungendore on Sunday.

''Our belief is that, if we keep them running, people will come,'' he said. ''We're now getting to a generation with children who have never been on a train.''

Mr Barlow said the 1878 locomotive was the first to travel to Canberra and, with full restoration and the assistance of the Bungendore Fire Brigade for water, it was reigniting the city's love of rail.

''People who have never seen them look on in wonder and train lovers can't get enough,'' he said.

The events are part of an active calendar from the group, with ticket prices helping fund increasing maintenance costs and demands from insurers.