Illawarra Light Railway Museum is celebrating 50 years of locomotive train fun

Train controller Brad Johns loves trains that much, that when he's not working with them he's playing with them at the Illawarra Light Railway Museum in Albion Park Rail.

Read more: Globe Lane has a new bar, burrito shop and a music festival

Mr Johns has been a volunteer with the museum for nearly as long as it's been operating and is filled with knowledge about the magnificent machines they house.

"The drawcard is when our crew will open the firebox door, kids will see the fire of the locomotive - that's the heart of the engine boiling the water to make the steam - and that's the big fascination, when they hear that whistle blow it's incredible," the now treasurer of the museum said.

"To see a big smile on a child's face you know that [the museum open day] is successful."

Steam trains are a rare sight in modern society, but the aim of the museum is to preserve that part of history by acquiring and restoring old gals of many kinds.

In the early 1970's the group was invited to fossick through the old Corrimal Colliery and take anything of interest from the disused tramways.

Read more: 'Not so blokey': Club Thirroul set for stylish renovation

They were also invited to Far North Queensland to salvage a former cane train used in transporting sugar.

"It's a really big effort for people to fulfil this task, but people have the passion, it's a labour of love," Mr Johns said.

"We've got a really great group of people who are working together. We've all got that same goal, to see this thing move for the first time; we're all like bees to honey, we're sticking around to watch our work."

Mr Johns was born into a railway family with his parents, grandfather and his brother all having some kind of involvement with trains, and now he wants to pass the passion to younger generations.

If you seem him roaming the grounds of the museum say "g'day" as Mr Johns will be able to share an abundance of history about the steam trains, the coal wagons, the history of Yallah station (currently housed at the museum) and the miniature railway children can ride.

The museum will celebrate its 50^th birthday on Sunday, February 13, with train rides from 10am, plus displays of classic cars, vintage war vehicles and vintage farm machinery.

For more information, visit: https://ilrms.com.au/

The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.