She may be slow, and may have needed a few coats of fresh paint over the last century, but she's still going strong.
Her name is Burra (short for Kookaburra) and she's the Illawarra's oldest running light rail locomotive.
Train enthusiasts watched her in action on Sunday as she marked her 100th birthday in style, taking passengers on joyrides around the Illawarra Light Railway Museum track.
Grinning ear to ear, Mount Warrigal boy Robert Heller was on board with his father Kurt. He said his favourite thing about Burra was "the sound of the whistle".
Illawarra Light Railway treasurer and retired Sydney Trains area controller Brad Johns said Burra carried a special history.
"We're so lucky to celebrate the milestone of today," he said.
"Burra's got a very loving story to it ... in its lifetime it used to haul coal up on Brokers Nose, on what they call a 400 metre continental railway."
Burra was built in the UK in May 1923. She was ordered by Corrimal Colliery operations manager W.E Jones and arrived in the Illawarra in November.
Burra operated at Corrimal until 1965 and was transported to AI&S Port Kembla for static display.
The locomotive was then donated to the Albion Park Museum in December 1978, with volunteers aiming to get her up and running again.
"It laid idle for a couple of years then the restoration work came to a start," Mr Johns said.
"On the 7th of December 1994, a lot of us watched with amazement when that boiler started.
"In 1995, we were able to drive it and get it operating."
Mr Johns has worked up close with Burra for years, including repainting the locomotive twice himself - in 1995 and 2023.
Mr Johns paid tribute to the many museum volunteers who helped the Burra steam again, bringing her back to life so she can now celebrate her 100th birthday.
"Seeing our work that we've done here, to have history move to the future, has been done very well," he said.
"I appreciate big time the work that people have done."
For more information check out the Illawarra Light Railway Museum.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
