Steam

Opening the Steam Season with 3526

Starting strong with the Central to Kiama Steam to Surf, led by 3526

3526 steaming through Heathcote toward Kiama

This weekend marked the beginning of the 2026 steam season, with Transport Heritage running their "Steam to Surf" train to Kiama and return on both Saturday and Sunday.

This meant that 3526 would be out on mainline rails again, so my friend and I decided to take our chance and spot this beauty of a locomotive. We actually have a bit of a connection this particular loco too — we rode behind it around March of last year when it was doing laps between Rhodes and Hornsby, which was also the first time I'd ever been on a steam train!

Background

Built in 1917 and renumbered into the 35 class by 1924, 3526 (also known by its nickname, "The Nanny") was withdrawn from regular service in 1967, being preserved since then². Now operated by Transport Heritage NSW, it runs regular tours and heritage trips during the steam season

Spotting

Starting out from Sydney, we made our way to Heathcote by car and arrived about fifteen minutes before 3526 was due to pass through the station.

Before the steam train there was a halfie¹ H set going toward Kiama and a regular Tangara as seen below:

Yellow-fronted suburban train approaches the platform threshold under wires, with the rail corridor flanked by greenery — Tangara T11 pulling into Heathcote for a Bondi Jn. service

Just before the steam train rounded the curve into the station, the driver whistled a couple times, although I didn't bring a tripod to film video with unfortunately.

Closer front view of 3526 taken just before the feature image — 3526 just before Heathcote Station

After capturing 3526 at Heathcote, we quickly hopped back in the car to try to beat the train to Wombarra.

Wombarra is a small station on the South Coast line, usually bypassed by express services, but its location means its platforms are flanked by some fairly impressive curves (although more so for trains going in the up direction). Due to the descent from the Illawarra Escarpment, the tracks wind in almost hairpin curves, slowing the line speed enough for us to reach Wombarra a bit over ten minutes ahead of 3526.

Front and side view of the shiny green and black steam locomotive with its tender in matching green, hauling its cream and maroon carriages around a slight curve at the station, light grey drifting from the smokestack. Lighting is very bright daylight. — 3526 gathering speed through Wombarra

Also, a sidenote, but the drive from Heathcote to Wombarra via the Lawrence Hargrave Drive is really scenic, especially as it winds over the Sea Cliff Bridge.

After spotting the train at Wombarra we decided to drive back up the escarpment to the Bald Hill lookout for a short break before heading back toward Sydney.

Panoramic coastal view with the Illawarra Escarpment visible on the right of the image, under a large blue sky with defined white clouds. Houses are visible at the foot of the hill closest. — Looking south from Bald Hill

Eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot the rail corridor in the scenic image above, with the gantries visible about a third of the way up the closest hill, a little above where the road is. The industrial area around Port Kembla that juts out into the ocean is also visible in the distance, punctuated by a rising column of steam.

Distant OScar winding through dense bushland above a cluster of hillside homes — Halfie OScar at 150mm

With the rail line visible from the lookout, its entirely possible to get some shots of trains winding their way through the bush, particularly with a longer telephoto lens. However, even at 150mm you can make out some details of the train as seen above.

With the clouds beginning to roll in we decided to leave, rather than to wait for 3526's return trip in the evening, and stopped by at Shep's Mound near the airport and got this shot:

Atlas Air 747 cargo plane lifting off the runway under stormy skies, with the background motion blurred — Not quite a train

Closing Thoughts

With the steam season now underway for this year, I'm looking forward to spotting more of these heritage runs and possibly even chasing a couple of these trains.

The Thirlmere Festival of Steam is upcoming on the 16th of May, which I am planning to attend as well.