Australian Railway Historical Society

The Australian Railways Historical Society (ARHS) aims to stimulate interest in railways and to capture and preserve many facets of railway operations.

It had divisions in each state and in the Australian Capital Territory, although the Victorian division was liquidated in 2020. Since 1967, when each department was established, the state departments have operated as separate entities.

ARHS was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Railway Circle and shortly thereafter became the Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. The name of the company was changed to its present form in 1952.

Later, departments were formed in most states, most of which established a railroad museum, namely: In February 2015, the ACT Division, through its Espee Railroad Services division, began operating scrap services from Fyshwick to Port Botany using locomotives and railcars leased from CFCL Australia.

In November 2016, the Canberra Railway Museum suddenly closed after the business, which had begun subsidizing popular but expensive historic train journeys, collapsed with more than $700,000 in debt. This led to the dissolution of ARHS' ACT division. It had divisions in each state and in the Australian Capital Territory, although the Victorian division was liquidated in 2020. Since 1967, when each department was established, the state departments have operated as separate entities.

The ARHS was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Railway Circle and soon became the Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. The name of the company was changed to its present form in 1952. Later, departments were formed in most states, most of which established a railroad museum, namely: