People interested in railways and railway model engineering are invited to become members of the Blue Mountains Railway Society.

Adult Membership is open to persons 18 years of age and over, and Junior Membership can be arranged for suitable people aged 12 to 17. Potential members must attend the park on three operational days and satisfy the Board that they are suitable persons to become members. They will be required to pay an annual membership fee of $125 (Adult) or $50 (Junior).

Members may undergo training and accreditation in the many aspects of railway operation, including station staff, guard, yardmaster, ticket seller, canteen operation, signalman, diesel/electric driver, and steam driver. They also have the upkeep of their park, with the gardens requiring constant maintenance through the year.

They may participate in all activities for which they become qualified, on running days, special operating days, working bees, and seniors’ days. Members meetings are held quarterly throughout the year at the club grounds. The Society also encourages members to build locos, carriages, goods wagons etc., and individual members will often advise and assist new members in these endeavours.

Wascoe Siding is operated by the Blue Mountains Railway Society, a non-profit group of interested people who own and maintain the park.

Wascoe Siding 5 inch (127 mm) gauge Miniature Railway was established in 1966, when the park in Blaxland (then a swampy car wrecker’s dump in a disused railway cutting) was acquired by the founder of the Blue Mountains Railway Society, Mr. John Green.

John had built a short railway behind his Real Estate business in Glenbrook, and, having established the Blue Mountains Railway Society in 1964, sought to have a much more extensive miniature railway built for the Society’s use at a permanent location.

The dump was cleared, the swamp was drained, and what was a pioneering venture with regards to now largely nationally adopted rolling stock type, standards, and track geometry, was commenced. An initial simple loop developed into the present extensive double track layout with tunnel, viaduct, and locomotive facility, tunnel over several decades, and with lots of hard work by the members.

The disused railway cutting was once the site of the main western railway line between the original Glenbrook Station (then named Wascoe Siding and located adjacent to Glenbrook Oval – the service station), and Blaxland (originally named Wascoe’s Platform), between 1913 and 1935.

Their name of “Wascoe Siding” commemorates the early name of Glenbrook, while the railway locality of “Blaxland Junction” is perpetuated by the name on their signal box.

For more information, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WascoeSidingRailway and website at http://infobluemountains.net.au/rail/wascoe/