The Council of Historic Railways & Tramways of South Australia Inc. was established in 1994 to provide a central body to represent organisations involved in preserving and exhibiting our rail and tramway heritage. In early 2008 and early 2009 members of CHR&TSA came to the view it was appropriate to change the name of the organisation to “Heritage Rail SA”. An opportunity was also made to review and update the societies’ constitution. Members approved the name change and updated constitution at the Annual General Meeting held at Regency Park on 28 February 2009.

The society serves in a consultative and advisory capacity to its members and functions as their representative to the State Government, Local Government and government instrumentalities. Heritage Rail SA has been most successful in obtaining affordable public liability insurance for members and is most active in making representations in respect to the Rail Safety regulatory controls and railway codes of practice.
Heritage Rail SA is a member of ATHRA – Association of Tourist & Heritage Rail Australia. ATHRA was formed in June 2004 to represent the interests and needs of all tourist and heritage rail organisations at a national level. It is formed by the state and territory associations as an over-arching umbrella body.

Heritage Rail SA holds meeting three meetings per year. The meetings are held at various locations and are usually attended by two delegates from member groups and representatives of the State Rail Safety Regulator’s Office, State Tourism Commission.

Joint marketing and promotional activities are also coordinated on behalf of its members. The combined result is an enhanced cooperative effort in the preservation of our rail and tramway history, better services to the public and an improved structure for tourism potential.

Currently the HRSA (Heritage Rail SA) Office Holders are :-

President - Brian Busch - brianpbusch@hotmail.com

Secretary - Ian Seymour

Treasurer – Peter Soar - pgsoar@optusnet.com.au

Left to right

Brian Reay - Lions Club of Y P Rail Inc
John Evans - SA Tourism Commission
Mike Crabb- St. Kilda Tramway Museum
Derek Heneker – South Australia Rail Safety Regulator
Brian Busch – Convenor & SteamRanger
Ron Fluck - National Railway Museum
Neil Craig - Cobdogla Steam Friends Society
Ian Milne - Steamtown Rail Heritage Centre – Peterborough
John Reed - Cobdogla Steam Friends Society
Mary Homann – Auditor & Pichi Richi Railway
Richard Wood - Pichi Richi Railway
Peter Soar – SteamRanger
Bob Sampson - National Railway Museum
Peter Thompson - Lions Club of Y P Rail Inc