Ø The history of the Richmond Vale Railway goes back to 1857.

Ø At its peak the mine employed over 1200 men and boys, and had a stable of over 200 pit horses.

Ø Coal production commenced in 1914 from the Holmesville seam, 4.1 metres thick at a depth of 241 metres underground.

Ø In 1926 Richmond Main Colliery set a world record (which still stands today) for coal production in a vertical shaft mine, with 3,482 tons wound up a single shaft in one 8-hour shift.

Ø In the 1920's it was the most modern mine in the nation.

Ø In 1961 Pelaw Main Colliery was closed and on July 7th 1967 the famous Richmond Main Colliery ceased production.

Ø The last train from Richmond Main Colliery ran on the 28th July 1967.

Ø September 22nd, 1987, the last regular steam-hauled train ran to Hexham on the Richmond Vale Railway.This train also had the distinction of being the last non-preserved steam-hauled train in Australia. The RVRM commenced limited operations in 1984 using diesel motive power at Richmond Main Colliery site.

Ø In 1991, the RVRM re-opened the Direct Passenger Line from Richmond Main Colliery to Pelaw Main Colliery.

Ø This line had been built in 1922 after several accidents on the Miners Passenger Trains, which ran from the township of Pelaw Main to Richmond Main Colliery via Richmond Vale Junction. (Richmond Main Colliery was the only mine, in the Hunter Valley, NOT to have a township for the miners.)

Ø RVRM members returned steam locomotive Marjorie to service late in 1986 after an extensive overhaul.

Ø In 1988, Coal and Allied, now the owners of the J & A Brown's mines and railway, placed four South Maitland Railway’s 10-class steam locomotives from Hexham in the RVRM’s care. These were the last steam locomotives in commercial use in Australia.

Ø The RVRM is now a significant Hunter tourism product, attracting over 20,000 visitors a year.