Graeme Breydon, Chairman of the Emerald Tourist Railway Board (operators of the Puffing Billy Railway) died on August 21, 2006 at age 54, one day short of his 55th birthday, while attending to railway business.

Graeme Breydon speaks at the international railway heritage conference and symposium, hosted by the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU), in Nara, Japan in January of 2006. Photo by ACCU staff.

Graeme joined the Puffing Billy in 1964, was elected to the Board of Directors in 1989, and has served as Chairman since 1999. His tenure has been marked by the successful redevelopment of the Belgrave Station and locomotive workshops, extension of the railway line to Gembrook from Blegrave, and the restoration of the G42 Garratt steam locomotive, for all of which he was a driving force.

A special train hauled by the G42 carried the remains and guests from Belgrave to Gembrook for the afternoon ceremony. Photos by Steve Holmes.

He received the Individual Award of Excellence from the Australasian Railway Association for his work in developing a set of national safety regulations specific to tourist railways.

His funeral was held in Gembrook on August 30, 2006. A special train hauled by the G42 carried the remains and guests from Belgrave to Gembrook for the afternoon ceremony. Officiating was volunteer engineman Reverend McUtchen, followed by an aboriginal ceremony done by a group from Shepparton.

Mr. Peter Hiscock will succeed him as chairman.

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Graeme was an RyPN contributor and wrote the May 1, 2006 report on the international railway heritage conference and symposium held in Nara, Japan in January 2006.