Restored by the Diesel Electric Rail Motor Preservation Association of Victoria, the ageing train arrived at Ballarat station exactly 50 years after the first Melbourne-to-Ballarat tour of the ARE.

Train driver Colin Sharp donned a vintage hat and blazer for the day, a far cry from his usual V/Line shirt and tie.

“I drive the VLocity (passenger trains) during the week so this one is certainly a bit different,” he said. “They can get up to about 160km/h, but this struggles to get to 60km/h.”

Mr Sharp said he was thrilled to drive the restored motor.

“It is almost like stepping back in time,” he said. “There were only 10 of these ever built, so it’s really good to get to drive one.

President of the association, Bruce McLaren, said the re-enactment was a big moment for the group.

“It’s pretty significant for us,” he said. “Not many hobby groups have been around for 50 years.”

Mr McLaren said the association had more than 600 members – 48 of whom were on the rail motor to Ballarat on Saturday.

“We also had a few foundation members on the train,” he said.

“We’ve got about 600 members, and about 150 of them have been involved for 40 years or more.”