The South Maitland Railways (S.M.R.) have had a fascination for rail buffs and historians for decades. Partly because of the longevity of steam haulage over the system but also for the variety of colliery and urban landscapes that the system connected and served. Some of this variety is reflected in the range of events and happenings associated with various days of each month. Another episode in the rich history of the S.M.R. began on 14 June 1983 when diesel electric locomotives 4822 and 4893 worked an empty train to Pelton Colliery