The Stationmaster's Afternoon Tea
Depart from your day to day and immerse yourself in the history of our 1917 Commonwealth Railways dining carriage and experience an afternoon unlike any other.
The Stationmaster's Afternoon Tea takes place aboard this incredible piece of history at the Railway Museum at Bassendean.
Arrive though the gates of the Railway Museum as a VIP guest prior to public entry. Then make your way through the quiet Museum precinct to the waiting dining carriage.
Once aboard, settle into your table while the carriage fills with conversation, teapots and tiered stands laden with afternoon tea.
For a few hours, a historic railway carriage becomes a dining room once again.
Once the last cup has been poured, your visit isn't over.
The Museum opens around you and you are welcome to spend the remainder of its opening hours exploring one of Western Australia's most remarkable railway collections.
More than afternoon tea...
Step Aboard
Allow the Stationmaster to welcome you aboard and take your seat in D20 - our 1917 dining carriage.
The carriage accommodates just 40 guests across 10 tables.
Settle in, meet your table companions and let us take care of the rest.
Explore
When afternoon tea concludes, the doors open onto another part of the experience.
Admission to the Railway Museum is included.
Spend the remainder of the Museum's opening hours wandering through locomotives, carriages, railway buildings and artefacts representing generations of Western Australian railway history.
Afternoon tea may be the reason you came.
The Museum gives you a reason to stay.
Arrive
The Railway Museum gates open prior to general public access for Tracks & Timber guests.
Please arrive during the advertised period. Once the gates close, the team member welcoming guests moves to the carriage and late entry may not be possible.
Once inside, make your way through the Museum precinct and directly to the dining carriage, where our team will be waiting to welcome you aboard.
Indulge
Then comes the important part.
Tiered stands are laden with sandwiches, freshly baked scones, cakes and sweet treats while tea and coffee are served throughout the afternoon.
There is no rush.
Pour another cup, have another scone and enjoy an afternoon spent somewhere rather different.
Proper afternoon tea deserves a little abundance...
The centrepiece of your visit is a generous traditional afternoon tea served to your table aboard the carriage.
Expect a changing selection built around the classics - a complimentary welcome drink, finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with jam, cream and lemon curd, cake, macarons and petite sweet treats all served with loose-leaf tea and French pressed coffee.
Our cake and sweet selections may change from service to service, allowing us to keep the afternoon tea fresh, seasonal and varied.
What does not change is the intention: nobody should leave wondering where the rest of afternoon tea went.
A dining room with a story
The setting is not a railway-inspired restaurant.
It is a genuine railway carriage.
Built in 1917, the dining carriage now forms part of the Railway Museum collection at Bassendean and provides the setting for The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea.
Tracks & Timber gives guests the opportunity to experience heritage differently.
Instead of simply looking through the windows of an historic carriage, you are invited inside. Take a seat. Share a meal. Hear the sounds around you. Notice the details in the timberwork, fittings and dining space.
For an afternoon, the carriage is once again filled with conversation, plates, teapots and people gathered around its tables.
That is the experience at the heart of Tracks & Timber.
Your ticket includes more than a seat at the table...
The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea is located within the Railway Museum at Bassendean.
Admission to the Museum is included in your Tracks & Timber ticket.
Rather than arriving immediately at the carriage, guests are encouraged to enjoy the journey through the Museum precinct and discover part of the collection before afternoon tea begins.
The Museum provides the setting that makes Tracks & Timber possible — a place where locomotives, carriages, railway buildings and artefacts preserve generations of Western Australian railway history.
For many guests, Tracks & Timber may be their first visit.
We suspect it may not be their last.
Your ticket includes:
Entry to the Railway Museum
Time to explore the Museum precinct after your sitting.
Complimentary welcome drink
A seasonal non-alcoholic welcome beverage to begin your experience.
The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea
A generous selection of savouries, scones, cakes and sweet treats served aboard the dining carriage.
Tea and coffee
Enjoy tea and coffee throughout your afternoon.
A seat aboard an historic dining carriage
And quite possibly a few more photographs than you intended to take.
$85 per person
Before you arrive
Location
Tracks & Timber
The Railway Museum
136 Railway Parade
Bassendean WA
Price
$85 per person (must be booked in multiples of 2). Railway Museum admission is included in your ticket.
Bookings
Bookings are essential. The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea operates as a pre-booked experience and walk-in dining is not available. Bookings must be made in multiples of two.
Tables
Our dining carriage contains ten tables of four. Bookings of two guests may therefore share a table with another booking of two. If your booking fills a table, your party will of course be seated together. For larger bookings, we will arrange seating as closely together as the carriage layout allows.
Arrival
Each sitting has a designated gate-opening period. Your confirmation email will provide the arrival time for your booking. Please arrive while the gates are open. At the end of the advertised arrival period the entrance is closed and our team moves through the Museum to the carriage. Because of this, we may be unable to admit guests who arrive late. We strongly recommend allowing plenty of time for parking, public transport and traffic.
Parking
Parking is available outside the Railway Museum.
Public transport
The Railway Museum is located close to the Midland railway line.
Ashfield Station is approximately a 500-metre walk from the Museum.
Duration
The duration of the experience is approximately 2.5 hours from the beginning of service. Time to explore the Railway Museum after the experience is at your leisure. Your booking confirmation will provide the relevant arrival and service times for your chosen date.
Dress
There is no need to dress formally. Smart casual clothing is perfect — although we are certainly not going to object if you decide an afternoon aboard a dining carriage deserves something a little special.
Accessibility
Tracks & Timber takes place aboard an historic railway carriage and, unfortunately, the original design of the vehicle creates some accessibility limitations.
The carriage is reached via an approximately 200-metre paved route through the Railway Museum precinct.
Boarding requires guests to climb eight steps, with handrails provided. The carriage is therefore not wheelchair accessible.
Guests who use walking frames or other mobility aids may leave them safely outside the carriage during service if they are able to manage the boarding steps.
If you are uncertain whether the experience will be suitable for you or someone in your party, please contact us before booking - bookings@tracksandtimber.com.au
We would much rather discuss your requirements beforehand than have you discover a difficulty on arrival.
Dietary Requirements
We want as many guests as possible to be able to enjoy The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea.
Dietary requirements must be declared when making your booking so that our suppliers and service team have sufficient notice to prepare appropriately.
Because the afternoon tea is supplied and prepared in advance, requests made after the applicable dietary cut-off may not be able to be accommodated, so we ask that we are advised of dietary requirements a minimum of 7 calendar days prior to your booking at the latest.
Some dietary requirements may also be beyond what our suppliers can safely or practically provide.
Please provide accurate information when booking and contact us before purchasing tickets if you have a significant allergy or complex dietary requirement.
Visiting with children
The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea is designed as a seated dining experience.
Every guest requires their own booked seat and must be able to remain comfortably seated throughout the service.
For this reason, the experience may not be suitable for very young children.
If you are considering booking for a child and are unsure whether the experience will suit them, please contact us before booking - bookings@tracksandtimber.com.au
Please note that there are no children's prices for The Stationmaster's Afternoon Tea experience.
Book your experience
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea?
The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea is a pre-booked afternoon tea experience held aboard a restored 1917 dining carriage within the Railway Museum at Bassendean.
Your visit includes entry to the Museum precinct.
How much does it cost?
Tickets are $85 per person all inclusive. Railway Museum admission is included.
Where is Tracks & Timber?
Tracks & Timber is located within The Railway Museum:
136 Railway Parade, Bassendean WA
Do I need to book?
Yes. Tracks & Timber operates as a pre-booked experience and walk-in dining is not available. Bookings can be made using the booking system on this page.
Why can I only book in multiples of two?
The carriage contains tables designed for four guests. Our booking system therefore accepts reservations in multiples of two so that the limited seating available within the carriage can be used effectively.
If I book for two, will we have our own table?
Not necessarily. Bookings of two may share one of our tables of four with another booking of two. That is part of the traditional shared dining room character of the carriage and allows us to welcome as many guests aboard as possible.
Can I book for a larger group?
Yes, subject to availability. Select the number of guests required when booking. For particularly large groups or enquiries about a private booking, contact:
bookings@tracksandtimber.com.au
Is Railway Museum entry included?
Yes. Admission to the Railway Museum is included with your Tracks & Timber ticket. We encourage guests to enjoy the Museum precinct after their dining experience.
What time should I arrive?
Every sitting has an advertised arrival period. Your booking confirmation will clearly state when the Museum gates are open for your service. Please arrive within that period.
What happens if I'm late?
The Museum gate closes at the end of the advertised arrival period so that the team member welcoming guests can move through the precinct to the dining carriage. For that reason, we may not be able to admit late arrivals.
Please allow plenty of time to reach the Museum.
How long should I allow?
Tracks & Timber is designed as more than simply the time you spend seated at the table.
Allow enough time to arrive during the advertised gate-opening period, enjoy your afternoon tea service and explore the Museum precinct. Exact times are provided for each available sitting.
What is served?
The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea includes finger sandwiches, scones with accompaniments, cakes and petite sweet treats together with loose-leaf tea and coffee. The exact cake and sweet selection may vary between services.
Do you cater for dietary requirements?
We can accommodate a range of dietary requirements where sufficient notice is provided and our suppliers can safely do so.
Requirements must be declared when booking. If you have a serious allergy or complex dietary requirement, please contact us before booking.
Is Tracks & Timber wheelchair accessible?
Unfortunately, no. The experience takes place aboard an historic railway carriage which is accessed via eight steps. The route through the Museum to the carriage is approximately 200 metres and is paved. More information is available in the Accessibility section above.
Can I bring a walking frame?
Guests who are able to climb the carriage steps may leave walking frames or similar mobility aids outside the carriage during service.
Please contact us beforehand if you would like to discuss your individual requirements.
Can children attend?
Children may attend provided they have their own booked seat and are able to comfortably participate in a seated afternoon tea service.
The experience may not be suitable for very young children.
Please contact us before booking if you are unsure.
Can I bring a pram into the carriage?
Space inside the historic carriage is limited. Please contact us before booking if you will require storage for a pram or similar item so that we can advise what arrangements may be possible.
Can I change my booking?
Changes are subject to our Booking Terms & Conditions and applicable notice periods. Please review those conditions before booking. A booking that has already been rescheduled cannot be rescheduled again.
Can I cancel my booking?
Tracks & Timber bookings are subject to our published cancellation and refund conditions. Change-of-mind refunds are not provided.
Please read the full Booking Terms & Conditions before purchasing your tickets.
What happens if it rains?
Tracks & Timber operates in ordinary weather conditions including rain, heat or cold where the experience can continue safely.
Ordinary weather does not automatically entitle a guest to cancel or receive a refund. If Tracks & Timber is required to cancel a service, affected guests will be contacted directly and the options available under our Booking Terms & Conditions will apply.
What if Tracks & Timber cancels my sitting?
If Tracks & Timber cancels an experience, you will be offered the options provided in our Booking Terms & Conditions, including transfer or refund of the amount paid where applicable.
Do I need to dress up?
No. Smart casual clothing is ideal.
You are, however, dining aboard a 1917 railway carriage, so if you have been looking for an excuse to make an afternoon of it, we are hardly going to stop you.
Is alcohol served?
The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea does not require alcohol to be enjoyed. Alcohol may not be consumed on board to comply with liquor laws.
Your standard experience includes tea, coffee and a complimentary non-alcoholic welcome beverage. Soft drinks and mocktails are available for purchase.
Can I take photographs?
Absolutely. We would be surprised if you didn't.
Please be considerate of other guests when taking photographs and avoid disrupting their experience.
Can I purchase a gift voucher?
Yes. Tracks & Timber gift vouchers are available online and can be used toward The Stationmaster’s Afternoon Tea.
If your question isn't answered above, get in touch.
bookings@tracksandtimber.com.au
For existing bookings, please include the name under which your reservation was made and your booking date so we can assist you faster.
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