Growing up he dreamed of being a train driver, and at the age of 26 he is well on his way to realising that dream.

“I was brainwashed to love trains early on,” Adisson laughs. “This is the dream job.”

Adisson’s grandfather, Bill Chapman (known in Castlemaine as the Fireman due to his involvement with the CFA for the past 60 years), was one of the founding members of the VGR in the 1970s. At the age of 83 Bill is still an active member of the CFA.

For his grandad’s 80th birthday, Adisson gifted him with a driver experience at the VGR.

“He’s still talking about it to this day. We had the whole family there, and he had an absolute ball,” said Adisson. “Grandad’s been ecstatic about my involvement with trains for years.

“Dad’s a train nutter too, and I’m going to get him a driver experience for his 50th. He’s really looking forward to that.”

At the age of 18 Addison started his journey at the Victorian Goldfields Railway by becoming a Steward- First Class. He worked his way up to becoming a Guard and is now a qualified Fireman.

“You have to work as a Fireman before doing your driver training,” said Adisson. “The Fireman’s job is to control the fuel level; you need to make sure there’s enough, but not too much, or you waste oil.”

The process of becoming a driver is long – usually 10 years – and involves working through the various roles before completing trainee driver training, with a theory component before undertaking practical training with a qualified driver, which usually takes around three years.

“You need to understand the whole system to be able to drive.”

In 2020 Adisson lost his hospitality job in Castlemaine due to COVID and in the first three weeks of lockdown, found himself feeling pretty lost. He realised his work at the railway was considered essential and spent all of 2020 at the train yard repainting carriages with another volunteer who had also lost his job.

“It kept us entertained,” said Adisson.

Adisson recently got a full-time job at Puffing Billy, where he works as a Traffic Superintendent, but he still spends most of his weekends in Maldon, where he volunteers as a Traffic Manager and is one of the Coordinators of the Young Volunteers Group.

Adisson also has a Facebook site: Adisson Chapman Rail Photography which is well worth checking out.

“My life is all trains. Everyone here gets along really well. It’s a good place to be.”

If you are interested in joining the Youth Volunteers email yvg@vgr.com.au.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 11 March 2022.