NSW Railways 1955 Commemorative Coin, What Is It ?

It would appear to be a commemorative token rather than a coin,I am sure some of the token experts on this forum will be able to give you the full history.

NedKelly95: to the CCF!
I remember these when they were first issued!

As a kid, I was interested in trains (like most kids).
These medalettes were issued by the NSWGR (New South Wales Government Railways) in 1955, to commemorate the centenary of the inaugural service between Sydney (now the mortuary platform) and Parramatta in 1855. They were reasonably common at the time if issue.

Locomotive No. 1 which was used for this service, is preserved in the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, near Darling Harbour, in Sydney. Locomotive No.1 is shown on the medalette below the C38 streamlined express passenger locomotive.

The C38 has also been preserved and commonly heads historic trains 3 or 4 times per year. It has even accompanied the British Flying Scotsman locomotive across the Australian continent to Perth.

The Flying Scotsman locomotive has visited the USA and headed historic trains about 20 years ago.

The current mortuary platform is next to Regent street in Sydney, and has been preserved as a National Trust building for many decades. I remember during the 1950's that steam locomotives were common, at a time when diesel electric locomotives were being introduced to the rail network.

Many examples of these old steam locomotives have been preserved at the NSW Rail Transport Museum at Thirlmere, south of Sydney.