THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN TRAIN ROBBERY
When: Monday 27th
November 2006 at 1800 hours (6 pm) Where: The Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh
Railway Workshop
The Large Erecting Shop and its entire contents are subject
to a formal National Heritage Listing Application. This application secures the
site and no item can be removed without the authority of the Federal Minister.
The above action seems to be in breach of the National
Heritage Act.
The Minister for Transport has known for 6 months that an
agreement between the Rail
Transport Museum
and 3801 Limited was required for the running lease of locomotive 3801 to be
renewed. He has turned his back on helping to broker a deal for the betterment
of the people of New South Wales.
He seems afraid to stand up to RailCorp Executives and their inaccurate
decisions – has never visited the Museum at Thirlmere and has refused numerous
invitations to inspect the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh – just 5 minutes
from Parliament House.
This is the Minister who ok’d all of RailCorp plans with his
rubber stamp because in Parliament, when questioned on Rail Heritage, would
utter his favoured words “I have been advised”.
On Monday night, Locomotive 3801 will steam out of Sydney, destined for the
Hunter Valley Training Company at Maitland for a mechanical
inspection to determine what overhauling is required.for the locomotive. Those
in the know will tell you that it is in near perfect condition other than the
boiler overhaul due in 12 to 18 months providing the current expert maintenance
program can be maintained.
Why to Maitland?
Most of the “expert technical panel” to assess the
locomotives condition come from Melbourne, Sydney or south of Sydney so why not
conduct the inspection at Eveleigh – where facilities including inspection pits
already exist.
Maitland is now a swinging seat for the State election.
Needs propping up and the $600,000 grant to the Hunter Valley Training Company
at Maitland is the ultimate pork barreling exercise.
50% of the shares of the Hunter Valley Training Company are
held by the NSW Ministerial Holding Corporation.
The Hunter Valley Training Company was set up to train
apprentices specifically for the power industry with Pacific Power a major
partner. Milton Morris, former Labour Railway Minister is an active board
member and Pacific Power’s former Chairman Ross Bunyon, now Chairman of
RailCorp appears on the HVTS website as a Director.
The Government is not game to send the Locomotive straight
to Thirlmere because of a voter backlash.
Correspondence to:
The secretary,
Friends of Eveleigh (FOE)
PO Box
381
Belrose West NSW 2085