This is the latest update from Friends of Eveleigh on
removals from the Large Erecting Shop.
Unfortunately once again we have to advise you of the
removal of Heritage rolling stock from the Nationally nominated Large Erecting
Shop. These State Rail heritage carriages which have been restored, repaired
and continuously maintained under guidelines in a safe, secure heritage
building by 3801 Limited, for the past 20 years since 1986, are now being
systematically removed by the Office of Rail Heritage and handed to the Rail Transport
Museum at Thirlmere for
their use. WHY ?
In the afternoon of 14th February, 2007 the latest two
heritage carriages were removed from the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh, by the
Rail Transport Museum on their way from Thirlmere to Central and subsequently
used on their special evening excursion – WHY ? Also included on this
“special” trip were 3 specialised carriages from the 3801 Limited
fleet, previously removed by the Office of Rail Heritage via Rail Transport
Museum to replace 3 of
the Museum maintained (StateRail) carriages.
A subsequent inspection on the 17th February, 2007 of the Rail Transport
Museum site at Thirlmere
by a representative of Friends of Eveleigh has revealed that the carriages
remain exposed to the elements in an already seriously overcrowded site.
Questions must now be asked as to why the Rail Transport
Museum Thirlmere has agreed to store these carriages removed from the Large
Erecting Shop, Eveleigh. They had previously admitted that the Thirlmere site
was over capacity level with a critical lack of undercover storage space for
their own acquisitions before these further carriages arrived, WHY?
Enclosed please find scaled diagrams of all removed
carriages from the Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh now stored unprotected at Rail
Transport Museum Thirlmere – “quite a roll call”.
Friends of Eveleigh continue to pursue the retention of the
Large Erecting Shop, Eveleigh as a working steam workshop, a heritage carriage
restoration centre and a museum. We trust you will continue to support this
cause.
Yours sincerely
Friends of Eveleigh.