Whilst the community, retirees, union members and
particularly those involved in rail heritage arc enraged; it seems that many of
the peak heritage bodies have gone silent on the Large Erecting Shop. MI
discussions with the peak heritage bodies seem to get off record support, only
one, the National Trust is willing to publicly speak out advocating a different
course to what is being put forward. It is particularly noticeable amongst
those peak heritage bodies that have web sites proclaiming their advocacy in
protecting heritage. It seems to be the same groups that arc recipients of
major grants tied to the vacating of the Eveleigh precinct.
State Government Offices, which have a statutory or ethical
role in protecting heritage have gone silent, at least publicly that is, this
seems to be a conflict of their function.
The National Trust is the only formal group willing to stand
and be counted. Now we have six informal groups formed in the last few weeks,
fighting for a place that still has at least 30,000 ex-Eveleigh employees
walking the streets of Australia; do they wonder why Eveleigh just won’t ‘lie
down and die.’
The vision of the Friends of Eveleigh is to fight for a
genuine preservation of a working Eveleigh, and this forms the basis of the
application to the Federal Government for inclusion on the National Heritage
Register. We are tired of the continual facadism of Eveleigh, a place that has
a working history of monumental proportions. Let’s keep it working, with steam,
with skills and for all of NSW. For this reason we welcome the O’Rouke Enquiry
as the Premier, Minister for Transport, Minister for Planning have told us
about in their form letters and look forward to its findings.
It is easy to see the benefits for all unless you just want
sell your soul.
The operation of the Large Erecting Shop has been largely
cost neutral, supported by the sale of tickets on train excursions run by 3801
Ltd, Powerhouse Museum, and other rail operators. The
difference in moving a facility that preserves and restores active locomotives
and rollingstock that are enjoyed across the state – is that the economic model
is based on being close to the Sydney
market, and a proven ability where subsidies are minimal. The forced new model
of pushing everything out of Eveleigh – away from Sydney has little evidence to back it.
Whitton fought this notion, and it seems we still are 130 years later.
The Large Erecting Shop would lend itself to being a central
access point to Sydney
for all rail heritage groups with running railway collections. It would
continue to train apprentices, as it currently does; unfortunately not the 500
a year as it used to. It also can be a centre for serious industrial restoration
as it presently functions as. if the Government were intelligent they would
harvest these professional and volunteer groups rather then dividing them; it
appears to be a cash scrapped Government trying to get their hands on the real
estate by any means.
Our Vision:
- Access
for rail heritage groups. - The
preservation of a building and contents of National Significance. - The
retention of an important association with the foundation of Labor history
in Australia
and the local Aboriginal population. - The
preservation of a potential source of research into work practices,
railway history and technology. - The
preservation of a venue where traditional trade skills can be taught and a
living link with retired expertise can be maintained. - The
preservation of a communal asset used by volunteers for the last 20 years
to preserve, conserve and restore operational steam hauled trains with a
current workforce of 10 full time employees and 200 active volunteers. - The
preservation of a communal asset used by conservators and volunteers for
the last 20 years to preserve, conserve and restore operation steam hauled
trains for the Powerhouse
Museum. - The
enjoyment of heritage steam train running will be greatly maximised due to
an operational base near the economic hub of Sydney Station. - The
enjoyment of operational heritage steam trains will be greatly maximised
throughout NSW and Australia
through the retention of an historic operational facility. - The
apprentice-training scheme would continue to train rail apprentices in a
wider appreciation of rail operation and skills in a heritage workshop
environment. - Guided
tows so the public at last can enjoy this place of cathedral proportions
in steam.
Often industrial heritage places have had little public
access due to the types of activities carried out in them, this makes them easy
pickings for people of little foresight who want to fit a bit more concrete
into Sydney.
What we want to see is some stewardship by the NSW
Government to maintain this historic and iconic place of working heritage that
is important to the nation before it is lost forever and a generation of skills
that will go.
Friends of Eveleigh – Committed to saving the great Eveleigh Railway Workshop
All correspondence to: The Secretary, Friends of Eveleigh (FOE),
PO Box 381,
Belrose West NSW 2085 Phone 0400 441 482