Concerns are held for
the future of the Large Erecting Workshop, which is the last active rail
heritage site still in use at Eveleigh following the departure of the 3801 Ltd.
The area where the Large
Erecting workshop currently stands has been zoned to accommodate a 12 storey
building under a recently made State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP).
Simultaneously the Large is listed in the SEPP as historically significant but
such buildings can be adaptively reused rather than retained.
The fear is that the departure
of the 3801 is the beginning of the end for active rail heritage use at
Eveleigh. This is likely to have a major impact on the ability of heritage
trains to service the large local and international rail tourist market.
The continuation of
active heritage rail operations at Eveleigh’s Large Erecting Workshop could
increase tourism and employment while at the same time retaining knowledge,
training and equipment essential to the long term success of heritage rail operations.
Geoff TurnbullÂ
REDWatch 25th November 2006.