ATP Heritage Issues to be Addressed

Following are dot points on turning the tables on the lack of or incorrect conservation approaches & practices in and around the Locomotive Workshop building & The Large Erecting Shop and some ideas on how to achieve an Industrial Heritage experience for visitors. This is part of the "Operation Turn-table" presentation by Wrought Artworks (WAW) at the October 2008 Eveleigh heritage meeting.

A foundation needs to be established to administer the Heritage of the site. Tonight we should determine the individuals and groups to be invited to be delegates.
The standard license agreement has not been signed with RWA and WAW. The annual rental increases are above commercial rates, and potentially crippling for a heritage blacksmithing operation. We wish to have this reviewed by the Minister.
What happened to the grant money to be spent on getting the machinery operational?
When and where are the Henry Berry cranes and wheel press to be conserved and how? As per the CMP. These machines are still outdoors. It is possible they are to be dumped. This question needs to be asked.
The hydraulic pump room is not displayed to the public. The frosted glass in the doors does not allow viewing. The ATP does not allow it to be part of the tours. We are told the key is lost.
The pebbles need to be removed around the base of the accumulators so that the control cables that activate the gouvnor and do not rust beyond repair and the automatic filling technology of the system is lost.
The air compressor house is mentioned as a must do in the DA consent conditions and be hooked up to the Blacksmiths shop to repower the steam hammers. Possibly for annual open day’s. Can the strength of this determination be checked? There needs to be conservation work on the air compressors, reactivating them makes this a given.
The Air compressor house should feature in the Heritage walk.
The floor repair the ATP has finally agreed to in the blacksmithing shop- damaged in the refurbishment should include stone sills that prevent dry leaves blowing into the building and creating a fire hazard, reusing the cast iron floor plates around the 7cwt hammer to level the floor and make it non-inflammable, replacing the asphalt from the new concrete to the coal scuttle door and to the annex door. The floor must be able to support the 8ton load.
The doors of the blacksmithing northern bays should be repaired and sills replaced.
There is no one looking after the static machines on exhibit around the park. Andrew who used to look after them was sacked over 5 years ago and not replaced. Graham Stevens the asset manager of the Park should be informed of the maintenance schedules in the CMP for movable relics.
The Oliver hammer in bay 2 north and air receiver in the car park are from the carriage works blacksmith shop and should be returned to their original locations and conserved.
There is a Wadkin chain and chisel mortising machine in one of the containers that is not being used and WAW would like to make it operable at our expense and utilize it.
The State Minister for Volunteers needs to be informed of the plight of the 3801 carriages and the treatment of the volunteers that worked on them only to have them snatched away.
National listing of the site still needs to be done. The State should request it as back up for its own heritage protection. A presentation to the Heritage council could be made by the Foundation to communicate our concerns for the lack of vision exhibited by the Landlords.
The landlords make much of the Bricks & Mortar of the building but have no interest in the machinery collection. NSW heritage tourism should have Eveleigh on its site as a destination for visitors. An effort needs to be made by the ATP/RWA to make the site a stimulating historical experience. The machine display in bay 8 is boring and inactive and visitors not encouraged. Nothing has been made of Bays 1&2 South. Once the LES is granted its rightful purpose in perpetuity the Gov’t should give a heritage grant for to make the Large OHS compliant and to certify the cranes (so 3801 don’t have the expense of hiring cranes when required). Tours of the site can include the 2 active workshops. A paid tour guide with a proper understanding of the site, machinery, tools and assemblages needs to be employed on a part-time basis. The tours should be charged for. We are working with Michael Mortlock on a DVD about the blacksmithing workshop with a view of it going on the History Channel.
The State Politicians will be looking for vote pulling causes. Liberals/Greens/Independents should be approached and asked to make it an election platform. Labor has made a muck up of it. We were fortunate with the timing of the Council Election and our eviction that the blacksmithing shop got used as an election platform by the Chris Harris, Meredeth Burgman and Clover Moore.
WAW would like to meet 2010 carbon dioxide emission targets and demonstrate environmental sustainability, a grant and advice on this to be sought.

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ATP Heritage Issues to be Addressed

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