Eveleigh Railyards Tour & Forum - 20 October 2009

INVITATION TO AN IMPORTANT FORUM & TOUR FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PRESERVING THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF INDUSTRIAL ARCHEOLOGY

 Tuesday 20th October: 10 am – 7 pm. Forum: 4pm – 5.30 pm

In view of the International Rail Heritage Conference entitled Challenges and Opportunities being held in Ipswich Queensland at The Workshops Rail Museum 15 – 17 October 2009 – see www.workshops.qm.qld.gov.au. , with the international delegation visiting Sydney afterwards it seems an ideal opportunity to host an event at the Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops- Redfern.

The Eveleigh Railway workshops were established in the 19th Century a state of the art engineering workshops manufacturing and maintaining the steam Locomotives for the NSW Government Railways.

Original machinery is on display throughout the adaptively re-used Locomotive Workshop building- now the Australian Technology Park.  The first two bays are retained in their ‘original state’ for interpretive purposes relating to the original operations of the building. This working blacksmithing exhibit and operation, along with the continuous use of The Large Erecting shop for restoration of rolling stock and loco’s offers a unique, extremely rare experience to visit our industrial past. The Carriageworks at North Eveleigh has been adaptively converted into a performing arts space.

With both North and South Eveleigh on the market, it is hopeful that a visionary, vibrant heritage implementation strategy will allow both international and local visitors the opportunity in the future to visit the railway heritage precinct for nostalgic, cultural, educational and recreational sustenance. 

This is an ideal time for various government agencies such as RWA, ATPSL, the newly appointed Redfern Waterloo Heritage Task Force, Office of Rail Heritage, Power House Museum, Heritage Office, Tourism NSW and City of Sydney to participate in a fact finding mission with an internationally experienced delegation to exchange ideas with local experts on the value of the site within a tourist/visitor context and how it might respond to marketing abroad to a wider public. Heritage groups and those interested and involved with Eveleigh in different capacities over the years can experience an enjoyable and fruitful occasion to express ideas and hear from others on how to promote Sydney’s heritage.

PROGRAMME FOR TOURS AND FORUM AT EVELEIGH Tuesday 20th Oct   2009

10.00 am:

Commences with a morning tea, kindly provided by RWA, in bay 4 with a viewing of “Trains of Treasure”- a Railway Unions Cultural Exhibition consisting of 26 panels of artwork that records the colourful railway life from convict days through the changing technologies. Compiled by Brian Dunnet – ex Eveleigh worker, historian, and event organiser.

11 .00am -12.30pm:

A tour of the site by ex Eveleigh workers and experts which would include the Hydraulic pumproom, air compressor room, machinery throughout building, exterior historic assemblages.

12.30pm-1-30pm :

Buy own lunch at choice of cafes either in Bay 8 or NIC building (New Engine Shop).

1.30 pm– 2-30pm:

Tour of the operating blacksmithing shop and steam powered systems by historian and ex-Eveleigh worker Dick Butcher and resident blacksmith Guido Gouverneur.

3.00pm- 4.30pm:

Heritage Bus trip over to carriage works to tour Northern side of Eveleigh, tour by Ian Zammit of Carriageworks. Visit to “paint-shop”.  View Chief Mechanical Engineers Office. Bus back to ATP

3.00pm-3.30pm:

Afternoon tea (provided by RWA)

4.00pm - 5-30pm

Forum in theatre on conference theme - International delegates and invited speakers. Discussion on Heritage Challenges & Opportunities at Eveleigh and how to develop a vibrant and internationally significant Historic Railway tourist destination. Theatre kindly made available by the ATP.

5.30pm – 7.00pm:

Drinks and canapés (provided by RWA) in centre aisle of blacksmithing bays and atmospheric blacksmithing demonstration.

How to get here:  Goggle map can also be downloaded off website www.wroughtartworks.com

Train: to Redfern Station, leave off platform 10, which is signposted to Australian Technology Park. From platform 10 exit you’ll see stairs leading down to Plaza of ATP. Enter into Locomotive Workshop entrance on right of Plaza. Walk through blacksmithing shop bays 1 & 2 to bay 4 for morning tea. Car: ATP Car park entrance on Garden Street, Eveleigh. Parking Cost $20 day. (Off Henderson Road Alexandria-Sydney).Walk up to Locomotive Workshop building and enter bay 4 from Locomotive Street.