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FOE Supporters Update on latest Large Carriage removals - 25th February 2007

This update was received from Friends of Eveleigh on 25th February 2007.

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.