Eveleigh - Large Erecting Shop - Friends of Eveleigh Statement

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