Friends of Eveleigh write to Minister

Mr John Watkins
Minister for Transport
Level 30 Governor Macquarie Tower,
1 Farrar Place,
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Saturday, 13th January, 2007

Dear Sir

We the Friends of Eveleigh request The Minister for Transport, Mr John Watkins to urgently respond to the following still unanswered questions requested in our Media Release dated 7th January, 2007.

As you are no doubt aware, following the return to duty of Mr Vince Graham, CEO RailCorp, The Rail Transport Museum is now to remove heritage carriages on Tuesday 16th January from the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh to be maintained and operated from Thirlmere. Approval was given by The Office of Rail Heritage to the ATM to remove these Heritage carriages from a nominated National Heritage Listing site despite The Office of Rall Heritage being well aware that these carriages form part of the nomination, they are still determined to dismantle this collection with little consideration for the outcome. It should be noted that the State Government has now been asked by the National Heritage body for comment on the application (The Large Erecting Shop Eveleigh, Locomotive Street, Eveleigh, NSW. - Place ID 105945, Place File No. 1112/003/0016. and have arrogantly replied with this action.

Why won't your Government stop all removal of heritage Items from the Large Erecting Shop while this National Heritage Listing nomination is being evaluated.

We once again ask you Mr John Watkins

Where will the carriages be stored?

There appears to be little or no space available to even securely store from vandalism, weather and bushfire these heritage carriages, and the availability of undercover space at Thirlmere seems to be out of the question. Why was the original sprinkler system plan not Instigated? Money or water pressure?

Why Is The Office of Rail Heritage removing these carriages and placing them in a far less favourable environment? Did The Office of Rail Heritage make this decision?

Why is The Office of Rail Heritage removing heritage carriages from a safe, secure and enclosed Heritage building where they have been successfully kept and maintained at little cost to the Government for over 20 years? Did The Office of Rail Heritage make this decision?

Why Is The Office of Rail Heritage removing these carriages when 3801 Limited has scheduled their use on upcoming excursions? Is not the Government creating a monopoly on luxury heritage excursions for the Rail Transport Museum? Did The Office of Rail Heritage make this decision and why?

And finally, who is making all the decisions at or for The Office of Rail Heritage and do they have any formal heritage qualification relating to restoration and conservation management? Perhaps they do not know how wind, rain, dust, and even sun exposure effects carriages. A walk up the back of Thirlmere will show them what happens.

Mr John Watkins, the Friends of Eveleigh as well as the people of New South Wales deserve answers not arrogance. An urgent investigation needs to be conducted –NOW!

Yours sincerely

for Friends of Eveleigh