Friends of Eveleigh Media Release – 17th April 2008

THE NOMINATION OF THE LARGE ERECTING SHOP AND ITS CONTENTS FOR NATIONAL HERITAGE LISTING IS STILL PROCEEDING

The State Government and RailCorp’s response to the nomination of the Large Erecting Shop and its contents for National Heritage Listing has been to undertake a systematic stripping of heritage assets from this building. Many of the finely restored carriages have been moved into an environment where they are exposed to the elements. This is not the way to protect our rail heritage, NO, it’s the way to destroy it.

We have a report that the Chullora and Eveleigh’s RailCorp Depot repairs have cost the taxpayers $10,000 - to repair the roof of the State Heritage Listed AAH19 carriage which was damaged by the elements when previously removed. On the 7th April, 2008, this carriage was returned to the same site against the wishes of the NSW Rail Transport Museum - desperately short of undercover space.

No doubt the Office of Rail Heritage who ordered AAH19’s return to the Rail Transport Museum from Eveleigh will now accept full responsibility for its safe storage and security. No doubt they are aware of the major damage that covering with canvas can do to paintwork on timber carriages. The immense value of this heritage carriage and its rareness cannot be underestimated. [See also below - Has the Paperwork been done - REDWatch].

The Minister for Transport Mr John Watkins MP has repeatedly refused to inspect The Large Erecting Shop - does he know anything about Rail Heritage, who are his advisors, and what are their formal heritage qualifications? The State Government’s answer to all rail heritage problems was the 2006 Vince O’Rourke Report. It clearly states - “consideration needs to be given to accessing layover facilities in the metropolitan mainline network”.

This is why The Large Erecting Shop must be kept for Heritage Railway use.

The present State government is making it clear that it does not want rail heritage in Sydney. Their greed for the developer’s dollar sees them view the Large Erecting Shop as a piece of real estate not as the finest heritage railway workshop in Australia. They show no respect for our Australian Colonial Architectural Rail Heritage, which must be saved for future generations; and they show no respect for the people of New South Wales.

APRIL 17, 2008 - MORE CARRIAGES TO BE REMOVED?

The Large Erecting Shop had a visit from officers from the Office of Rail Heritage to record all the rolling stock and its position in the Large as well as gathering other information. Displaying only a basic knowledge of the heritage environment they also arrived without the mandatory safety vests even though they wanted to inspect items across the running lines of the Eveleigh Yard.

Their attitude or lack of knowledge concluded that almost everything in the Large was RailCorp’s unless proven otherwise. Strange - when they suddenly claimed they owned even the nuts, bolts and washers.

When is the Office of Rail Heritage going to acknowledge the absence of Heritage ownership records. It has been leaked that the Office of Rail Heritage cannot produce ownership records of heritage rollingstock prior to 2006. Is this correct? Would they like to comment? The Office of Rail Heritage need to be publicly accountable for all their actions.

HAS THE PAPERWORK BEEN DONE?

AAH 19 - Old Commissioner’s Car, AAH 8 - Commissioners’ Train - Officers Inspection Carriage - PART OF THE Premiers and Railway Commissioners Rail Car Collection - State Heritage Register Listing Number 01650

STANDARD EXEMPTION 17: MOVABLE HERITAGE ITEMS

1. The temporary relocation of movable heritage items, including contents, fixtures and objects, to ensure their security, maintenance and preservation, for conservation or exhibition, to ensure health or safety, the need for a controlled environment for those heritage items, or to protect the place, and which are to be returned to their present location within six months, does not require approval under s. 57(1) of the Act.

2. A person proposing to relocate a movable heritage item as set out in paragraph 1 must advise the Director in writing of the proposed location and the reasons for its relocation. If the Director is satisfied that the temporary relocation meets the criteria set out in paragraph 1 the Director shall notify the applicant.

Guidelines

Movable heritage items or objects which are listed on the State Heritage Register must be specifically referred to in the gazetted listing.

Unless specifically listed, the movable content of buildings such as furniture, paintings and other decoration is not movable heritage for the purposes of the Heritage Act which triggers approval requirements to “move, damage or destroy it”. The permanent relocation of an item of movable heritage such as listed ships or railway rolling stock will require the submission of an application under section 60 of the Heritage Act.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

The Large Erecting Shop has been in continuous operation for 128 years making it the oldest and longest continuous operating railway workshops in Australia. It is still functioning as workshops servicing steam railway locomotives, rolling stock and diesels. It is part of the greater Eveleigh Workshop site but unlike all the other buildings, it still retains its rail workshop context and skills.

The only way to keep the Large Erecting Shop Alive and Active is for the Federal Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts to grant a National Heritage Listing. This is the only way to save this building from the path of the wrecking ball of Frank $artor.

We urgently need everybody to write or email the Federal Minister at the below addresses and request that he grant immediate National Heritage Listing for Eveleigh’s Large Erecting Shop and its contents.

Send your request to:

The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts,
PO Box 6022, Parliament House,
Canberra, ACT 2600

or email your request to: Peter. Garrett.MP@aph.gov.au

On October 19, 2006 the Federal Government’s Dept. of Environment & Heritage accepted a nomination for the National Heritage Listing - The Large Erecting Shop Eveleigh, Locomotive Street, Eveleigh, NSW.- Place ID 105945, Place File No. 1/12/003/0016.See www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl

THE FORMAL “NATIONAL HERITAGE LISTING IS NOW REQUIRED

For your convenience www.redwatch.org.au keeps you up to date with developments in the Eveleigh area.

Source: Friends of Eveleigh Media Release 17th April 2008 - All correspondence to: The Secretary, FOE, PO Box 381, Belrose West NSW 2085

The PDF file with photos of the Commissioner’s set departing Eveleigh for Rail Transport Museum for the second time can be downloaded here - Friends of Eveleigh Media Release – 17th April 2008 147Kb PDF.