Re: Pendennis Castle

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@pcug.org.au>]

<chris@enet21.com.au> wrote in message
38917B30.18EF3DD@enet21.com.au">news:38917B30.18EF3DD@enet21.com.au...
> Hi
>
> Sorry, until this I had no problems with Rio Tinto, I have even worked on
design jobs for them in Sydney (their middle
> management and employees are ok) with no problems. I read and watched
their dispute with unions and environmentalists but kept
> my opinions to myself (it didn't affect me) or so I though.
>
> If it unfortunate that you or any other Ditcot supporter cannot reply with
any valid rebutals to my statements.

It's actually Didcot.

All you state
> "that the locomotive should be returned to the UK",

Phooey, other reasons were given, and they were quite valid.  The loco has a
part in British railway history, and has little significance to Australia.
At the moment it is hardly accessible to most Australians anyway, being
stuck in the remote Pilbara.  It costs probably just as much if not more for
Australians to get there by air as flying to Heathrow from the east coast.
Personally, I find stuffed and mounted steam locos rather boring, their
whole purpose is operation.  It would have to be in a major museum such as
the Power House to make it accessible to the public, but again what's the
relevance to Australia and such museums can only display around 10% of their
collection.  If the loco were to stay here, it would require a lot of money
and expertise to get it running again - we would be much better off
directing our efforts to restoring locos which were part of our heritage, eg
Garratt 6042 or 6029.

Because Britain is hanging on to artefacts which don't belong to them is no
excuse for us to adopt the same attitude, Pendennis Castle should never have
left Britain in the first place.

Regards

David Bennetts