Re: Foreign Locos in Australia

[James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au>]

chris@enet21.com.au wrote:

> It seems some people  think foreign locos don't belong in Australia, but
> where are these two imports located.?
>
> They originally came  from Krebet Baru sugar mill in Indonesia
>
> Gauge: 700mm
> Number 3 Type: 0­4­4­0T
> Maker: OK
> Builders number 3770/1909
>
> Number 11 Type: 0­8­0T
> Maker: Han
> Builders number  10410/1925
>
> Both were exported to Australia 1987

You have to look at the situation. If they were imported for Dreamworld or
some other theme park then they can do what they like. They are a commercial
operation and not a preservation group. If they were imported by a
preservation group because they couldn't get any 700mm gauge locos from
Australia then this is also ok. If they imported them while there were
Australian 700mm gauge locos that were in a restorable condition then I
don't agree with this. With the Pendennis Castle, there are Australian
standard gauge steam locos that can still be restored and maintained. While
we have these to look after we shouldn't be trying to maintain foreign locos
for the reasons I have been talking about in this thread. ie: restoring and
maintaining foreign locos means we have less resources for restoring and
maintaining our own locos. If the Pendennis Castle was the only steam loco
left in Australia then I would like to see it remain here as long as we
looked after it properly. As we have more steam locomotives than we can look
after it should return to the UK where it can become their problem to find
ways to preserve it.

--
- James Brook -

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