Re: Tassie Garret & Penndennis Castle

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

chris@enet21.com.au wrote:

> Take a trip to the Powerhouse and see, It is a large  early 1800's steam engine from a coal?
> mine in the UK. I believe it was purchased early in the 20th or late 19th century. At the
> time the person who aquired it on behalf of the museum was criticised by some individuals
> because it wasn't relevant to the museum and Australia. 100 years later people are thanking
> him. As it is one of the few (or only) of its kind the poms would surely swap  half a dozen
> GWR castles to get it back. But luckly for us the NSW govt. and the Power House will never
> let it go.

The biggest difference between the beam engine and the Pendennis Castle is the fact we have
nothing else like it in Australia. We have our own express passenger steam locomotives in
Australia and basically the biggest difference between the Pendennis Castle and our own locos is
the four cylinders. Our locomotives only have two or three. Apart from this, there isn't
anything radically different between it and any other Australian steam locomotive made during
the same period. In my opinion the loco would be better of in its own country where people can
see this famous loco in running condition. They should preserve one of our own locomotives as an
example of an express passenger steam loco. We don't need a british loco to do this. I think the
Pendennis Castle is of more value to a British museum or preservation group than to us down
here.

--
- James Brook -

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