Re: Abt project on track

["John Kerley" <deaftech@ozemail.com.au>]

David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
pSQ96.40$Bs3.3834@news0.optus.net.au">news:pSQ96.40$Bs3.3834@news0.optus.net.au...
> John Kerley (deaftech@ozemail.com.au) wrote:
> > Members of the ARHS(Vic Div) and PBPS have recently been advised that
the
> > Premier of Tasmania has written to their organizations asking that the
Abt
> > loco and van currently at the Menzies Creek museum be handed over to the
Abt
> > Railway in Queenstown.
>
> A request that they be made available is not unreasonable per se, but
> asking them to be "handed over" is not.
>
> > The reason why the ARHS
> > comes into it, is that the loco was officially given to the ARHS but the
VR
>
> Who gave it to ARHS? Were there any conditions attached?

The Mt.Lyell Mining and Railway Company but I do not know if any conditions
were attached.

> The reason I ask about conditions is that some Tasmanian stock donated to
> the Geelong Steam Preservation Society was given on the condition that it
> could never be sold or leased to another society.
>
> > Firstly, this project has received a $20 million handout from Federal
> > taxpayers, i.e. you and me, plus I understand, another $5 million from
> > Tasmanian taxpayers.  This, of course, in many many times the grants
that
> > any other railway presevation project in Australia has received.
>
> > Secondly this is a commercial profit making venture, and not a
volunteer,
> > not for profit undertaking that all other preserved railways in
Australia
> > are.
>
> This should be pointed out to the Tarmanian Premier.

I intend to!
>
> > Hence it is quite reasonable that a commercial price be demanded for the
> > return of these assets.  I also understand that the operator was not
> > interested in having the original carriages back as it was believed that
> > they would be too costly to maintain and hence preferred to have
"replicas"
> > built. This also makes me doubt the credibility of this project as a
genuine
> > restoration project, but simply another attempted money making tourist
> > venture.  This is fair enough, but again don't expect even more handouts
> > from the efforts of volunteers.
>
> Agreed. PBR should offer to build replica carriages at a commercial rate.
> Does PBR have the facilities and skills to build replicas of the Mt Lyell
> cars?

I doubt that our workshops would have the capacity to build replacements for
the Mt.Lyell cars
from scratch.  The last batch of NBHs were largely built by Skilled
Engineering and finished off in our workshops.  I think that Skilled
Engineering may have also built the Walhalla cars, but I am not sure.

Interestingly since posting my original post, I have been talking to the
chap who is in charge of the PBPS Museum Branch.  Apparently his position,
and that of the Museum Branch, is that they want to keep the Abt, as it is
one of their star attractions.  Indeed there is a deep resentment amoung the
Museum volunteers that the museum is regarded as "another Barry" by some
other groups.  If the Abt Railway was so successful that it needed a fourth
steam engine then they would only consider returning the Abt after the three
engines that are currently in Tasmania had been returned to service and then
for a commercial price.
>
> Who built the NBW cars for Walhalla?
>
See above

Cheers,

John Kerley