Re: Tasmania..ah! what a nice spot to check out.

["Steve Zvillis" <szvillis@netspace.net.au>]

Rod [comtrain] <freight_man@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3afe6c46$0$25468$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> You have a lot of hate there , Mate!

"Hate" is not really the right word. - Bitterness, maybe, after the way
Smith has treated other rail preservation groups (most with years of solid
professional experience) with nothing but absolute CONTEMPT.

> and of course, you are demonstrating what is wrong with most Rail Fans,
and
> the organisations they belong, or dont belong to...cannot, if your life
> depended on it, get along with each other.

WE TRIED!!!! We were keen as mustard to do everything possible to help the
Abt be a magnificent success. We would still like to! But Smith's attitude
to us (not to mention the poor sods working for him) is utterly OFFENSIVE.
Well, so what? Don't have anything to do with him? Well that would be fine,
but when he starts deliberately targeting and attacking our interests, it
does get a bit hard, Mate!

> Everybody wants to do it his way,
> or not at all. What were "you" doing when this "shonky character" walked
in
> and rolled Tasmanians {and Australians} out of this magnificent
opportunity?

Well I was working my guts out to help the Derwent Valley Railway develop a
top class tourist railway in the beuatifully scenic Derwent Valley which we
are doing with few resources (no buckets of taxpayer funds for us) and
(literally) blood, sweat and tears.
Admittedly, we did secure government grants to help repair the bridges on
the D.V. Line, but the only benefit of that was the ability to finally
access the line we had fought for for years. Despite the grant and our
labour, the line is not ours, being still part of Tasrails lease from the
State Government. All we get is free access PAID for by our extensive labour
on the line.
Unfortunatly, my research and political lobbying skills were a bit remiss
when the tender went out to interested parties to develop the Abt. How wrong
was my assumption that a background in operating tourist railways and railwa
y engineering would count towards the winning bid! West Coast Railway's bid
losing to "Dodgy" Smith left me shaking my head for sure!

> Anyway I reports what I see! Happy crew, pretty friendly people, and
> magnificent (looking at least) facilities at Queenstown and Strahan. A
very
> enjoyable day.

Despite my grizzlings, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and come back soon! [To
South America, being further south than Mexico and as poor!!]

> My first trip to Tasmania, but all I saw was smiling faces and friendly
> people,

We try to be! (Normally!)

> eccept one crotchitty old bugger, who thought I had parked too close
> to him, and I suspect he was a Victorian anyway ;o))

It was probably Smith himself!!??

Cheers,

--
Stephen Zvillis,
H.R. Manager,
Derwent Valley Railway P.S.