Re: 150 years of rail in Aust. - Flying Scotsman

["Derick Wuen" <cullend@webone.com.au>]

Steven Hurst wrote in message <931911393.903607@diddley.primus.com.au>...
>Robert's posting about the Flying Scotsman reminded me of its journey down
>under.  Since (If I calculate correctly) the year 2004 will mark 150 years
>of the "Iron Horse" in Australia (notice I say Iron Horse to cover my
>backside - if I said rail I might spark off the old argument of what
>constitutes a railway!!!!) as the first train was September 12 1854???


snip

In the UK the 150 anniversary of S&D and later L&M spawned a number of
replicas of locos, and the Rocket replica even visited Australia. In the US
they pulled the C&A planet John Bull out of the Smithsonian and steamed it.

With a rash of Australian 150's turning up from 2004, I hope a similar set
of activities might eventuate for e.g.

(1) M&HB No1 replica would make an excellent engineering apprentices
project, if only we knew what it looked like. I understand it was a
converted from pile driver machinery.

(2) Similarly M&HB No2

(3) Do a Smithsonian on Powerhouse SRC No1.

For those concerned about incompatibilities of gauge and rail/wheel
standards on the Hobson's Bay route, lift your sights! Gauge convertible
replicas might be feasible; laying a third rail certainly is, as is revising
rail/wheel stanfdards for some if not all of the route. Convince Jeff that a
reenactment is a world class event, and no problem cannot be solved.

As part of any event, I would prefer the Locomotion and Rocket replicas from
UK, but by all means bring out A4 and QJ from China as well!