Re: ATTN DAVID B RE 32'S IN TIBET

[jim@sprockets.co.uk (Jim Guthrie)]

On Thu, 13 May 1999 22:48:23 +1000, The Morphetts
<grahamm@onthenet.com.au> wrote:

Graham,

>One final question for the group. Nepal is a fairly poor country as you know. Would
>it be right to 1. take a working loco from their stock if it can't be replaced? &
>2. Would scrap value be the right price to pay, or should we pay a premium in
>recognition of the wealth imbalance of our respective countries?

There will be no need for such considerations.   The items are
actually Australia's strategic reserve of steam locomotives - an idea
copied from British Rail who have stored a large amount of steam locos
in a siding off Box Tunnel.    The Australian government of the day
took the term "cold storage" quite literally and,  since you don't
have much indigenous snow and ice,  looked for the closest place to
store them.

Therefore there are no financial considerations except for storage
costs incurred.

BTW,  there is a little known clause in a UN agreement which requires
Australia to have at least one year's notice of any hostile action to
allow retrieval of the locos.

Jim.
S7 Dabbling at www.netcomuk.co.uk/~sprocket/index.html