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News
from Members
September
2002
Public
Liability Insurance
Once
again, Insurance continues to plague us and the question of affordable or even
an offer of insurance is proving elusive. Representations have been made to the
State Premier and to the Prime Minister with unsatisfactory results. To try and
achieve an Australian wide united front on this matter and on other National matters,
an exploratory meeting is to be held in Melbourne on 26 October 2002 with a view
of forming an overall Heritage Railway body for the nation.
Ballarat
Tramway Museum
Contrary
to some belief, the Ballarat City Tramway is a live issue and is in the course
of a study to explore its feasibility. It is being examined with the assistance
of the Museum. Repairs to tram No 27 are progressing well. Tram No 28 is looking
great in its ESCo colour scheme of cream, red and yellow. This tram did a test
run and some minor items need rectification.
Castlemaine
and Maldon Railway
The
fourth trestle bridge has been completed with only one bridge to go.
Farmer’s Bridge is the last to be completed and will have the deck on
it soon.
A
further grant from the Commonwealth Government of $65,000 has been received to help the restoration of the
railway. The first ballast train on the new work has run out over Walmer Road,
which is an extension of an extra 400 metres of operatable track.
Central
Highlands Tourist Railway
The
ballast plough has been lent to the Castlemaine and Maldon Tourist Railway for work on their
extension and in exchange, they have borrowed a track machine. .
Emerald
Tourist Railway Board
The
ETRB has appointed Ray Leivers as its new CEO. Ray is at present the CEO of the
Falls Creek resort. The Minister
for Tourism advised that the railway had been successful in obtaining 12 Jobs
under the Community Jobs Project. Work has started on the reconstruction of
bridges on the South Gippsland line. The
40th anniversary of the re-opening of the line from Belgrave to
Menzies Creek was celebrated in July and the restored Puffing Billy Museum TACL
tractor was displayed.
TACL
at the Puffing Billy Museum, Menzies Creek. Photo
John Frost
Geelong
Steam Preservation Society
Funding
has been obtained for active level crossing protection for the Portarlington
Road. They are also looking at the need for similar protection at other level
crossings. It is understood that Triton Insurance Company will insure existing
customers but may not
take on any new ones. If they do take on new clients, the insurance company will get involved in
the railway's risk management procedures.
Mornington
Railway Preservation Society
Work
is continuing on the construction of a run round loop at Mornington. Filming of
a new film on Ned Kelly has completed using the historic veteran set of
carriages on loan from the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre. Work on K177 is
continuing slowly in an attempt to save money and keep to budget.
Seymour
Railway Heritage Centre
The
new meal room has been completed using two 20’x12’ former VR portable
buildings. The building is very smart and is painted in heritage colours. It has
a deck with
a genuine platform seat, and has a bracket for a platform light. The building
has been entered in the Tidy Town Competition.
The Train of Knowledge operated to Echuca for Seymour Primary School
The
re-tubing of J515’s boiler is proceeding. The Centre has developed a boiler
tube-swaging tool to allow the boiler tubes to be properly inserted into the
boiler. This is available to other
groups.
South
Gippsland Tourist Railway
The
Dream come True and Charters are running successfully.
The railway is operational from Nyora to Korumburra. Work has started on
repairing the bridges and one bridge has been completed. 1200 sleepers are to
place in the track. Y135 has been repainted into VR livery.
Steamrail
The
proposed excursion of the Electrail Division in October to visit
the Pichi Richi railway in South Australia is proceeding . The Vintage trains have been
successful and have had few problems.
Several
charters have also been run for various functions. Work is continuing on A2 986
and the frame is being further tested for cracks. B72 has been placed back
on its overhauled bogies.
Carriage
repairs are being done on 3ABE with work required for a full repaint and roof
repairs/painting being done on 38BE.
The
Bendigo Trust
There
has been a change of management of the Tramway with the previous Manager
accepting a position in the USA. They are working on the rebuilding of three trams, 1) the battery
tram, 2) a X1 single truck tram and 3) a VR tram for Haddon.
Walhalla
Goldfields Railway
There
was a further rock fall on the Walhalla Road which was again closed to all traffic for
several days. The Walhalla
Goldfields Railway once again provided a daily rail service between Thomson and
Walhalla during the period of the road closure. As VicRoads had
chartered the train during the period of the road closure, passengers were
carried free of charge.
Since
the railway re-opened to Walhalla, for the year ending 30 June 2002, a record
number of passengers were carried. The Henschell steam locomotive has done a
second test run but further work is needed on the weight distribution. It is
hoped to have this engine in service by November.
Yarra
Valley Tourist Railway
50
metres of track have been fully restored to main-line train standard on the down
side of the mirrors crossing. Extensive
re-sleepering to trolley standard has been completed near Ryries Halt. This
section will be improved later to main line standard.
The
railway is looking at a standard of 50kmph, as there are a number of steep
grades and sharp curves.
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