February 2012#463
February 2012
#463
Published by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society
in conjunction with the Emerald Tourist Railway Board.
Please note: These pages are provided by me, Bill Russell as a service to the Puffing Billy Railway & the E.T.R.B.
If you find a problem with them please contact me first. No other person has the ability to alter these pages.
If you want to be notified when Monthly News changes, send me an e-mail. My e-mail address is bill.russell@optusnet.com.au .
E-mail copy to: monthlynews@pbr.org.au or fax to 9757 0705.
Our December passenger figures were strong - the second highest December on record and 15.6% above last year - which, in turn, helped us to obtain record revenue figures for the month.
Over the past few years we have been fine tuning our 'green' timetable and I am very happy to report that this year this period ran very smoothly. I congratulate everyone involved including the management team who worked to put the 'green' timetable together and all the volunteers and staff working on the ground ensuring that all ran smoothly.
In relation to the Business Case, the Project Governance Committee is now working directly with Deloittes as we are now in the final stages for the Stage 2 review scheduled to take place at the beginning of February. Further information regarding the Business Case should be available to share with you next month.
In an effort to gauge the extent of our carbon footprint here on the Railway, last year we obtained the services of Paul Greco, an environmental management student at Monash University. Paul worked with us for a period of 6 - 8 weeks to help us calculate our effect on the environment with our day to day usage of such things as coal, electricity, paper and water usage. Not surprisingly, our coal consumption has the largest effect on our carbon footprint with our electricity usage also reading quite high. Now that we have these results we will be working hard this year to offset our carbon footprint on the environment.
We are planning a parks & gardens working bee on the Railway for the weekend of 25th and 26th February. I urge you to enter these dates into your diary and look to give us an extra 1 or 2 days so that we can carry out minor improvements and repairs around the site. The weekend is open to all, so why not bring along your wife/husband and introduce them to the Railway.
A Great Effort
Eamonn Seddon, CEO
As we enter into the New Year, it looks as though 2012 is going to be both a busy and an exciting one, both for the Society and the Railway. It all started well enough with the New Year's Eve Train when we took around 80 people (members, volunteers, their friends and family) up to the Packing Shed for dinner. A good time was had by all and if you've never been to one of these events, mark it in your diary for this year.
It won't be long now until the 2012 Staff and Volunteers BBQ, to be held this year on the evening of Saturday 18th February at the GEMCO Theatre, in Emerald. This is the Railway's annual "thank you" to the volunteers for the work put in over the year and is always a good opportunity to catch up with your colleagues from the Railway over a sausage and a drink. The numbers for this event are strictly limited and we will be enforcing a "no nametag, no food or drink" policy, so please return your booking form asap, or ring Sue Ham (03-9757-0715) for last minute enquiries.
Work is proceeding at Menzies Creek and it won't be long until the steelwork starts to go up for the new museum building. Howard McTier and David Baker and their teams continue to put in a tremendous amount of work at the museum and I'm sure we are all looking forward to being able to visit the new display shed when the work is complete.
On the subject of tremendous amounts of work, John Robinson, John Brady and the rest of the Gateway Project Team continue to put in a prodigious number of hours to ensure that the Railway's bid to Government for funding is submitted on time and in line with requirements. By the time you read this our submission document will have been finalised and will be on its way to Spring Street.
Work also continues in the planning to celebrate the 50th anniversary in July of the re-opening of the railway between Belgrave and Menzies Creek and the operation of the Society's first public trains. The Society will be holding events on the 21st and 28th July to mark this milestone in its history and a team headed by Jean Clowes is currently finalising the arrangements. Watch for details.
Jeff Goodwin
At the January 12 Board Meeting
The Board was briefed by John Brady on their visit (Messrs Brady and Hibgame) to South Africa and the NGG locomotives and spares that were available for sale. It was assessed that we could purchase most of the parts required that are not available for the restoration of NGG129, and that we would save significantly on what we had allowed for remaking these parts. We may also purchase another locomotive toward having the ability of restoring another NGG in the long term future. The Board authorised parameters for negotiating purchases.
The Board commented on the Draft Business Case that was drafted by Deloittes. The report accurately presented our position and the options for moving forward. A lot of work has been done by John Robinson and Russ Bowen toward ensuring assumptions in the financial modelling are realistic and achievable. Everyone was most impressed with the excellent working relationship developed between the Project Governance Committee and the consultants.
The Board members commented on the Risk Management Policy and Risk Management Plan that had been drafted by Dennis Clark. Dennis had been engaged by the Board with funding from Government to complete a Policy statement, Plan and Organisational Risk Register as required for the "Gateway" process.
Dennis Clark also questioned the Board in order to produce an Organisational Risk Profile related to implementation of the Gateway Project, assuming it is funded.
The Board received a report on the circumstances surrounding a series of derailments on the railway. Whilst no patterns emerged it was concluded that short lapses in concentration obviously contributed and continual awareness is required of our locomotive crews.
The Board received a report from the new Chair of the Heritage Advisory Committee and agreed that further meetings with the Liaison Committee were needed.
Ray Leivers - Chairman
The Board has determined that to meet future customer demand that we would restore "South African" Garratt locomotive NGG 129 to supplement the use of our NA locomotives and G42. Work on this project has commenced. Detailed costing of regauging and restoring NGG129 is in our current Business Plan and timed to replace G42 when it is out of traffic for maintenance.
It has come to our attention that there is a chance to salvage one of the last NGG locomotives and a raft of spare parts available for sale in South Africa. Once these locomotives and parts are sold it is unlikely that there will be any further opportunity to purchase these locomotives. NGG129 is far from complete and the Board was faced with the prospect of having to fabricate many of the missing components as part of the restoration.
John Brady and Harry Hibgame have visited South Africa on behalf of the Board to gain an appreciation of the value of what is available. As a result the Board is now negotiating with the owners in South Africa to purchase a complete locomotive and a container load of spare parts.
Successful negotiation will substantially reduce the cost and time taken for regauging and restoring NGG129 from our existing estimates and would leave us with an almost complete second NGG locomotive should that ever be required in the future. It would also result in us having many spares including cylinders, side rods and many other parts.
We will advise you further after negotiations have been completed.
If you want further information please Email to rnleivers@netspace.net.au
Ray Leiver s - Chairman
It is my understanding that we have now purchased this locomotive. - Bill Russell
A final reminder to everyone please, if you haven't yet returned your booking form for this year's Staff and Volunteers' BBQ, please do so without delay. Numbers are limited and there will be a "no nametag, no food and drink policy" in place. So, to avoid disappointment, please send in your booking form now, or contact Sue Ham.
Coming Volunteer Events - mark these dates in your diary:
For volunteers, staff and immediate families. Catch a special train to Emerald, enjoy a great BBQ and time with fellow volunteers before returning to Belgrave by train. Bookings essential. Return flyer from previous Monthly News
Come and be part of the teams working together to give the Menzies Creek Station area a new look. Register your interest by sending an e-mail to volunteering@pbr.org.au or contact 9757 0715. Many more hands are needed to really help to make a difference at Menzies Creek.
Please let us know if you can help support the Day Out with Thomas weekends being held in March. Lots of different roles helping with crowd control, information, ticket selling, etc. Register your interest by sending an e-mail to volunteering@pbr.org.au
Would you like to join a team of people promoting the Railway at 2012 Sandown Model Railway Expo being held in March? Contact the Volunteer Coordinating Team
Register your interest to help with the Great Train Race in May by sending an e-mail to volunteering@pbr.org.au Lots of very different roles, including rostered positions and crowd control.
 |
Updated Monthly. Contents © 2009 by the P.B.P.S. for the E.T.R.B. This service is provided for the Emerald Tourist Railway Board and maintained by Bill Russell. URI: http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/puffing.billy/monnews.htm |
 |