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Following
is a small glimpse of the variety of events and places that the Austin
Motor Vehicle Club has been to in the past and are typical of events
we are likely to run in the future.
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Valley
Heights Locomotive Depot Museum
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Arriving last at the designated meeting point at the Glenbrook Information Centre Louise and I were quite surprised to find the parking bay almost bursting at the seams with the number of car that had turned up, I think the final count was 28 cars. The Locomotive Depot was an easy 10 minutes drive further up the Mountains. At the Depot we were guided into first class parking positions in amongst the museum displays. We could then go on a guided tour around the museum.
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We learnt that the Valley Heights Depot built in 1913 was the third locomotive turntable & round house built in NSW, and is now the oldest surviving example. Engines housed at Valley Heights were used to provide assistance to trains travelling up the steep grades to Katoomba. When the depot was taken over by the museum most of the buildings were in poor condition with white ant damage, and the volunteers have had to put extensive efforts into rebuilding parts of the structures. We also had a quick lesson on steam locomotive controls, the stop and go levers and gearbox control as well as a walk through the engine room of a 46 Class electric locomotive. Also operating at the site is the old Parramatta Park Steam Tram, and this was running all day with unlimited free rides.
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Eriks Skinkis |
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30 Years of AMVC NSW At
the 2009 Club Christmas party and Presentation night were four guest
Founding Members - Bob & Anne Moore, Dennis Quinton, and David Franks.
I presented the 30th Anniversary badges to our guests, and our Club
President Tony Groom also presented one to me. The Club formed on
December 9th, 1979 with President Bob Franks, Vice President Robin
Anderson, Secretary & Public Relations Bob Moore, Assistant Secretary
Anne Moore, and Treasurer Christine Quinton. Geoff Austin & myself
were also Founding Members. |
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 Left to Right - President Tony Groom & Ron Franks |
 Left to Right - Dennis Quinton, Ron Franks Bob Moore, Dave Franks & Anne Moore |
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The State Coach Britannia The club recently had a drive to the site of the Old North Head Artillery School. The purpose of the visit wasn't to inspect the old school site, but to take a look at a project that's been taking shape over the last few years in one of the old garages on the site.
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The project is the construction of a new coach for the Queen. While the coach is quite stunning to look at, and you can't help but admire the high calibre of craftsmanship that's gone into it, it's not until you start to hear that full story and the materials that have gone into it that you really start to appreciate what a special vehicle this is. The coach has been designed to be a time capsule of British History. It incorporates samples of material from significant events or places in Britains History. Some examples being….500 year old timber from the ship Mary Rose, Royal Yacht Britannia, RMS Queen Mary, Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Edinburgh Castle, Tower of London, and the list just goes on… It was a very enjoyable and informative presentation. After the tour Louise and I drove out to the end of North Head to take in the views of the Harbour and city in the distance. What a great way to finish up the day. Eriks
Skinkis |
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