Get On Board For Trainspotters' Ride Of A Lifetime
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday July 8, 2008
FORGET model trains. For the right price, collectors can get their hands on some pieces of the Hunter's rail heritage.
RailCorp is selling nine of the 620/720 series railcars, known as red rattlers, that carried Hunter passengers for almost 50 years before they were decommissioned last October.They entered service in 1961 and were synonymous with the Hunter's rail network but came to irk commuters who knew them as hot, noisy and antiquated.They are being sold through public tender, along with some motors, spare parts and 10 rolls of brown seat vinyl.The tender stipulates buyers have to arrange to have the railcars moved from their home at the Endeavour Service Centre, Broadmeadow, and that they are offered without any warranty.Centre service manager Phil Woollams, who worked on the railcars for 25 years, said yesterday the sale would interest historical societies and rail collectors.RailCorp would not give a price it expected each to fetch but the tender for all of the goods lists an estimated value of $300,000.It has promised to preserve railcar sets 621/721 and 623/723 among the state-owned heritage fleet. Expressions of interest for the rail lot must be lodged by July 23. Michelle Harris
© 2008 Newcastle Herald
