Richmond Vale Railway Museum volunteers will have to raise a massive $150,000 to replace rare, stolen steam train parts being used to restore an historic engine scheduled to be unveiled at Maitland’s 30th Steamfest anniversary in April.
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Shattered volunteers found the Mulbring site had been ransacked late Sunday afternoon with everything from brake valves to 50 kilogram BHP number plates taken from an office.
Richmond Vale Mechanical Branch manager Graham Black said police were investigating the theft and appealed to members of the public to contact the museum or police if they saw any of the equipment listed for sale or knew of anyone acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the Leggetts Drive museum on Sunday afternoon.
“The equipment is valued at about $50,000, but the replacement cost to have the parts replicated is around $150,000,” Mr Black said.
“You just can’t get these original parts any more. We’re a volunteer group so we just don’t have the funds to do this.”
Mr Black said the restoration of the 1927 Avonside steam engine was going to be the jewel in the museum’s crown, with volunteers working quietly behind the scenes to get it ready for Steamfest and the June long weekend Coalfields Steam Festival.
“This is such a disappointment because this has been a long-term project and we were excited to have the finished product ready for its unveiling,” Mr Black said.
Richmond Vale Railway Museum was formed in 1979 with the aim of preserving the railway and mining heritage of the Hunter Valley.
Some of the items stolen include:
- Four brass 10 Class builders’ plates.
- Two blackhead injectors.
- Two BHP 53 brass number plates weighing 50kg each.
- Brake valves.
- 10 gauge glass fittings.
- Various drain cocks and water taps.