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More photos from Bryan Blanchard, of the Pleasant Point Museum and Railway. Text and captions come from his email.
"Kiwi the Engine & Friends - last Easter
"We thought up this and now run it as the New Thomas franchise owners made it too tough for groups in NZ & overseas to run it - this has proved very successful for us, now this Easter will be the 3rd time we will run it.
"Our steam engine used is a 1878, class = D 16, built in Glasgow and one of New Zealand's first steam engines - they used it to round 1912 and sold it. It was used by the Pukeuri Freezing works, north of Oamaru, till the mid 1960s round there yard & then was replaced by a diesel locomotive. The D was mounted on a concrete block in their yard, and started to slowly rust away - but that is another story
"Hope of interest - Bryan."
Above and below: D 16, at Pleasant Point Station ( the historic Catholic Church in the back ground )
Above: Loco crew talk with visitors.
Above: The Silly Old Station Master = Rev. Mike Kerr - wanders round our site, keeping a eye on his watch to make sure everything runs on time ( he replaces The Fat Controller, as in Thomas).
Above: Station Master, Alf Dowell, waiting to allow the train to depart.
Above: D 16 at Keanes Crossing.
Above: Kiwi greeting customers as they arrive at our site.
Very nice, but how mean spirited is it of the Thomas org to charge voluntary non profit groups prices so high that they just can't afford it. We have exactly the same issues here, as you would expect.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's not a money matter, Andrew -- but the franchises' rules and regs.
ReplyDelete"RAILWAY chiefs have shunted Thomas the Tank Engine into the sidings - after being refused a licence to use him for their Bank Holiday family event.
The children's favourite was due to make his traditional visit to the East Lancashire Railway this weekend.
But the heritage railway has been told by the firm that owns the Thomas franchise it can't be used - because not enough staff have had checks with the Criminal Records Bureau.
Franchise owners HIT Entertainment refused to discuss the issue."
More here, and here.
Ok, I take what you say on face value. It doesn't sound like what happened here though that seemed to be about money. Things have happened here to young transport volunteers, so I suppose you can't be too careful.
ReplyDelete