steam cranes

[Dylan Knott]

What is the current status of the tender for the disposal of the steam cranes?

Also will any compensation (donation of another suitable crane) be awarded to those groups who bid or requested cranes, but the cranes had been cut up in the interim?

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Well Dylan - I hope someone knows!

I keep asking the same question, but do not get an answer from anyone. It is really odd - the whole issue now seems to have disappeared!

[John Ashworth]

Chris J might be able to supply an answer - he's chair of the HRASA operations sub-committee. I'll send him an e-mail and draw his attention to this thread.

[Dylan Knott]

thanks. Someone needs to provide us with an acceptable answer and not excuses.

All cranes are supposed to be at Danskraal. Reefsteamers and Northwest Transport Museum also have one each but not sure if these have or have not been removed from the disposal list.

Its of major concern of what else is at risk in the interim!

[Chris Janisch]

The latest was that nothing has been decided yet and the tender is temporarily withdrawn. I have asked our chairman for an update on the situation.

[Dylan Knott]

I am aware of at least one person who bid for one of the Beaconsfield cranes, since scrapped. He was asked to extend his offer or wait until Jan 2008. Wait for what as the crane is gone?!

Yet another example of frustration as how current assets are allowed to disappear or be "accidentally scrapped" yet formal applications to lease assets and therefore save them are on hold.

Danskraal also has two very old electric locomotives. A 1E and ES are in storage and their future is uncertain at present.

I admit we can't save everything, but a mutually beneficial plan needs to be implemented to ensure the critical components of the "National Collection" are indeed saved. This ranges from semaphore signals to goodswagons and finally locomotives.