As the main section of the powerhouse museum is going to close in July next year, what is the future of locomotive No 1 and 1243
I ask this as the new museum at Parramatta will be mainly on space and will also be distanced from the railways, I heard a rumor that No 1 and 1243 will be put in storage
Does anyone have any further information?

I remember you had to ask to see No.1 when it was in the old "Tech Museum." It was in a shack out the back where it was stored along with the Boulton & Watt beam engine. Both will quietly disappear into storage again. How the wheel turns...

1243 was a goer when the Powerhouse Museum took possession of it. Should go back to Thirlmere where it can get back into steam.

As the main section of the powerhouse museum is going to close in July next year, what is the future of locomotive No 1 and 1243
I ask this as the new museum at Parramatta will be mainly on space and will also be distanced from the railways, I heard a rumor that No 1 and 1243 will be put in storage
Does anyone have any further information?

Well, I guess it saves having to teach 'em to swim...

As the main section of the powerhouse museum is going to close in July next year, what is the future of locomotive No 1 and 1243
I ask this as the new museum at Parramatta will be mainly on space and will also be distanced from the railways, I heard a rumor that No 1 and 1243 will be put in storage
Does anyone have any further information?

Well, I guess it saves having to teach 'em to swim...

I am not privy to the FFL(finished floor level) of the Power House Museum at Parramarra, but the the location itself is in a flood zone.

The whole idea of moving the powerhouse museum is just plain stupid, it just goes to show what happens when you let the government get involved in museums to that extent

The whole idea of moving the powerhouse museum is just plain stupid, it just goes to show what happens when you let the government get involved in museums to that extent

You mean the government that funds it.

I deplore the move, but unless museums self funded, they are at risk at government stupidity and short term thinking.

As the main section of the powerhouse museum is going to close in July next year, what is the future of locomotive No 1 and 1243
I ask this as the new museum at Parramatta will be mainly on space and will also be distanced from the railways, I heard a rumor that No 1 and 1243 will be put in storage
Does anyone have any further information?

Well, I guess it saves having to teach 'em to swim...

I am not privy to the FFL(finished floor level) of the Power House Museum at Parramarra, but the the location itself is in a flood zone.

Even if it is above known highest flood level, placing a large immovable object in a flood zone is likely to increase flooding upstream, but that's unlikely to affect Macquarie St, Sydney

To me the worst part about the move is that they are having to demolish/extensively modify three heritage listed buildings
The ultimo site for removal of exhibits and also to become a fashion museum/theater (what does fashion have to do with an old power station)
St George's terrace(1881) and willow grove(1870s) in Parramatta will also be demolished for the new site

Even if it is above known highest flood level, placing a large immovable object in a flood zone is likely to increase flooding upstream, but that's unlikely to affect Macquarie St, Sydney

really a joke -- highest known is the ground floor of the current car park but has not happened for a very long time ... may get to flooding the foot paths... any way the building will not increase flooding up steam the water has to get past Lennox Bridge or there needs to be a high tide to flood most of Sydney...

Back to the topic, does anyone have any proper information or potential knowledge of the future of these two historic locomotives?

Back to the topic, does anyone have any proper information or potential knowledge of the future of these two historic locomotives?

Why not send both to Thirlmere? No 1 could go in the exhibit hall and 1243 could be reactivated. They are actually out of place in the existing and proposed Parramatta site as they are now just glorified amusement machine parlors to suit the brain dead of today.

I did hear about one man who wanted the powerhouse museum to restore loco no 1 to operational condition, would that be possible
I believe the reason that 1243 is no longer operational is the fact that if it was operational there would be only one locomotive in the powerhouse museum which is not what was wanted. Though in saying that, the move might change those things drastically

I seriously doubt Thirlmere is in a position to return 1243 to service. Don't get me wrong they would want the loco for sure but they are already looking at third party assistance for another large engine.

THNSW is lacking cohesion at present.

I seriously doubt Thirlmere is in a position to return 1243 to service. Don't get me wrong they would want the loco for sure but they are already looking at third party assistance for another large engine.

THNSW is lacking cohesion at present.

I'm not sure how looking at third party assistance for a large engine overhaul is evidence of "lacking cohesion".

Getting sponsorship, whether that is from large donors, the general public or both is a very sensible strategy, often used in the UK. It will help stretch funding further and it seems they are piloting project donations with 3001.  

Right now all focus is on 3801. After it is launched attention will turn to "where next" and that will include future overhauls. Many members are already giving that thought but THNSW has many projects to work on, not just overhauling more steam engines.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

As for 1243, Thirlmere could easily return it to service. The question is, is it worth it given its limited capabilities. There are many other engines that would be more capable on the loop line and/or mainline. While having a cross-section of locomotives represented in the operational fleet is important the reality is they have to earn their keep as much as possible.

I seriously doubt Thirlmere is in a position to return 1243 to service. Don't get me wrong they would want the loco for sure but they are already looking at third party assistance for another large engine.

THNSW is lacking cohesion at present.

I'm not sure how looking at third party assistance for a large engine overhaul is evidence of "lacking cohesion".

Getting sponsorship, whether that is from large donors, the general public or both is a very sensible strategy, often used in the UK. It will help stretch funding further and it seems they are piloting project donations with 3001.  

Right now all focus is on 3801. After it is launched attention will turn to "where next" and that will include future overhauls. Many members are already giving that thought but THNSW has many projects to work on, not just overhauling more steam engines.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

As for 1243, Thirlmere could easily return it to service. The question is, is it worth it given its limited capabilities. There are many other engines that would be more capable on the loop line and/or mainline. While having a cross-section of locomotives represented in the operational fleet is important the reality is they have to earn their keep as much as possible.

I seriously doubt Thirlmere is in a position to return 1243 to service. Don't get me wrong they would want the loco for sure but they are already looking at third party assistance for another large engine.

THNSW is lacking cohesion at present.

Please justify your statement about THNSW lacking cohesion. I really don,t agree with your statement as funding for transport heritage has never been better in NSW.

If anything there is no better time for it to be restored, just look at what thirlmere have been churning out in the past few years, 3265, 3526, 2705, 3237 and a couple more
With 3801 about to start mainline testing and 3001 having just had the boiler and related components fitted and tested there will be no shortage of THNSW staff to do more locomotives
The main problem is public interest, generally people would rather to have a larger, more iconic loco for more passenger capabilities, for example why the pigs tours did so well. If anything people would probably rather to see a C38 or one of the pigs
The other aspect is the funding, if anything THNSW would be greatly restricted on possible uses for Z12 due to it's small size, also will it earn them money
I believe that is one of the reasons, among with the parts being stolen, that Canberra has decided to restore 3016T first rather than the much smaller 1210