WHR - UPDATE 14th June 2012
The Shire of Dowerin on behalf of Wheatbelt Heritage Rail submitted an application for $1.1 million as part of the AROC Country Local Government Fund which has been successfully signed by all participating AROC councils. The Shire of Dowerin will now await feedback from Royalties for Regions as to the outcome of this application.
To this end the following initiatives have been progressed:
Discussions with Brookfield Rail have been further developed to an advanced stage, we expect advice within six weeks regarding the supply of turnouts, rail and sleepers for the project;
- The safety management system required the project has been developed in draft form;
- Six young people will commence work at Minnivale, restoring items of rolling stock, in July as part of a program that will see up to 40 young people a year work on the project with the aim of developing their employability;
- In conjunction with Rail Heritage WA, the scope of work to be undertaken on the locomotives, rolling stock and other items has been defined and we are now in a position to roll the agreed scope of work over into the necessary documents;
- Work has commenced to develop the necessary agreements between the Shire of Dowerin and Rail Heritage WA and others as required to ensure we have access to the required rolling stock. The form of agreements has been determined and agreed;
- Sponsorship arrangements with other partners have been progressed to facilitate the provision of additional rolling stock;
- A possible partnering arrangement with a rail infrastructure group is being progressed to facilitate the laying of track at Minnivale;
- Detailed discussions have been undertaken with the West Australian rail regulator regarding accreditation;
- Project management and financial control arrangements are being developed to ensure stewardship of public funds.
Overall, progress to date has been satisfactory and note is the quality of work undertaken to date with respect to the restoration of locomotives and rolling stock has been of a high standard with no additional work identified at this stage. The contingency to the project, at this very early a stage, remains untapped.
