Comments invited for Eveleigh heritage workshop

**AndrewOC** · 2nd July 2013, 07:59 PM

Hello fellow Forumites,
Seeking your comment for; Eveleigh Railway Workshops- north blacksmith bays.

A heritage consultant is gathering 'Community Consultation' over the next two weeks about 'Interpretation Strategies' for the north end of the old blacksmith's workshop.
This doesn't include the bays that Guido and Wrought Artworks are in.
The consultants have sent a survey where various Interpretation Strategies may be ranked, with comments. They include;
"Signage,
Media (printed and digital),
Live/interaction Interpretation,
Integration of historic images within the site,
Social history,
Alternative uses of the site for events, functions, launches etc,
Use of public art."
The Strategy report does make the case for technology- 'activities and processes associated with the knowledge or use of mechanical arts and applied science'. This is what I'm most interested in (surprise!), and from it the hope that some return to function of the north bay forges, hammers and potentially the Davy press.

Other similar sites are Ipswich rail yard, Qld (see; The Workshops Rail Museum ) and
Inveresk, Launceston, Tas (see; QVMAG: The Blacksmith Shop )- please compare.

I would dearly like to hear your considered wisdom on how Eveleigh could work, I'm making it an 'event' because the due date for submissions is 12th July cob.
regards,
AndrewOC

**AndrewOC** · 16th July 2013, 01:46 PM

So I fired off some comments focusing on practical operation of the forges and machinery (eventually).
I suggested 'The Traditional Tool Group' and 'Artist Blacksmith Assoc (NSW)' would be interested in being involved.
Now we play the waiting game; it is unclear what or when the next step will be.
Thank you for your interest.
Andrew.

**chambezio** · 16th July 2013, 05:05 PM

Hi Andrew. My wife and I went up to Brissy for the Woodwork Show and we stayed at Ipswich. On the Sunday we went to the railway Museum. Just as we arrived there we droves of families heading for a ride on a steamtrain for the morning. We don't like crowds and as it turned out we had a great time be showed around the workshops with our own "personalised guided tour". It was such a great experience seeing the endevours of people that made the railway system work as well as the manufacture of just about every thing that was needed to keep the system running. They have a great facility and the guides were great as well.
I haven't been to the Everliegh Workshops so I hope that they are comparable to the Ipswich works as far as being able to see what went on such a long time ago.
My Dad (born in 1914) had such a love of anything steam has a huge collection of photos he took as a young man traveling around the state before the war. His subjects were "just doing a days work". My brother has picked up Dads fascination more than me. I do appreciate the engineering that has been put into practice at any of these facilities and do agree that they must be preserved.
Comparing just the workshop buildings at Everliegh and Ipswich are just one statement saying that there is a great need for preservation. It would be really great to actually have people making stuff for the visitors to experience rather than just looking at cold forges and racks of hand tools
There is money to be made as well! If you were to get a steam loco and a train of period coaches and a destination you would have no trouble filling seats.

**AndrewOC** · 25th July 2013, 01:41 PM

Hi all,
According to article in today's SMH (Blacksmiths forge on at Eveleigh railyards, Sydney), Sydney Council is involved and is 'expected to decide by the end of the year'.
So we shall wait and see...
AndrewOC

**Hunch** · 9th January 2015, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by AndrewOC

it is unclear what or when the next step will be. Andrew.

Maybe a bit more clear now, yet one more sell-off! I recall the Smithsonian rated it as one of the few intact Victorian era work places too. Anyone for steam hammers?

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/eveleigh-l...08-12ihyh.html

Interesting audio piece from a fair while back......

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/...eleigh/3008064

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