RESUSCITATING THE ROUND TABLE RAILWAY IN THE PARK          - 19/ 11/ 2004      <--Prev : Next-->

RAILWAY IN THE PARK

A combined group of interested parties have joined Rotarians and Round Tablers (and hopefully soon Lions) to work on restoring the "Train in Centenary Park". The train has now not been operable for about 5 years.

A work party took out the coaches, "Diesel"/Electric locomotive and the boilers of the two steam locomotives and started the project this last Saturday. The group is experienced and have been committed to this sort of work on the trains in the past.

The present committee in place is headed by Eric Rensburg of Label clothing.

There is an enormous amount to be done but we have set targets on having a service running for the children of Bulawayo by Christmas.

With Rotary celebrating its 100th Birthday in February 2005 we also believe this would be a fitting tribute.

The project is all encompassing and will involve bringing locomotives, track and coaches to specification for the sustainability of the "Train in the Park".

The train is owned by a Trust and will be managed by Round Table 37 on behalf of Round Table No. 3.

I am co-ordinating the team of well wishers and hope to raise sufficient finance to make this all possible.

We are faced with three likely groupings of well wishers:

1. Those companies and individuals who can provide services necessary for the restoration work. (Electrics, welding, mechanical, fitting, boiler making, turning, milling, painting - the list is endless)

2. Those companies and individuals who can provide help by way of promotion, be physically involved in the work, provide materials (paint, timber for sleepers, coach benches, dog spikes, again an endless list) . We do need folk who can match funds for some foreign currency spares elements and hopefully twinning with Round Tables, Rotarians, Lions clubs across the globe would be a big help in this regard.

3. Companies who would be interested in taking up advertising space on the coaches.

The thumb suck amount required to do the refurbishment will be in the region of Z$ 100 million.

The Tablers are enthusiastic and I believe will soon be re-opening the putt-putt and trampoline in the Park.

If you would like to be involved please indicate by return email how you would like to be involved and I will certainly add your name to our regular updates.

We have the technical abilities, the will to succeed and hopefully with your support can make this a reality for the citizens of Bulawayo and of course our children

Regards
Phil Whitehead
Past District Governor D 9210
(Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi)


: E-Mail: philwzim@ecoweb.co.zw
(Home: (263-9) 243 963
( Work: (263-9) 479 700 / 18 D.L.: (263-9) 469 830
(Cell: (263) 91 424 569
7 Fax: (263-9) 479 719


http://www.geocities.com/phil_w_zim or
http://members.lycos.co.uk/phil_w_zim/ or
http://phil_w_zim.tripod.com/


"I am only one, but still I am one. I can not do everything, but still I can do something. And because I can not do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do." - Helen Keller