Article: Canberra Railway Museum thrown 11th-hour lifeline that may prevent carriage sell-off

[Dee McArthur]

Quoting from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-26/canberra-railway-museum-thrown-financial-lifeline/8744834

Canberra Railway Museum thrown 11th-hour lifeline that may prevent carriage sell-off

ABC Radio Canberra By Penny Travers, 26 July 2017

PHOTO: The liquidator is yet to respond to the financial offer that could save carriages from being sold. (ABC News: Tom Lowrey )

Canberra's historic railway museum has been thrown a financial lifeline that could save many of its train carriages from being auctioned next week.

Ian Oliver and Dallas Dogger from Capital Holdings Group have put a financial offer to liquidator Deloites in a bid to save the railway stock.

"Our number one goal is to keep these assets within the ACT and to ensure that this situation doesn't happen ever again," Mr Oliver told Genevieve Jacobs on ABC Radio Canberra.

The museum had to close its doors last year after falling more than $500,000 into debt and was then forced into liquidation.

Mr Oliver and Mr Dogger said they were now waiting for a response from the liquidator.

"A lot of people might think what's our interest here?" Mr Oliver said.

"This is totally philanthropy, we're putting up a large amount of cash.

"Both Dallas and myself have been quite successful in the Canberra area and this is time for us to give back."

PHOTO: Mr Oliver says while some scrap metal and items will need to be sold, they want to preserve the carriages. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

Based at Kingston for 34 years, the museum was home to Australia's oldest and largest steam locomotives.

And while a popular attraction, it cost $3 million a year to maintain the engines and run the museum.

Former museum volunteer and heritage rail enthusiast Garry Reynolds is hopeful the city's rail history will now be preserved.

"This is about people and connectivity," he said.

"We're talking about carriages that took soldiers to World War I and World War II, about ambulance cars — we are custodians of these."

While the future of the museum remains uncertain, Mr Oliver said he was looking to collaborate with other people and organisations to rebuild the museum.

"This is not a challenge we can take on by ourselves. We want to work with others. This could be bigger than Ben Hur," he said.

"We need other people involved ... and we're looking for help. We're in a great city and we know other people are right behind this."