C3237 was originally selected in 1992 as one of the cars for the then State Rail Authority
official electric car collection. However in 2008 this car was one of six electric cars offered to
heritage groups as part of the non-core heritage disposal process (Expressions of Interest or EOI)
C3650 (rebuilt depot shunter car) and C3660 (passenger car
converted to parcel van) were the two shunter cars retained by the former management of
Hornsby Maintenance Centre and are well known to SETS members who visited HMC while our
locos and cars were based there. C3650 was the only one completed of four shunter cars
proposed and is unique. C3660 is the only surviving converted parcel van. Both cars are
in excellent structural condition.
To ensure their continued preservation, SETS applied for all six cars in its EOI submission
being C3104, C3082, C3444, C3237, C3650 and C3660. We were awarded C3104,
C3082 and C3444 intact under the EOI last year. However
Railcorp retained the remaining three cars we sought to provide a source of spare parts.
As part of a recent public tender, Railcorp put the remaining three cars up for disposal.
A number of SETS members, including members of the Committee received representations
from rail enthusiasts and other SETS members that C3237 in particular should be preserved.
Committee member Ben Parker took the lead in establishing Committee support for rescuing
the three cars and he drafted a letter to Railcorp’s Office of Rail Heritage seeking donation of
the three cars to SETS, on a similar basis to the cars obtained under the EOI last year.
The proposal was accepted and as a result SETS has now entered an agreement with Railcorp
to acquire C3237, C3650 and C3660 for preservation! C3660 comes with its bogies,
while the other two are currently being provided without bogies (these are being retained by
Railcorp). The plan is to move these three cars to join the others at a secure private site, off
the rail system.
YOUR DONATIONS ARE NEEDED TO HELP SETS OBTAIN C3237, C3650 AND C3660
So now having negotiated the deal we need everyone’s help to contribute a donation towards
the substantial movement costs to get all three cars! We thus urge all members to give
generously no matter how large or small - please use the donation form, available in
pdf or
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