Scenes from the video Restoration MHG
Volunteers have restored one of the Junee Roundhouse Rail Museum’s most popular exhibits, the Guard’s Van. It is now back in its red and yellow colours of the 1970s.
All seven members of the restoration team would agree that the work was often hard but always satisfying and often just plain fun.
Vince Hollis, Chairman of the Museum Board, said that the team pitched in where they were needed. ‘They got the job done in good time to reopen the van for visitors.’‘It wasn’t just the work,’ Vince said. ‘We enjoyed each other’s company.’
“All goods trains had a van for the guard until the 1980s. Our van brings back memories for Volunteer Derek Broad. Derek was himself a guard. ‘It was an important job,’ Derek said.
“We had overall responsibility for the running of the train.”
In addition to his restoration work, Derek enjoys showing visitors the van, including the ‘periscopes’ for looking along the train and the accommodation for occasional passengers.
Technology replaced the guards on goods trains. Nearly all the hundreds of vans in NSW were scrapped.
“We are very lucky to have one and very grateful to our volunteers for their work restoring it,” Museum Secretary Gail Commens said.
“We thank our volunteers – Derek Broad, Jonathan Douglas, Geoff Eastwood, Trevor Follett, Bevan Hackett, Vince Hollis, and Ian Lucas.”
If you would like to join the volunteer team, please phone the Museum on 026924 2909. There is a video about the restoration project. Titled Restoration MHG, it can viewed at roundhousemuseum.com.au
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