Fossicker The
No. 42566 - Tuesday, September 4, 2012 - A002977L
Weekly bulletin of the Rotary Club of Bendigo Inc. - Chartered 30th July 1925 - District 9800
PRESIDENT ELECT’S REPORT
It was great to see so many members, quite a few partners as well, come along on a glorious spring day to our vocational visit to Bendigo Tramways main depot. The depot has just completed a $3.5 million refit and expansion covering everything from the loos to the sprinklers to the library.
first tramway folded.
Batteries had originally been chosen over steam out of deference to local washing drying on the line, which would be dirtied by soot from the steam engines. Nevertheless, several small steam engines were purchased to tow the battery trams around, and they quickly proved reliable and very popular. Electric overhead wire only arrived in 1903 (still, that was three years earlier than it did in Melbourne) and a new depot was built alongside the new power station in Hargreaves Street by the British Insulated Wire Company.
Tramways Manager Jos Duivenvoorden and Bendigo Trust board member Michael McGowan led members and guests through the 109 year old depot - the oldest working depot in the Southern Hemisphere - and explained the 122 year history of trams in Bendigo.
It seems that Bendigo, fearing to be seen to copy Ballarat and its new horse-drawn tramway, opted instead for an ambitious but unproven German system of battery powered trams. As most of you may already know, what regularly worked in test runs on the flat in Germany routinely failed here, usually at Lightning Ridge, and after 14 weeks Bendigo’s
PRESIDENT Brian Figg
SECRETARY Kaye Graves
In 1930, the British electricity franchise expired in Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong and the power stations were taken over by the State Electricity Commission. The Tramways in all three cities went along too although the SEC had no interest in running tramways. TREASURER Wayne Smith
PAST PRESIDENT Wayne Smith
BOARD MEMBERS: Vocational Service - John Krakowiak President Elect - Tom Seddon New Generations - Phil West Club Service - Garry Gunnell Rotary Foundation - Hugh Wheeler Community Service - Libby Hughes International Service - Valerie Barker Editor: Noel Hobley noelhobley@bigpond.com - Distribution: The Terrace theterrace@phs.org.au Correspondence: PO Box 131, Bendigo, 3552
opened. Extensions in 2002 and 2011 have created a large, multi-station workshop with coachbuilding, engineering, electrical, and paint/finishing areas as well as several pits for regular tram servicing. We looked at work underway now for two trams for
By 1972, the SEC succeeded in ridding itself of Bendigo Tramways (Geelong had closed in 1954 and Ballarat in 1970), but something unique happened: Yarra Trams: complete ground-up rebuilds that we hope are the first of many in coming years, and also at Melbourne No.Y611, here for works from the Sydney Tramway Museum. And, Bendigo No.8, which is one of Bendigo’s original electric tramway fleet dating from 1903.
No.8 is now in the paintshop for final finishing. Mick explained that this tram had spent several decades as a house extension before coming to the depot for a rebuild and return to service. Jos also pointed the depot, the fleet and a large part of the tramway out several restored trams that run regularly here were saved and handed to Council and The Bendigo in Bendigo, including No.84 which was restored to Trust. run in Melbourne during the 100 anniversary of the The Trust will celebrate 40 years of operating the Malvern Tram Depot; also our “toastrack” No.17, and tramway in December this year. As the SEC moved off restaurant car Bendigo 976. site over time, the Trust opened more and more of the After the workshop walk-through, many of us had tram depot, and in 1999 the first parts of the workshop COMING UP 11-Sep
Jeff Rigby, CEO
Coliban
18-Sep
Robing de Crespigny
Villian or Hero” - a true story presentation by novelist Robin DeCrespiney
25-Sep
Karen Quinlan
Bendigo Art Gallery
2-Oct
Wayne Smith
Treasurer
9-Oct 16-Oct
Zsofia Szabo David Lloyd, Manager
Hungary The Capital
Coliban Water, and reflections from a former GSE team participant Joint meeting with the RC of Bendigo South at All Seasons. 6.45 pm start. Fashion as Art, Exhibitions, and the new Gallery Extension Silverpot to Samoa: RCBs finances, explained Incoming Exchange Student Our new theatre and what it means for cultural programming in Bendigo
GOLDFIELDS CLUSTER MEETINGS Bendigo Sandhurst Wednesday 7.30 am BRIT Restaurant. Bendigo South
Thursday 6.30 pm Foundry Hotel
Bendigo Strathdale
lunch in Bendigo No.44, an early “bogie” tram (motors and wheels at each end of the tram rather than a single set at the middle) built for the Prahran & Malvern Tramway Trust but which spent most of its years in Bendigo after Melbourne adopted the “W” as a standard design for the city-wide fleet in the 1920s.
ROTARY LINKS Link to District Governors Blog Link to District 9800 Conference 2012 Link to Rotary International Home page Link to Rotary International 2012 Convention WEBSITE:
The proceeds on the day were donated to Bendigo Tramways (thank you!) and will be used in the final works on the restoration of Bendigo No.8,.
Tuesday 6.30 pm
All Seasons Quality Resort
RC Bendigo is joining the Abbott Foundation and other donors to this important restoration, and No.8 will be finished in time to make its public debut in December this year as part of the Talking Trams’ 40th anniversary celebrations. President Elect, Tom Seddon.
Eaglehawk
Wednesday, 6.30 pm California Gully
Mechanics Institute Kangaroo Flat
Monday 6.30 pm
Rotary Gateway Park Echuca-Moama
Wednesday 6.30 pm
Rich River Golf Club Rochester
Thursday 6.30 pm Criterion Hotel.
THE FOUR WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do...
1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all conerned? Click to visit District 9800 newsletters and videos
JOINT MEETING - SEPTEMBER 18 with Rotary Club of Bendigo South at All Seasons
Robin de Crespigny ‘The People Smuggler’ author of
- a true story presentation “Villain or Hero” From Penguin: With enormous power and insight, The People Smuggler tells a story of daily heroism, bringing to life the forces that drive so many people to put their lives in unscrupulous hands. It is an utterly gripping portrait of a man cut loose from the protections of civilisation, attempting to retain his dignity and humanity while taking whatever path he can out of an impossible position.
Anniversaries BIRTHDAYS:
September 11 to September 17 Avis Rowe Sept. 12.
ROTARY Nil INDUCTIONS: WEDDING Nil ANNIVERSARIES:
ROSTER
Chairman Sergeant at Arms Corporals Cashiers Regalia Reception Grace Four Way Test
SEPTEMBER 11 C. Burns I. Coates V. Barker G. Bickley H. Wheeler N. Whitfield R. Rogers L. Winzar T. Abbott B. Ackerman W. Smith
SEPTEMBER 18 TBA N. Hobley G. Clarke I. Coates V. Barker J. Bruce J. Mahoney N. Burdon C. Burns D. Buttolph J. Cartwright
SEPTEMBER 25 B. Ackerman N. Hobley J. Gallagher K. Gilchrist D. Coia N. Cox J. Mahoney T. Dobeli B. Doherty B. Figg J. Flood
A Notice for Chairman - To assist the President and as a courtesy to guest speakers, when the president calls for visiting Rotarians and guests to be introduced, the Chairman for the day is asked, please, to stand and introduce the guest speaker by name with the comment that he/she will be more formally introduced later in the meeting. Members are reminded that if for any reason you are unable to fulfil the duty for which you are rostered it is your responsibility to arrange a replacement
Rotary District 9800 Group Study Exchange Farewell A joint project between the Hobsons Bay Cluster & the Port Phillip Cluster
Join us to Farewell our RD9800 team as they embark to RD1080 in the Cambridge-Norwich area in the UK Steven Bourke – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Central Melbourne Sunrise Kirsten Brewer – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Brighton North Virginia Loftus – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Camberwell Elizabeth Nuttall– sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bendigo Karen Lillywhite – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chadstone- East Malvern Team Leader Julie Mason. Rotary Club of Wyndham
The Gamekeepers Secret Inn 1555 Melton Hwy, Rockbank. Melways Map 353 A9 http://www.gamekeepers.com.au/
Date: 30th September 2012 Time: 12:30 for 1pm Cost: $25 ~ Nibbles/Finger food
Drinks at Bar prices
RSCP: The Shepheards 9369 8358 by 24th September Clubs to group book as per sheet attached. Cheques payable to: Rotary Club of Altona PO Box 138, Altona 3018 Or Direct Credit to Rotary Club of Altona BSB: 633-000 A/c: 117125468