10 August 2009
QR WORKERS & IPSWICH FAMILIES WELCOME HOME 150 TRAIN
The Q150 Steam Train will be welcomed home to The Workshops Rail Museum at the Annual Workers Reunion and Ipswich Family Open day on Sunday 30 August.
The Q150 Steam Train is in the final stages of a four month long tour around Queensland and will conclude its journey at The Workshops Rail Museum with an official ceremony.
The Annual Workers Reunion salutes the enormous contribution made by QR workers to the development of the state.
Museum Director Andrew Moritz said The Workshops Rail Museum was a fitting location for the arrival of the Q150 Steam Train.
"The Workshops Rail Museum is situated at the birthplace of rail in Queensland, and symbolises the start of a transport network that effectively expanded the state.
"The steam train is a living example of the work undertaken at The Workshops and we are sure that it will bring back many memories for the workers, some of whom worked on similar engines," Mr Moritz said.
Past and present QR workers will receive free entry on the day and refreshments.
The Annual Workers Reunion is held in conjunction with the Ipswich Family Open Day and, thanks to the generous support of Ipswich City Council, all Ipswich residents receive free entry for the day (proof of is residency required).
Mayor of Ipswich Cr Paul Pisasale said the Open Day, coupled with the arrival of the Q150 Steam Train, is a great way for Ipswich families to celebrate the achievements of the region.
"The Ipswich Railway Workshops and its workers brought so much to this region, and we hope families will take advantage of the day to recognise them and learn about their stories at the Museum," Cr Pisasale said.
The Workshops Rail Museum is a campus of the Queensland Museum and is the winner of the 2008 Queensland Tourism Award for Heritage & Cultural Tourism. For further information, visit www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3432 5100.
