20 August 2009
TRAIN ROBBERY UNCOVERED AT THE WORKSHOPS RAIL MUSEUM
Visitors will use their powers of deduction to investigate and solve an 80 year old mystery at The Workshops Rail Museum's new school holiday program, The Great Train Robbery 12 September - 4 October.
The Great Train Robbery is based on a 1938 crime, when two mail bags full of miners' wages were stolen from the Cloncurry to Duchess train during its nightly journey.
The crime was never solved and visitors will be invited to try their hand at identifying the perpetrator by working with The Workshops Police Inspector to gather evidence, interrogate the suspects and follow the clues.
Director of The Workshops Rail Museum Mr Andrew Moritz said that the Museum was excited to present a new event that uncovered a fascinating side to our railway history.
"Many people may remember the great train robbery in the United Kingdom but be unaware that train robberies also took place here in Queensland.
"The Great Train Robbery event uncovers these daring crimes and explores how they were dealt with by the police," Mr Moritz said.
Activities at the event include The Great Train Robbery Investigation, making a fingerprint record and wanted poster, re-enacting your own train robbery story in Old Workshops Town, and finding the robbers on horseback around the Museum's model railway layout.
A highlight of the event is The Great Train Robbery Steam Train on 29 September. Passengers will depart from Roma Street Station in Brisbane and travel to The Workshops Rail Museum for The Great Train Robbery event before returning to Brisbane via bus. Additional charges apply and bookings are essential.
Visitors can purchase an Annual Pass Membership when they visit The Great Train Robbery event which allows unlimited entry into The Workshops Rail Museum for 12 months.
The Workshops Rail Museum is a campus of the Queensland Museum and is the winner of the 2008 Queensland Tourism Award for Heritage and Cultural Tourism.
For further information, steam train bookings and ticket prices, visit www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au or phone The Great Train Robbery hotline on (07) 3432 5192.
