A petition of 1200 signatures calling for the reopening of the Kandos-Rylstone rail link for heritage and tourism purposes, has been presented to Member for Bathurst Paul Toole.
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The Kandos Museum and Lithgow State Mines Railway propose the formation of the Kandos-Rylstone Rail Heritage Precinct, which would comprise the Rylstone, Kandos and Clandulla stations.
We’ve had a fantastic response, 1227 people put their name down in support of our petition both online and on paper.
- Buzz Sanderson, Kandos Museum president
With a view to running tourist trains from Lithgow to the local region on a regular basis.
As well as a weekend tourist service between Kandos and Rylstone and the eventual restoration of the stations over time.
The 7km rail link between from Kandos to Rylstone is non-operational, however the Kandos Museum and Lithgow State Mines Railway contest that it requires little work to return it to operation.
Kandos Museum president, Buzz Sanderson, on behalf of partners Lithgow State Mine Railway presented member for Bathurst Paul Toole with the petition on Friday.
“We’ve conducted a petition over the last few months for reopening the railway between Kandos and Rylstone so we can undertake tourist operations,” he said.
“We’ve had a fantastic response, 1227 people put their name down in support of our petition both online and on paper.
“We would very much like to see this happen and I think you [Paul Toole MP] would too – but I don’t want to put words in your mouth.”
It was planned for the Rambler to bring visitors from Lithgow, through the Capertee Valley to the Rylstone-Kandos Show in February – just like in 2016.
With joyrides from Rylstone to Kandos offered during the event.
However this had to be shelved after first they were unable to get permission to take the train through to Rylstone, then the Lithgow-Kandos leg was cancelled due to line works.
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In accepting the petition, Mr Toole acknowledged those who worked to bring it to his attention.
“I would like to say thank you to Buzz and all the community who’ve done the work in trying to raise awareness of the importance of having a line open between Kandos and Rylstone,” he said.
“I think that it opens up and creates a great tourism opportunities here for the area, not only for the locals, to bring visitors into this region.
“So thanks to those who organised this petition and rest assured that with 1200 names here I’ll be taking it to parliament and raising it with the appropriate minister.
“And I’ll be lobbying on your behalf to see this happen in the future.”
