Tim Fischer funeral train moved to Orange East Fork after vandal attack

The three nearly-100-year-old railmotors, including one that carried the casket of former deputy prime minister and railfan Tim Fischer to his funeral in 2019, have taken up home at the Orange base of the Lachlan Valley Railway.

The group is now working on plans to upgrade the site, including rebuilding sheds to store engines and carriages.

It is now looking for people in Orange to volunteer to help with the work.

LVR chairman Ross Jackson said moving the trains was the latest step in the group's efforts to establish a mainline based in Orange to complement its home in Cowra.

It is planned the East Fork site will become a base for mainline steam train tours in the Central West.

"This simple moment is the culmination of many hours of work since we took the licence on the depot in January 2017, and we believe will provide encouragement towards the greater goals of rebuilding the engine roundhouse and carriage storage facilities," he said.

"Following the vandalism attack at the end of last year, we are pleased to move the [trains] in behind our own security fence with surveillance cameras in place and the regular presence of our volunteers' eyes watching them," he said.

Secretary treasurer John Healey said people interested in joining the group should go to the LVR website for more information.

He said there was a range of roles volunteers could fill.

The LVR has its first members meeting for 2021 coming up on February 24 at East Fork.

It is also working to upgrade track at East Fork to move the trains across the turntable.

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