Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta is a reality “in the teeth of prejudice and party opposition”.

Darryn Capes-DavisCommunity, Parramatta LGA

When reviewing hot community topics I always strive to learn from writings of the past. NSW Locomotive No. 1 is a hot topic at the moment with myths of it disappearing to the edges of the state never to be seen again. Reading an article from 1855 (OPENING OF THE SYDNEY RAILWAY. (1855, September 27). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954)) reminds one of the engineering excellence managed to get the new railway established against prejudice and opposition.

“The Sydney Railway has been established, like almost all other great works in new countries, in the teeth of prejudice and party opposition, based on most visionary grounds.”

OPENING OF THE SYDNEY RAILWAY. (1855, September 27). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954)

Fast forward to 2020 and we have visionary grounds working in the teeth of prejudice and opposition to create a new home for NSW Locomotive No. 1 right in the heart of Parramatta, the western terminus of the Sydney Raily in 1855. The Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta will make icons like NSW Locomotive No. 1 accessible to those in Greater Western Sydney and NSW in a visionary building at an iconic location.