On the rails: Offenders working on the
Bush Tramway Club’s line
Replacing sleepers for a local railway heritage group is a strenuous but popular job for offenders on community work sentences from Huntly Probation Service.
Community Work Supervisor Colin Jenner says that every sleeper on the Bush Tramway Club’s 2.75km of track has been replaced by offenders at least once.
“The sleepers are only 50cm apart and it’s a tough job, but a good crew that knows what it’s doing will replace 25 to 30 sleepers a day,” he says.
Colin says that Club members are often amazed at how enthusiastic the offenders are about replacing sleepers.
“It seems to be their favourite job,” he says.
Colin, who is also the Bush Tramway Club’s General Manager, says some offenders also enjoy having technical input into the Club’s work preserving and restoring steam-powered locomotives.
“The Club could not operate without the hard work of the offenders,” he says.
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ISSN 1178-8453