Money raised and donated for the purpose of getting the
Kingston Flyer back on its tracks has been spent, the man in
charge of the fundraising endeavour said.
More than $55,000 was raised for Kingston's biggest tourist
attraction between 2009 and last year, when it was eventually
bought out of receivership by David Bryce, a Marlborough
vineyard owner.
The money was collected by the Southern F Locomotive Trust,
and the man who created the trust, train enthusiast Karl
Barkley, said $20,000 of it was spent advertising the train.
The other $35,000 was in pledges from supporters of the train
and had not yet been collected, although Mr Barkley planned
to "wind up the money" and donate it towards Mr Bryce's
proposed Kingston Flyer Trust.
"We've currently got nothing left in the account."
The Southlander, who said he was the driving force behind the
trust, said the money was spent on "promotional things" for
the train.
Mr Barkley said the pledge money was from people "from all
around" and he had the receipts to show what the $20,000 was
spent on.
"If there is anything left over and David doesn't open this
trust, we would put it in another rail trust."
Mr Barkley is now trying to raise funds for the ORB Wairio
Railway near Nightcaps, Western Southland, which has been out
of action for more than five years.
Mr Bryce told the Otago Daily Times yesterday he had
not heard from Mr Barkley since he bought the train last
August.
When asked if he had heard about the money from the fund
being donated to his proposed Flyer fund, he said he had not
had confirmation of this.
"If the money was available, this [the Flyer fund] is where
it should be."
Mr Bryce said once the fund was established the purpose would
be for trustees to "own the locomotive, carriages and rails".
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