Capturing an Icon: The Relocation of Locomotive No. 1
‘There’s a lot of passion that sits around this thing. There’s a lot of experts out there. There’s a lot of people who said it would never move.’
Revealing the chemistry between the world’s leading imaging organisation and the largest museum group in Australia, Canon collaborated with Powerhouse to showcase its latest camera technology in capturing the relocation of the museum’s iconic Locomotive No. 1.
‘This partnership exemplifies how Powerhouse, as a museum of applied arts and sciences, works closely with industry leaders to innovate and document significant projects,’ says Callum Cooper, Head of Digital Engagement at Powerhouse.
Since 1987, when the 1854 locomotive that hauled New South Wales’ first passenger train was lowered by air skates into the museum’s Wran Building, the 46-tonne engine and tender has been considered immovable.
‘It’s our A-list object,’ says the manager of Collection Logistics at Powerhouse, Charm Watts, who is overseeing the move of more than 3000 Powerhouse Collection objects ahead of the Ultimo museum’s $300 million heritage revitalisation. ‘There’s a lot of passion that sits around this thing. There’s a lot of experts out there. There’s a lot of people who said it would never move.’
But move it did. On 18 July 2024, Watts marshalled a complex logistical team of museum professionals and trucking, craning and engineering specialists to see Locomotive No. 1 successfully dispatched 27 kilometres to its temporary home at Powerhouse Castle Hill.
‘We did it quietly, efficiently, safely,’ she says.
