In every centre across Australia where a railway museum exists and the Footplate Padre is travelling nearby on Mission, he will inevitably make a detour to visit, introduce himself to the museum volunteers and personnel.
This is precisely what occurred in Perth when M V Tronson called in and introduced himself and the Museum volunteers were delighted that he made himself known and graciously showed him around.
As an author of sixteen books on railways, Footplate Padre Mark Tronson is conversant with things railways and so was able to converse knowledgeably with the personnel.
One of the 'senior in years' volunteers noted that he had read and heard about those Reverend gentlemen who write railway books but had never met one, and at last, with the Footplate Padre's visit, he was quite overwhelmed to have finally met one!
A wide variety of 'steam locomotives' were on display, many of them in very good condition having had hundreds of hours of loving care devoted to their upkeep and maintenance. Footplate Padre M V Tronson was shown over the C Class (Katie), Es Class, Pm Class, the V and P Classes.
A number of the first ever Western Australian main line diesels, the X Class, which came on line in 1954, were on display. Painted in their dark green livery and red and yellow strip, these diesels originally sported marine diesels which had been utilised in submarines. The Museum personnel explained they initially created problems due to the confined nature of a locomotive engine room compared to the space around a submarine engine.
The celebration plaque of 50 years of mainline diesels 1954-2004 was still attached to the front nose of the X Class 1001, while diesel RA 1918 was undergoing undercarriage repairs, was in its traditional orange with blue trim livery.
http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/museum/museum.htm
Footplate Padre Mark Tronson a Baptist minister of 33 years was delighted with his visit and more so, by the warm welcome he received.
His twelve years of experience after ordination as a part time industrial chaplain (2 days a week at Shell Australia, Sydney) with the InterChurch Trade and Industry Mission proved providential as he spoke with each of the volunteers and personnel.