A spokesman for VicRail said the D3 steam locomotive, which was built in 1914, was moved from the North Bendigo railway workshops to Bendigo station after a proposal was put forward by two enthusiasts to restore and run the locomotive.

“The enthusiasts then lost interest,” he said.

“A number of these kinds of trains have been restored around the state. This one has been used for spare parts.

“It’s a restoration project that is waiting for someone to come along and provide it with some much-needed love, but it’s a project that would take thousands of hours of work.

“We’re really relying on a good Samaritan with deep pockets.

“It’s a piece of railway heritage and it’s something that contributed to the making of Victoria.”

Former railway workers Ivan Kitt and Ken Shields said they were disappointed to see a piece of Bendigo’s history fading away.

Mr Kitt worked at the North Bendigo workshops for 29 years and said it was important to restore the locomotive to its former glory.

“It would have deteriorated significantly but there are ways and means of improving it,” Mr Kitt said.

“Even if it is just a coat of paint, it should be on display rather than sitting there and rusting.

“It’s an important part of Bendigo’s history.

“At the peak there would have been up to 2000 people employed on the railways in Bendigo.”

Mr Kitt said those jobs contributed to the income of working families and made Bendigo what it is.

“It might not mean much to some, but to a lot of people it is important.

“We need to remember the history and preserve it.”