It’s quite a site — and not one hardened miners of WA’s rugged North West are used to.
Set against a red dirt background, Hancock Prospecting’s chairwoman Gina Rinehart and Dr Patricia Kailis AM OBE, of Kailis Pearls fame, yesterday christened Australia’s only pink locomotives at Roy Hill’s Port Hedland rail yard.
The two GE locomotives — named For Mothers and Women of the North — have been added to Roy Hill’s existing fleet of 21 GE trains, and have been painted pink in recognition of Mrs Rinehart’s support for patients and research into breast cancer.
“The name (For Mothers) is in honour of all mothers, especially those affected, by breast cancer and related cancers,” she said.
“This dreadful disease is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, with eight women dying from the disease every day — far, far too many.”
Hitched up to the locomotives will be 130 pink ore cars recently delivered by the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation.
“These cars, when attached to one of our new GE pink locomotives will create a striking image as they forge their way across the Pilbara,” Mrs Rinehart said.
“May these pink trains continue to inspire us to do more for breast cancer patients and support research to help fight this truly terrible and sad disease.”
But the pink parade didn’t stop there. Mrs Rinehart later flew from Port Hedland to Roy Hill to christen the sixth fleet of pink Hitachi haul trucks at the mine.
The first pink truck to be christened was named Melinda after one of Hancock’s accounting team based in Perth, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the young age of 27 but is now in remission.
