Andrij (Andy) Baczynskyj was a long time popular and well known figure in Richmond. For more than 40 years he drove the trains along the Richmond line from the steam locomotives, the diesel ‘rattlers’ and ultimately the honour of driving the first ever electric train to come beyond Riverstone and onto Richmond. In the 1970s, he was the driver of a train hit by a truck carrying colour television sets which left him trapped inside, the need to completely rebuild the East Richmond platform and bonus ‘first ever’ colour televisions for wiley local passers by.
However he will leave behind the legacy of creating the basis for the soccer community throughout the area. He was the founding president of our first soccer club, Richmond Ex-Servicemen’s Soccer Club, which would lead the way in the fastest growing sport of the time. He would then go on to be the founding president of Hawkesbury District Soccer Club (now Hawkesbury City Football Club) to enable local talent to play regularly in the state competitions and the dream of providing greater visibility for Hawkesbury players to get opportunities at highest levels
Andy passed away in his home in Hervey Bay on Sunday June 28. He was 89 years old.
