Subs: If you receive this newsletter it means you have paid your subs or we have made an error. Welcome to the new members - I hope you will join in the activities at the Junction.
Open Days: Two more have been held; May was reasonably good as far as paying passengers were concerned. We had a good number of our own members along to help and some got dragged off to help with other jobs.
Work Notices are attached for August 1st and September 5th. PLEASE fill them out and RETURN THEM!!
Rail: Last year we started collecting rail that we had purchased from part of Coalcorps old railway system between their workshops at Rotowaro and the Carbo works. Towards the end of the year, what we had carefully stacked was shifted with a bull dozer and bent and buckled. We picked up some of the straighter lengths - now minus sleepers - intending to collect the rest in the next couple of weeks. The rest of the rail vanished for scrap and the sleepers had long since gone. We had managed to collect a very good quantity before this all happened.
After some discussions with Coalcorp management, we were allocated more rail - this time at the Mahons mine screens. These screens marked the end of the old "Rock Island Railway". This track had recently been lifted and stacked between the road and a creek. Coalcorp agreed to make some machinery available to shift this rail - most of it still in tracksets.
So far about 5 full days have been spent getting this rail as it has to be carted about 3 miles. The number of members who have helped is very pleasing and very much appreciated. There is still more to collect but we now have a large heap of already made up tracksets stored by the sandfill. Trev has been largely the organiser of these working parties. Luckily most of the rail was able to be shifted and unloaded before the wetter weather set in.
One of the Meremere diesels made a very pretty picture heading home in the late afternoon sun, just over No.9 bridge towing 2 flat wagons loaded with 8 tracksets each. As usual my camera was in the drawer at home.
This is our last chance as far as we are aware, to obtain a quantity of 55lb rail.
Shop: A big burst of energy saw the kitchen in limited use for the May open day. The water supply is now complete and working and the undersink hot water cylinder working. We still need to put the Zip in place and get the cupboards sorted out. Teresa still seems to find places to slap paint on though.
Loco Shelter: Bob has continued work on this and at this stage the weather side of the extension is covered in and he is fitting a couple of windows.
TR217: A new compressor has been fitted by Andrew. It was obtained by Ken.
F185: The boiler was finally put back into the frames about 2 months ago. It fouled in 2 places at the firebox end - one on bolts holding the brake hangers and the other on the spring compensating beam rocker shaft. The bolts for the spring hangers were removed and BSF studs fitted. The frame had at some stage been taped BSF. Luckily a large engineering works nearby had a supply of BSF studs and nuts. The other problem is not so easy to fix and will require a modification to the new ashpan.
When the firebox end is complete and sitting properly we can then look at the smokebox end which doesn't sit right either. These problems seem to be the result of having bits made at different places at different times.
1 recently received a consignment note and correspondence for a main driving wheel spring, between Taupiri Coal Co and N.Z.R. dated March and April 1937.
Taupiri Coal Co had purchased F185 in June 1936 and the spring failed in early March 1937. Auckland loco held P springs for the Kaihu section of N.Z.R. These springs were not needed in Auckland itself so presumably Auckland did not regularly have F class on their roster. The spring cost Taupiri Coal Co. £2.
Sleepers: Andrew has put in 2 more very long sleepers at the top end of Puke yard.
The PD gang have spent 2 more days putting in sleepers towards Rotowaro and packing a hole in the track.
Souvenirs: We have extended our range slightly and now offer fridge magnets, popular clip on type key rings and sewing kits for travellers. Some of these are on trial to see if they are popular.
I was talking to Ken and Una recently and they mentioned that it is 16 years since they first came in contact with the club. They noted that we were using Rotowaro station as a terminus - how times have changed.
Colin Ewing and Bob have sprayed the line for weeds, so the growth should start to vanish soon. Speaking of growth, the annual visit of cows took place in late May. They have really cleared the place out.
Bob is finishing off the woodwork on No.3 car as Bruce has found he is unable to. Bob also replaced some rotten T. & G, on an Xc wagon.
Working Bees: The next will be held on July 24 - 25th, August 28 - 29th and September 25 - 26th.
Attendance at these has dropped off badly this year and the work is mostly falling on the very keen few. Are you able to help?
We have just been granted $700 from the local Hillary Commission. The money will be spent on decking to build a new fire fighting wagon.
Keys and Locks: This year we had had quite a lot of trouble because people do not keep a careful eye on keys and locks. Keys and locks are expensive to replace. Last open day someone opened the station but did not relock the lock on the staple - result - a missing lock which a lot of members have keys to.
If you open a padlock and the area is to remain open for some time relock the lock on the staple. It is also important everyone is careful with keys. Lost keys could mean someone undesirable finding them.
Unless the situation improves we could be forced to impose a $10 deposit before keys are issued. This is done by a lot of clubs solely because of members carelessness - over to you.