OPEN DAYS: The trend on our open days has continued with good passenger counts. 11.30am to 1.30pm roughly seems to be the most popular time but often we have a good loading for our first trip of the day. October open day -- no one for the first trip!
We could still do with more help well before the first train departs as there are a lot of things to get sorted out.
Many thanks to all our members who turn up and make our open days a success. This was very noticeable during October open day when a lot of our regular helpers were away and left us short.
The last open days for 1996 are November 3rd and December 1st.
Please fill out the attached work notice and return.
Our last couple of open days have been helped by visits from various historical societies.
CHARTER TRIPS: All charter trips booked so far will have been run by the time you receive this. We have had some new kindergartens visit us this year - hopefully the word will get passed on. The Sunday charter for Carter Holts was well received by them. Part of the price of the charter was for a light lunch:- one sausage, a packet of chips, a lolly and a soft drink for the kids while the adults had 2 sausages and a tea/coffee.
PD GANG: They have completed the plywood roof on Eric's carriage and it is now ready for Eric to get a rubber overlay on. They have also been kept busy re-sleepering near our pine trees, tidying up pine needles at both ends of Puke yard and cleaning and deepening drains around the yard. Two gangs spent a day with Bob in fern cutting near Downer's crossing straightening and packing the track and deepening drains.
PRICE Cb: The boiler has officially passed its hydraulic test. The boiler has been in steam a couple of times since and finally tested to full pressure - 160 lbs. These opportunities are also used to test the engine out and check for pipework leaks. Richard is gradually getting on top of all leaks - mostly at threaded joints. He has even got the steam brakes working on to the rear bogie. There is still lots of work to do on this loco but Richard is always hard at it.
The sight of the little loco rattling its way up part of the yard certainly makes heads turn.
We are getting four new pinions for the gear drive cast and four new brake blocks.
ENGINE DRIVERS: Andrew has recently passed his exam to enable him to drive F 185. He had already passed his exam to drive the Peckett.
Alan Manning has completed his training sheets and satisfied us that he can drive our Meremere diesels.
F 185: Mike has cut three sheets of 1/8 plate into various shapes to make a spark arrestor for this loco. They are away getting rolled and otherwise bent into shape. The design is from Kawakawa railway and based on an old design for "F" locos.
WEATHER: The wet weather continued until mid September. Soon after last newsletter, the repaired slump - sandfill - up past the Junction slumped some and has slumped again since. We have asked Solid Energy (Coal Corp) to look at it as they gave us a warranty on the repair.
The rest of the line hasn't suffered at all.
WATER: We have recently purchased another 5000 litre plastic water tank. It is to replace an old 900 gal. galvanised iron tank that shows more rust spots on the outside every time you look at it.
Last open day, we used just over 3000 gals of water - a quarter of all our storage at the Junction. Some of this was used for fire fighting and toilets. This amount of water is not easy to re-gain during spring or drier weather. The committee have already talked about ways of storing water solely for fire fighting. This could well involve spending some money next year.
FIRES: Our built-in fire crew were busy during the October open day. For most of the day, a continuing series of small fires were dealt with as they flared up. Early in the day the pump motor would not start ... panic!
Mike had completed the new pumping system to the trial stage but it hadn't been tested. No trouble said Mike - we'll rip the old pump and motor off the fire wagon and bolt the new one in place. Luckily even the pipe flanges could be unbolted and slotted onto the new system. The job was completed in time for the first train to depart 1/4 of an hour late. Thanks to all who helped Mike.
Approx. 2pm a series of fires started to get out of control and burn into a gully near Hangapipi Rd. Andrew, with a couple of helpers, took his fire engine and nearly got the fire under control when he ran out of water. He topped up using his portable pump from a creek and went back and put the fire out but when he returned to collect his pump, it had been stolen. The thief had disconnected the suction and delivery hoses so presumably only wanted the pump.
Our fire crew on the line were able to put out all the fires we could get at from the fire train. The dry gorse and pampas grass certainly explode when they catch fire.
As soon as the lineside fires were out, we were able to run another trip.
ROTTEN ROW: Our storage track of 'necessary equipment' has been expanded with the addition of an overhauled point and a new siding. This job was done by Andrew, assisted by Richard and much assisted by the PD gang. The end result is that there is only one wagon on the main line by the sandfill and two more way up the line. The rest of our spare wagons are stored in 'rotten row.
WORKSHOP: The roof structure, netting, building paper and iron were put on by the PD gang and Richard. The track through the workshop has been re-laid with good 55 lb rail and 1/2 round sleepers. The track at the back of the workshop has been removed. The whole floor area has been dug down to the approximate level required for the concrete floor. The next job is to get the boxing in, trim the floor to required level and put down the re-inforcing steel. The extra roof has meant that the CB is mostly stores in the workshop and two small diesels are kept in the shelter.
SHUNTING SCHOOL: This was held on 28th Sept. as advertised and pretty well attended. I think more could have attended. These shunting and safety schools are a requirement under our safety scheme. For those that did attend - thanks - I noticed the old grey matter starting to steam as the questionnaire was answered.
NEW MEMBERS: Welcome to new members. We have had several more join the club since last newsletter.
STRANGE FACES: During October open day a lot of one time members or not often seen members showed up.
Richard Ellis appeared from Oz and stayed most of the day. One time member John Herbert came to show his wife how a railway worked. He was spotted shovelling coal into F 185. Also Rosemary Sedgdin was spotted - she used to enjoy replacing sleepers! She didn't offer to do some when I mentioned that there were still heaps to do though.
Good to see all these people keeping in touch.
CAR VAN: Bruce has put some new steps on this. Carol, helper and a new members spent the afternoon of September open day putting some priming paint on a large part of one side.
DIESEL ENGINES: Colin and Alan have been tinkering with diesel engines and have got the one in the converted F loco ex Horotui to go. They have also got most of the cylinders in the Ds we got from Coal Corp to fire and are working on waking up the rest. A day for about 2 or 3 people should see this loco ready to run again. Any offers from someone with a bit of spare time?
A proverb found at work: 'Unless you know where you are you don't know who you are'
WORKING BEES: More hands would be very welcome on these days.
The next ones are:
November 23rd & 24th
December 28th & 29th
January 25th & 26th
ROTOWARO TERMINUS: A lot of work has been going on in the background over this.
Rotowaro station has been inspected by the council building inspector who has told us that it appears in quite good condition, apart from needing a new roof, spouting, some rotten weatherboards at the rear replacing and a coat of paint. He is to give us a written report on its condition. The need for a new roof has been known to us, so this year's Trustbank grant application was for a new roof. We were extremely pleased to be granted $7000 towards this job.
Bob has talked with our civil auditor - Rodney Bayly - about this project and he has suggested that to give us a 1 in 50 grade for the tracks we should move onto higher ground behind the old 1 in 50 formation. Bob and I measured up the total length of the terminus trackwork and found one side of an embankment would need extending and raising. Our observations and measurements were put to Solid Energy, and after a meeting and site visit, all this was given to them in writing.
They very quickly had a digger in to locate the two culverts under the embankment and got the whole side of the embankment ready for the filling.
They have moved some topsoil and soft clay from the area that the trackwork will use and have started digging harder fireclay out of the new creek bed that will follow the new main road towards Huntly.
They are working towards getting all the necessary earthworks completed this summer.
CALENDARS / SWEATSHIRTS: We have for sale the following
Locomotive Engineers $13.50
Railway Enthusiasts $11.00
NZR & LS - desk $12.00
NZR & LS Historic pictures $19.95
Sweatshirts w/train logo - grey marl/jade/cerise/white - orders taken - $35. 00
Teresa will be only too pleased to sell them to you.
HANDCRANE: We recently ran a warm bearing on this while it was being used to overhaul the point in the sidings for rotten row. Andrew got schooled up in the joys of jacking the handcrane wagon up to remove and inspect the bearings. The warm bearing was found to need some filing but all the rest were OK. We also found all axle boxes needed repacking with new wool and heaps of oil. He wasn't too happy about the smell of the old wool as it was removed - perhaps it reminded him of his socks.
SAFETY SCHEME: Latest advice from Land Transport is that our safety scheme is being looked at - probably it means it is sitting on someone's desk in Wellington. We have had our present licence extended to end of Jan'97.
As this is the last newsletter planned before Christmas - have a happy Christmas, look after yourselves but don't forget the Junction doesn't get a holiday.
END-of-YEAR BBQ: Bring your own eats and drinks SUNDAY 1st Dec 4pm onwards! Hope to see you ALL THERE at the Junction after the Open Day activities.