THE WEATHER: The only thing that can be said about the weather for the last two months is that it has gone from wet - to very wet - to extremely wet and then back to wet many times! The Waikato in general has had 2 1/2 times its normal rainfall. The only damage suffered has been a slight subsidence on an embankment below Hangapipi Road level crossing. NZR had some trouble with this the early 1960's and tipped wagon loads of scoria into it. It was jacked up about 4" in the worst place by the PD Gang and packed tight.
All our drains and culverts have coped and there is very little water lying around soon after the rain stops.
ROTOWARO STATION: Work continues on this but often not as quickly as previously. There is only one window left to be fitted. The safety grills into the kitchen have been installed however, our security 'expert' noted that the main grill could be pulled out of its slide relatively easily - so this was stiffened up with some angle-iron pop-riveted across it. The pump has been wired up and works well - it often supplies the toilet block on open days, so the tap on the hydrant doesn't always need to be opened. This tap and another under the station are the cross-connections between the two water systems. With the pump in use, we now have hot water under the bench and the Zip working in the kitchen. Thanks to Bob for the wiring, and of course WEL Energy Trust for funding to complete this project.
There are still a couple of plugs to wire up in the kitchen, and the floor covering to be organised, and the area is completed.
The PD Gang continue with the removal of the old paint, but the weather lately just hasn't been ideal for painting. Mary, Teresa and Avis have been noted with paint brushes lately. The First-Aid /PD room is also largely complete.
A truck load of metal was recently spread between the station and the toilet block to cover a very muddy area.
A different type of paint (and colour) is being tried on the ramp handrails (so that the dirt doesn't show so much). I hear Mary isn't volunteering to paint the rest of the handrails!!!
OPEN DAYS: July and August open days were reasonably well supported by the public and handy sums were banked. We have also had small groups turn up on these days rather than have to pay for a charter trip. Thanks to all who continue to turn up and help on these days.
CHARTER TRIPS: by the time you read this, we will have had another two mornings of them for kindy kids. Eric and Bruce have both been drivers on charter trips already run. We have struck a problem with charters this year as they want them on a Friday morning and it is not easy to get the crew to run them. We have recently had to cancel two kindies for this reason. We have had enquiries from Vintage Car groups and have another one booked for November! Thanks to all who are able to make themselves available - charters are an important source of revenue for us.
TREASURER: we still haven't had any bites for this job, so one is still urgently needed.
MINES CAR: many months ago, we ordered some red beech from a timber yard in Huntly - who had tracked down a mill in Napier that could cut the sizes we were after. The timber is needed for new headstocks and some internal framing. A couple of weeks ago, the yard manager in Huntly called to say the 'timber had arrived but..... I had better call in and inspect it". A quick look at it with the packet still strapped revealed some very rotten wood - even worse when we opened the packet and inspected it closely. All the large sizes were either very rotten or full of borer!!! - the headstocks on the car are in 100% better condition than the timber we received!!!! So, its back to Napier with the timber and back to the phone for us!
CAR VAN: the air brake pipework passed a leakage test with flying colours. The triple valve is presently being attended to stop a small leak.
No progress on the exterior woodwork or interior woodwork for the last couple of months. Remember this car MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR PASSENGER USE BY JUNE 1999, so we can work on the Mines Car - if not, we will only have one car available for open days or charters for as long as it takes to repair the Mines car.
P D GANGS: most members don't realise that these gangs visit us regularly, let alone the amount of work they do. Lately, we have been getting a gang three days every week, and occasionally an extra gang for painting the station. Most of the gangs jobs are replacing old hardwood sleepers on the passenger carrying section of our line. About 250 sleepers have been replaced in the last four months. This has caught us out, and we have run out of cured 1/2 rounds at present. We recently took delivery of 200 1/2 rounds and have just ordered another 300. This is in addition to square sleepers of pine or red gum. Large areas of our line now have pine sleepers - some hardwoods being replaced were in the line when we took it over and some were 'not considered suitable even for the Rotowaro branch in the late 1970's!' - so they have lasted very well.
As well as resleepering, the gangs have tidied up drains along the line, loaded coal into the coal wagon, spread metal around the toilet block and many other 'small manual jobs'. One of them spent some time doing butyl rubber roofing, so he is presently putting this type of roof on a carriage in the shed, storage for some of our 'essentials'.
HANDCRANE: last year, we obtained a grant from Waikato Community Trust Board for the overhaul of this very useful piece of gear. It is our oldest vehicle, being built in 1874.
We obtained red beech for the headstocks about this time last year! Andrew has been pulling it apart and this has revealed all wooden internal framing needs replacing!! (on-going story). This has just been ordered in red-gum. Red-gum for the new decking has also just arrived. One of the worst items was the pin the jib pivots on - it was a new one when the crane was overhauled during the 1970's, but had rusted badly and looked like having been caused by different metals. The jib and crane-body are iron. A new stainless steel pin has now been fitted. Andrew, Richard and Mike have done the work so far.
WORKSHOP: just when Richard was getting into gear with this project, he now has a job that means he gets very few days off. Andrew has been doing some work on the sides and end wall in front of the Heisler.
BOTTOM TERMINUS: some progress has been made on this - partly as a result of two PD Gangs on one day! The new section of main-line was jacked level and ballasted. A chain of wheel barrows was used until Alan and Colin arrived with our yellow loader. This sped the job up a lot. Also, a lot of new sleepers were put in to replace the old hardwood ones before the ballast was put in place. About 80 metres of track was jacked and ballasted that day. Alan and Colin also put the frog for the bottom-end point in its approximate place while the digger was there.
There is still the end of the old section of the main-line to re-sleeper, jack and ballast. This will be done as soon as we get some sleepers available.
It is now possible to run a work train to the approximate site of the platform and station building.
DIESEL LOCOS: Colin and Alan have done the annual checks on these. 402 needed a lot of extra work as there had long been an air-leak from the gear-box at the low gear piston. This was successfully stopped on the second try. A new rear headlight was also fitted to 402.
401 and 402 are in constant use this year. 402 as pilot loco on open days and 401 as work train loco with the PD Gangs.
TR 217 has also been in use with work trains.
To be of any use with the PD Gangs, any equipment must be 'instant start' as the PD boss isn't too impressed if the gang is standing around while something is stubborn at starting.
Mike and Andrew have been working on our yellow Ds loco that we obtained some years ago from Coalcorp. They have fitted the brake rigging, repaired the air brake pipework and are working on one of the cab windows that has been broken for years (the 'glazier' from the station job has been roped in to help!!!)
SHANTY CATS: thanks to the few that have brought something to the Junction for the cats. They really appreciate it. Jan still goes to the Junct. at least once-a-day to feed them. There have been no mice or rats in the shanty lately - our rat-baits haven't been touched for about 6 weeks. Yes, they still occasionally take something to bed 'for later'!
OPEN DAYS: the next ones are:-
September 6th (Father's Day)
October 4th (first day of day-light saving)
October 25th - Labour Weekend (Sunday full day)
November 1st
PLEASE SEND BACK the attached work notice- it is very hard to 'mind-read' who may come to help run our trains. Also, our 'Sponsor's Day' invitations will be going out shortly and the afternoon of Saturday October 31st - it is to be fully manned by ALL OUR CLUB MEMBERS.
ANNUAL SOCIAL DINNER: Because of last year's successful dinner, another is to be held in the Workingman's Club Rooms - William Street, Huntly. Please reply to Jan A.S.A.P. - this will be after the sponsors day activities on Saturday, October 31st from 6.30 pm ish.
PHOTO COMPETITION: we have received some entries for this, but I'm sure there must be more photos around - judging by the number of cameras being used. Due to weather conditions that have prevailed on our operating days, the committee has decided to EXTEND THE CUT-OFF DATE TO INCORPORATE OUR DECEMBER OPEN DAY - therefore the last date to receive photographs will be December 14th at the Club/Committee.
FIRST AID: a couple of newsletters ago, I asked for any member with a 'first aid certificate' or first aid experience to let me know. So far, no-one has replied. The idea is to have a list of first aiders in our first aid boxes, so we know who can help if needed. We don't always have St John's on site.
STEAM LOCO-DRIVERS: although we haven't been notified, our dispensation under the 'Boilers, Lifts & Cranes Act' has been wiped, along with the remaining parts of this Act. In future, anyone wanting to obtain a Certificate to be in-charge of steam plant, must study and pass a series of 'Unit Standards'. These units contain the various items needed to carry out the job properly e.g. know the construction of, use and operation of various types of valves, or operate a water-treatment plant etc. All these units together make up what is needed practically to operate boilers or steam plant of various sizes.
Locos and traction engines are no different to obtain the equivalent of the old MOT Loco. Drivers Ticket - the following are now needed: 2 X first aid courses, 1 X occupational safety course, 3 X rail vehicle courses. When you are satisfied that you know the contents of the 3 X rail vehicle units, you apply to be assessed in these - or you can be assessed in small sections. You are not examined as such by the boiler inspector - but by a registered assessor for these units. He may be a boiler inspector or he may be someone judged competent in these areas. The assessor looks at evidence that you have collected as being suitable or the Club's training sheet for a loco. The assessor will probably ask you some questions and then get you to show him how you go about the various items set out in the unit e.g. how you drive a loco when shunting? uphill? downhill? start and stop a train etc.
If the assessor is satisfied with you, he completes the paperwork, and, (with you offering a dozen or so in the boot of his car) may recommend you as being satisfactory!
SOUND SIMPLE!! there are already a few members from railway clubs studying towards their certificate. So if any member of our club wants to become a steam loco-driver - this is how you will need to go about getting the study and assessing.
SAFETY SCHEME: Last newsletter, I noted that we still have to receive the audit report from our main auditor - Peter Jones. This has been forwarded to Land Transport and they have requested a couple of clarifications on it. Jonesy and Rodney were pretty happy with what they saw in our paperwork, saw in action and looked at.
The big thing with our safety scheme is that if we have written that you will scratch you nose twice a week - we must have the paperwork to say you have done that! I said scratch - not pick! Some members are still not filling in the paperwork until I remind them.
*****Our Auditor has recommended that we carry out basic fire training with our members. Andrew has offered to do this for us - date arranged is to be Labour Saturday (24th October at 2pm) ...remember this year we are NOT OPERATING THE CLUB ACTIVITIES FOR THE PUBLIC ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON!!!!
TRAINING DAYS: Saturday 5th September is booked as the 'girls training day' for shunting. Some need this so they can complete their training towards being a guard on our railway. Eric will be doing this.
SCRUB CUTTER: Our contractor has been on site again, and the gorse has been cleared well away from trackside. He hit previously unseen metal/rail and did some damage to the boom.
FROM THE LAST NEWSLETTER: the last page did not come out as well as it should. We have complained to the printers (yes, we do often have to pay for photocopying now)! - trouble was, we didn't notice it, until they went into the envelopes.
CERTIFIED GUARDS: Our newest certified Guards, namely Isaac Broome and Ian Bettison. Special congratulations to Isaac - now com'n the girls!!! (the one's in training we mean, not our visiting kind). We're always willing to train up our newer members - so how about it?
LIGHTING-UP WOOD: Any volunteers to organise some desperately needed wood. Even organising a time to fit in with our visiting PD Gangs!
CLEAN-UP AROUND THE STATION: On Saturday, 15th August, Teresa organised one gang to 'tidy up behind the station' - and lo-and-behold, the driveway and drains were included - and also the troublesome black-wattle. While that was in progress, another gang scrubbed down the carriages (now they would look good in photos) and put in more sleepers.
WORKING BEES: The next ones will be held on -
September 26 & 27th
October 28 & 29th
November 28 & 29th
As you can see from our Newsletters, heaps has been done (but there is still heaps to do). The mountain of work to do never seems to get smaller. Have YOU been up to help lately? If not -why not!!!
ALEX HOMES: 1927 - 1998
Alex was never a member of our Club, but was extremely helpful during the early years. He spent pretty well all his life in Pukemiro or Glen Afton, working in the Glen Afton mine until it closed in 1971. He then worked for State Coal at Rotowaro until State Coal became Coalcorp in 1987. during his time at Rotowaro he was a shunter and later a loco driver on the diesels - mostly the smaller diesel presently being worked on by Mike & Andrew.
He drove our early 'fire-fighting trains' when we were able to use State Coal's diesel loco at weekends. His other major help was to collect our coal wagon from the end of our line - ensured it was filled, then return it to our line. He was also able to deliver the odd wagon that we had delivered occasionally. Alex had been in hospital for just over a month - all the time in Intensive Care, but passed away on 11/8/98.
To his family - The Club's deepest sympathy.
ODDS AND SODS:
A new fire hose-reel has been mounted in the Station Master's room of the station. This is deliberately put in there so that we know the hose will be available when needed. The axle for the reel was made by Sid, the plumbing done by Andrew.
Bruce has replaced a section of the station platform front with red gum.