ROTOWARO STATION: Work has slowed down on this since the last newsletter...not that it is finished.
The painting in the kitchen and PD/First-aid room has been completed, most services etc. are now left securely locked in the kitchen all the time. (This saves the girls at least 1/2 hour at each end of open days carting everything to and from the shanty).
First AND second top coats have been put on the waiting room and main room walls and ceiling by the PD Gang. They have also started scrapping down in the Stationmaster's room - and this will have its undercoat on at time of reading.
Bob Wiseman has continued to work on the wiring and most internal wiring has been completed. He has also rewired the external lights and is getting them ready for fitting.
All sanding of the floors has been put off until the platform is sealed.
Some painting of the outside of the building (in gloss paint now) has been done when the weather allowed. Also, a further coat on the veranda beams.
One window remains to be completed....glazier has been on 'holiday'.
OPEN DAYS: The only thing that can be said about the September open day was the amount of rain that fell (very generous) and despite this, a large turnout of passengers came for rides.
October open day was another 'wash-out' - the rain started about 8 AM and continued for most of the day. A quiet day with only a few passengers!
Labour Sunday - We had a good turn-out of Members AND passengers.
Thanks to ALL MEMBERS who turn up and help on open days - even if you have been getting very wet lately! Not a good way to spend a birthday is it Mary?
CHARTER TRIPS: These have continued at a good rate with a lull during the school holidays. We have bookings for a final burst for November and early December. THANKS to all who help with these.
TREASURER: We still URGENTLY need someone to fill this important spot in the Club (it appears Teresa's 'short-term' year is nearly COMPLETE!) PLEASE
GRANTS: The Club has been fortunate in receiving two grants in the last few weeks:
Waikato Community Trust: A Grant of $10 000.00 has been received to help upgrade all our main rolling stock. While this is slightly less than the cost of materials to do the repairs (and it doesn't allow for paid sub-contractors) so, if we are to get the most from this grant, members will really have to pull their weight with the overhauls! At least the usual complaint of "..don't start this until we have the funds accumulated" won't hold up anymore!!!
Waikato District Council: A Grant of $1 000.00 has been received towards the upgrade our toilet block. It is really in need of a good overhaul, as it will eventually be between the station and the shop-building and therefore 'right in our passengers eye'. We would have preferred to completely line this building!
MINES CAR: We are still having trouble getting the 12 X 4 timber necessary for the headstocks and part of the internal framing. The company in Napier hasn't been able to come up with replacements for the rotten stuff sent a few months ago. Our timber yard in Huntly is still 'arguing' with them about paying for the rotten timber.
CAR-VAN: Not much to report on this, as no outward signs of 'progress' as yet. Although a bird tells me Bob was down casting his eye over the exterior again. Also Brian has been burning the mid-night oil doing the internal panels with varnish. The triple-valve in the air brake system has been lapped in and refitted - but not tested yet. Hopefully, we will have more to report by the next newsletter! More volunteers are really needed on this project... remember, we need this by April open day 1999!!!!
HANDCRANE: Work seemed to have stopped as well- then another burst of enthusiasm has the restoration on the move again! All timber needed to completely re-do the internal framing is now at the Junction. All timber for a new decking is also at the Junction. The 12" gum for the internal framing was milled at a sawmill at Ohinewai that does a bit of gum milling ...... after all of our hassles trying to locate a sawmiller that can mill suitable timber for headstocks etc. in 12" X 4"....... and one is just up the road!!!!
P D GANGS: Their attendance has eased off a bit lately as other work comes in. Their main job has been replacing sleepers - still mostly on the main line and in Pukemiro yard. So far this year 460 sleepers have been put in! (That's a LOT OF DOLLARS WORTH!) As they move up and down the line, we are also checking and clearing the culverts. One end of the culvert at the sandfill was found and cleared - something we could never discover - despite a lot of searching. One culvert needs some tidying up when the weather dries up - as the steep side of the entranceway is very slippery.
The Gangs have continued clearing and improving the track-side drains and getting rid of gorse etc. left by the scrub-cutter.
They have recently dug steps up to the picnic area above the station yard and cleared a lot of scrub and old concrete slabs to enlarge this area. The steps were metalled in about 1/4 hour! This area was always very popular in the days before the earthworks for the shop were started and the old steps dug out. One gang has 'specialised' in the scrapping and painting of the station. How many working bees have they saved our members??? It is certainly looking smarter these days.
To try and speed up the track work efforts, we have got the air-compressor in the trackwagon going again. We have been using a jack hammer for packing under loose sleepers and an impact wrench for removing and refitting screw spikes. Next step is to get the air drill sorted out, so that the spike or screw holes can be drilled with it. Its surprising how some of the gang's lazier blokes r-u-s-h to get a turn on the 'gadgets'.
TRACKWORK: As mentioned above, a record number of sleepers have been put in this year. As sleepers don't come cheap - their purchase has made a large hole in our bank balance. We recently also purchased 1000 second-hand screw spikes from TranzRail at $1.00 EACH! instead of the "expected price" of 50 cents. As 4 are used to each square sleeper - the 1000 won't go far.
The large amount of work done this year has really put our track in good order - as far as re-sleepering is concerned. There are a few areas that need some packing - as sleepers have worked loose in the largely sand ballast. Wingnut has made up some clamps that can pull rails together to allow re-gauging during sleeper replacement. They work very well and are often used by the PD Gangs. We have four of these, so quite an area can be re-gauged at once.
Further to our track being measured a few months ago, the 1/4 km markers are in place on our main part of the line, and Andrew has painted them. These markers were required as part of our Safety Scheme.
Some sections of our line where 55lb rail joins 70lb rail, have been rather rough for years as no proper stepped fish plates were available. We tried some new ones to our own pattern last year and have recently had a lot more cast - $500.00 worth!! These have tidied up the rough joints in the fern-cutting near the sandfill.
A lot of old fish-plate-bolts that have worked loose and can't be tightened - have been replaced.
DIESEL LOCOS: Still heaps of minor jobs needed on these to keep them in going order.
The brake rigging on the yellow Ds loco is nearly completed and the second cab window replacement also well on the way.
Trev recently arranged a diesel top-up for our diesel locos - 710 litres worth!
SHANTY CATS: Thanks to all who continue to bring tins or boxes of grub for them - they do appreciate it, but like to vary their diet with the odd mouse or bird. Jan still finds a bedtime snack in their bed occasionally.
OPEN DAYS: The last for 1998 are: (don't forget Labour Sunday 25/10)
SPONSORS DAY Saturday October 31st.
November 1st
December 6th
Please send back the attached work notice. We also hope to have the 'usual' after last open day get-together - after the last train on 6th December.
SAFETY SCHEME: YES! the paperwork and amendments for our special audit in January...continues, but must be completed by 30th November. There is not much left to do - some is with Land Transport for approval or clarification. Once all approved - a complete re-write of the operating section will be issued to all. LTSA have approved the completion of this year's regular audit by Jonesy and Rodney. We will all be glad when the paperwork finally slows down - can't really see it ever stopping!
FIREWOOD: Thanks to Wingnut and the PD Gang for cutting up some wood. More is needed though.
WATER SYSTEMS: Andrew has connected up the hose-reel in the station-master's office and yes! it works. He has also put a tap at the rear of the building near the water tank for use with a water-blaster, hose etc.
After the PD Gang had scrubbed down our carriages - we started having a bit of trouble. The pressure from the station pump blew the old flexible hose from the concrete storage tank. Richard repaired this, but must have disturbed some of the years of rust accumulated - as we shortly started having hot water flow problems in the shanty. Ken didn't know whether to soap and scrub OR spend all his time adjusting the hot and cold water taps.
Richard and Andrew spent a lot of time under the shanty cleaning the Ajax valve and generally sorting out the spaghetti junction of pies and pipe fittings, but alas, the Ajax valve seems to have another piece of muck in it.
Wingnut has installed an overflow system from the water-tank behind the station.
WORKING BEES: The next ones will be held on:
October 24 - (25th is the Labour-weekend Sunday running day)
November 28 and 29th
December 26 and 27th.
There is always heaps to do - have you been at the Junction lately to help?????
PAUL MAHONEY'S BOOK - long promised - 'The Era of the Bush Tram in NZ' is due out in November. This was originally due out about three years ago. It's expected price is $60.00.
Bob and Richard have had an input recently correcting some parts and checking on various parts on some of our bush locomotives, to get the book as accurate as possible.
Sid has just finished making a blank for a large taper tap, needed to re-do some wash-out plug threads in the smokebox tube plate of our Peckett. The only other 11-thread tap we have runs out of threads just as the tap starts to bite! A precision engineering company in Hamilton will make the tap for us. In case the present wash-out plugs are not big enough for the enlarged holes - two slightly larger plugs are being cast and then have to be also threaded. The job of making the blank tap took 2 days on our lathe.
SMALL HAND TROLLEYS: The framework and decking on several of these need rebuilding - are there any volunteers?? We have red-gum framing for one at the Junction.
CALENDARS FOR SALE: We are not carrying much stock this year, due to the number left over at the end of last year. (Although one of our enterprising members has noted that a BTC Calendar is frequently requested from our souvenir sales table). Therefore - a laminated calendar with the Club's mascot ("Gemma" the BTC GUARD) will sell for $7.50 each LIMITED NUMBER AVAILABLE: Also remember to include postage:
Railfan Calendars : BUT these must be ordered and paid for before 31/10/98 price $17.00 plus P & P. Whoops, probably too late, Ring us if interested.
Locomotive Engineer Calendars: $14.95 plus p & p
N Z R & L S Calendars desk-type $14.00 wall-type $19.50 plus p&p
ENGAGEMENT NEWS: This doesn't happen often within the Club, but sincere congratulations to Paula and Andrew (we hear recently that Andrew called Paula over to Betty as she was congratulating them, and 'suggested' that she may like one of Betty's sparklers as an engagement ring - as Betty appeared to have lots!! We suspect that he was thinking ... "....this will be a BIG saving").
Congratulations also to Bob Wiseman for reaching the magic seven-oh...ooooh!
We hear that Jan & Colin have celebrated their 16th anniversary!
Also, the Peckett is 75 years - and the Club has been operating its standard open days for twenty years this month (November), from Pukemiro Junction.
What can we do to celebrate all these milestones? (Probably take them all for a free train ride!)
The typist suggests that the social evening due to be held on October 31st is going to be very jovial indeed!
As we were about to go to print: - after m-u-c-h deliberation (and effort to get more reasonable rates for the Club) we have had to succumb to new technology and NOW HAVE THE TELEPHONE connected - THE TELEPHONE NUMBER WILL BE
- 07 828 4851
-PLEASE KEEP THIS NUMBER HANDY:
End of year social at Junction - please bring a plate of something!
Please bring your own drink - but we will not encourage this as you ALL NEED TO DRIVE HOME AFTERWARDS!
PLEASE RETURN ATTACHED WORK NOTICE *** PLEASE RETURN ATTACHED WORK NOTICE
P.S.: DID YOU HEAR ABOUT.....the day that 'somebody' gave the Club a train screen saver!!!! and then the trouble began* Andrew just had to see what the trains did on-screen! He loaded the disk and LOST THE WINWORD PROGRAMME - and from then on it was all down-hill. Our computer ''buffs' came around to reload our programme - and a virus got to us. So then an 'outside expert' happily took away our computer to have a "serious" look at it. EVERYTHING operating well, it was returned to the typist's 'den'...and another mere-male put all the hardware together. Dear, dear, dear!!!!! the programme still wouldn't run - we tried FIVE new mice ........and we hit a brick-wall - we had this wonderful computer that we couldn't get into. The programme read everything correctly, but the mouse wouldn't 'read' anything .........(cough, cough, cough) eeeerrrrr THE MOUSE HAD BEEN CONNECTED INTO THE WRONG CONNECTION - and this was discovered as the computer was BEING PUT BACK TOGETHER AFTER ANOTHER THOROUGH OVERHAUL. The typist asks? Why should the computer whiz-kids have things any easier that the boys doing restoration work on steam locos, diesel engines, rolling stock and building transplants???
By the way Andrew, You probably won't be allowed near the computer for a l-o-n-g l-o-n-g time!!!!!!!!