BY THE TIME you receive this: two months of the year will have already gone!
Subscriptions are coming in steadily, but remember anyone who has NOT PAID by the end of March automatically has their name removed from the mailing list and are no longer a club member. If you have a red dot on the letter head – I’m afraid this could be your last Newsletter.
SUNDAY April 4th
May 2nd and
June 6ths (Queen’s Birthday Weekend).
Please fill out the attached notice and return it.
We need as many members as possible to help on these days!
CHARTER TRIPS: We are already getting inquiries for these – and encouraging sign!! We need members who are able to help with charters during the week…. First one booked for 1 March.
STEAM LOCOMOTIVES:
Still a long way off, but some ‘light at the end of the tunnel….’. You will get an update at AGM.
F185:
Our boiler inspector would not accept the material we obtained for the section of dry pipe we need to replace, so a lot of time was spent obtaining MORE paperwork for the pipe section, and a new piece of plate for the flange.
The area where the blow down valve bolts onto the boiler shell was built up by the welder and has now been ground off. The 2 wash-out plug holes have yet to be ground and re-threaded.
PECKETT:
A tremendous amount of work has been done on this, largely by Dave Mann. He spent about 12 days at The Junction – nearly all of it wire-brushing the frames and then putting on up-to four coats of paint. This work has put this side of the overhaul a LONG WAY AHEAD. He often worked till late at night.
The wheel-sets went to Glenbrook Railway mid-January for the tyres to be turned and some crank-pins to be ground. Thanks to Ian Jenner for organising the transport!!
The boiler is due to be sand-blasted and painted very soon and will then be returned to The Junction.
Chris and his team were down on Sunday 22nd and pushed ahead with more of the ‘fiddly’ bits and pieces.
Don spent some more time grinding the ends of the girder stays. This has shown up some areas that will need building up with weld but all in all we can certainly recondition the girder stays.
ROLLING STOCK:
MINE’S CAR:
A lot of work has gone into this. Ian White came down to show the ‘Team of Three’ how to pattern the pre-cut flashings to the windows. Two of the Ian’s managed this on a mid-week day, and were then sealed and completed by Harvey and Ian mid-February Sunday. (We suspect Dave was still motor-cycling around the country lanes)
The sides of this carriage have been sanded down and part of them undercoated. Dave spent many hours with a heat lamp and scrapper getting VERY ‘THICK’ layers of paint off part of one side – the T & G obviously goes back a long, long time!!
Ian B spent one whole day just scrapping the north-facing side and undercoating, while Teresa gave an undercoat to the T & G raw-edge and window surrounds. The rest of the team weren’t expecting to see that work done from one day – to the next!
The car had to be put over the pit so a few more doubtful T & G boards on the south-side (not under complete upgrade) could be replaced. Several other jobs were done while it was over the pit and access was easy.
A lot of fiddly bits have been made for the rod facings on the incomplete end. This last end is currently at the stage that the platform railings can be put back on.
Our community work crews have spent some time cutting out rusted areas of the roofing iron, patching them and then putting 2 coats of paint on the whole roof.
Unfortunately the roof still leaks, and Harvey has been pricing a complete replacement (lots and lots of dollars needed for this……). The hours this team has put in has been tremendous, both at the Junction and behind the scenes.
JIGGERS:
Dave and Harvey continue to look into the six-man jigger gear-box and upgrade. Suddenly the 'budget’ is not enough…. The Committee is looking into this matter.
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES:
#401:
Lofty gave up with the control air regulator and obtained a new commercial one as a replacement. It fitted without any alterations to the pipe-work (that alone was an extraordinary event !! ##) Many thanks Lofty for persevering!
#402:
This is the main job and a large number of members have helped. These include Dave (Scott) Harvey Richard, Lofty, Colins - (Jenner and Swabey), Trevor Willmot and Ian Bettison.
Work done so far is - removed front cowling, radiator, oil cooler and all associated pipe-work. This was rather a “messy” job
The whole engine and parts were hot water blasted and much ‘gunk’ removed. All seals and covers on the front of the motor were removed, resealed and put back on. No obvious oil leak was found. A new felt seal for the front of the crankshaft was fitted.
Rotten floor boards at the cab doors were replaced – as was a rotten door pillar.
The sliding windows have been removed and the new ones will be fitted shortly.
The radiator is away for overhaul – many many BIG dollars indeed!…..
Most of this necessary work was able to be undertaken due to the generous WEL ENERGY TRUST grant received last June. But as always, there is more funding required now for the extra unexpected work.
DS Loco:
The running boards have had two coats of black. Trevor Willmot has reconditioned a headlight for the loco. New cab floor-boards have arrived. New paint-work was going on the head-stock.
Battery Electric loco:
Chris Lucas and his helpers have paid another three visits. During one visit, the old cab was lifted off with the hand-crane.
During the second working-bee, the controller was removed and a start was made on removing the cab floor. The old floor has ‘built-in drain holes’ to let any water run off and is beyond repair!!!
Chris, we must point out, even got his dear old mum to make a special trip from Hamilton so that the boys were well fed and watered. Thanks Mum!! Another flurry of activity on Sunday 22nd – but alas, Chris tells us he is off overseas for a few months now…..
TRACKWORK:
No progress on this since last Newsletter, as other urgent jobs have taken our work-parties time:
In all, we replaced 600 sleepers last year – including those used to extend the line towards Glen Afton.
Some rails at the 2.50 km peg need replacing. Some rails are already up there and the rest will be taken up as soon as we get an opportunity……
Some of our drains and culverts will have to be maintained to prevent possible future damage.
WEEDSPRAY:
The whole line was weed-sprayed during mid-January with a different weed-spray that is supposed to give a 12-month’s kill….
Richard just got set up early one morning – when a strong breeze came up – you guessed it, the job was cancelled for the day.
Next morning, we heard the loco whistle about 7.30 am – just down from home – another early start. Just as he returned to The Junction from Rotowaro-end, another strong breeze had sprung up….
Thanks Richard, another important job out of the way – for hopefully, a lot longer between sprays this time.
STATION AREA:
We have been donated a steel, rubber-tyred platform trolley. It will be a wet day painting job for our CW work-parties.
Dave Scott and Harvey have completed the stand and bolted the ‘signal levers’ in place. We haven’t seen Linda or Peter though…. And we were sorry to hear that Linda hasn’t been too well of late. Speedy recovery! (New jobs will be “found” for you!)
Alan, and our work-parties have kept up with most of the lawns, but the picnic area ‘…got away a bit’ over the holiday.
Trevor Willmot has overhauled one of our old mowers.
Jan has been scrubbing and polishing, while Bill has been hanging some more pictures in the station. The cobwebs manage to sneak in when no-one is looking.
ENGINEERING WORKSHOP & SHELTER:
Thanks too, to Bob Wiseman for hearing our calls for “help”. (I think it was more screams for help)….. We needed the electrical connections to the carriage shelter so the boys could continue to work inside on the days of our atrocious weather (in other words, it was DARK inside). Bob arranged this with his sparky friend.
Yes, it has been very wet and very windy at The Junction also.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
You would have already received your formal AGENDA by the time you read this Newsletter.
This is still planned for SUNDAY – 14th March 2004 at 1.00 pm.
We hope you have been thinking of some-one for Secretary – or many of the other jobs associated with this administration side of Committee.
We would also like a few new faces on The Committee. It is IMPORTANT that all members attend this Meeting and have their say.
One of our club members saw this advert in a ‘Professional’ engineers magazine in the UK> this is a brand-new loco, being built to the original plans, but with some alterations to improve the bad performance of the original locos.
He reckons he may put in for a similar job on OUR railway, as the present holder has been in the job too long!! Hope he’s got plenty of “spare time”!
Doesn’t look as if the job in UK pays much more than our railway!!!!!!!!!
WORKING BEES:
Once we start our running season again, these will revert BACK to the Sunday of the FOURTH WEEKEND of the month.
During the summer, they have been VERY WELL ATTENDED and a lot of work done – mostly on 402.
Thanks to Bill and Doreen for organising the teas, cold drinks and food for these.
The next ones will be MARCH 28TH, APRIL 25th, MAY 30TH and JUNE 27th.
Mark these on your calendars now!!
Anyone extra on open days can help with the many jobs – Please make an offer…..
Also, turn up and help slowly reduce the ‘mountain of work on the go…’ but remember! – as one project is completed – another TWO are normally already started….
WAIMIHA:
This book review is from another member in the UK who has an interest in bush railways.
The book is written by Audrey Walker and Ron Cooke, and may be obtained from
Jim & Audrey Walker
RD
WAIMIHA 2658 - for $45 plus postage.
Waimiha is not far from Ongarue – once the home of some of our bush locos. Endean’s Mill still stands abandoned with a large stationary steam engine still in place.
A similar book is being written about the Ongarue district.
WAIMIHA- People of Character
I received this book just before Christmas and have rally only had a chance to dip into it. As someone who has only visited New Zealand once ( in 2001 ) some aspects of the background are foreign in more ways than one, but I have an interest in history and in bush tramways and this is a fascinating book. Drawing on both personnel recollection and written material the text and pictures gives what appears to be a detailed view of life in and around a small town from its earliest days to the present. The authors Audrey Walker and Ron Cooke are to be congratulated on producing and entertaining and readable document of the ups and downs of the community.
There is a significant amount on bush tramways in the chapter on Sawmilling which runs to 35 pages and also in other chapters most notably that on the impact of the north south railway on the town. The sawmilling section covers the operations of Marton Sash & Door, King County Timber and Endean Sawmills, among others, with numerous photos and plans. These show not just the sawmills but the bush trams, the felling and the human side of the operations. For me the highlights include a Price 16-wheeler shunting NZR stock in the station yard ( surely a rare view ), Harvos tractor at work on Endean's and Ellis & Burnand's bush trams, some rare Blackstone tractors and views of the various mill buildings. As I want to model a small part of a tramway and mill in my study at home this information plus the views of the town and its activities will be invaluable
I highly recommend this book and hope you will enjoy it as much as I do
Alan Sewell, Hertford, England- January 2004
THE LAST SAMURAI:
has been viewed by some of our members and is highly recommended.
Our hand-crane is clearly visible (if you don’t blink for narno seconds) on TWO occassions and the backs of two club members but, probably thankfully, they are well in the distance. One is even seen to be lifting his arms….
We are presently putting together various applications for more grants to enable us to continue the programmed work on our steam locos and carriages. A lot of time and effort goes into these applications and some of the prices obtained for various bits and pieces needed are rather frightening….., but as always, without the funds in the bank, most work cannot be started.
PUBLICITY:
Articles continue to be sent to our local paper “Te Kauwhata Chatter” – and it is not unusual for photos to be included also. Sometimes these articles run to ¾ page. Dave Scott gets rung up from outsiders who note how often he is either mentioned or in photographs. Thanks to Chris Mann for helping Teresa out with digital shots. (Everyone else seems to be too busy to stop and take ‘work in progress’ photos). These reports have been well used in applications. Graeme Crowther’s ‘past’ shots are also used for this purpose. Thanks to everyone who help us with these.
Also of note, Colin Swabey has CDs of the club’s photo collection, and of particular note, our website is attracting a lot of interest from our overseas visitors…. Very positive comments indeed. Thanks Colin.
And thanks to you – for taking the time to read YOUR club newsletter. Now, what thoughts have you got to improve things – see you at the AGM!!!