The theme for the last couple of months has been very much one of completing large and small jobs around the site. The 3 wheel velocipede received a replacement timber outrigger as the original was broken a couple of decades ago. The replacement was laminated from thin strips of timber, a technique rarely used at Ocean Beach. The motor trolleys also received minor repairs and paint before virtually the whole fleet migrated to the Booking Hall of the Railways Road Services building to form part of a Settlers Museum exhibition. This must surely be the grandest floor the trolleys have ever leaked over.
The Annual Survey on steam locomotive A67 has also been completed, with leaks in the steam plumbing requiring significant work to rectify. The paintwork has also been touched up although the locomotive seemed surprisingly resistant to our efforts to tart it up for the Labour Weekend celebrations. It passed the boiler and mechanical inspections with flying colours.
Also completed was the cosmetic work on the carriages. To complement the repainted end platforms, gangways, steps and railings, peeling paint above the windows of A193 has been fixed and a few other scrapes touched up. It is surprising how much the colour of the carriages has faded over time, the repairs look a bit luminous at the moment but should fade in time. The floor in the second class end of A193 has had a deeper layer of polyurethane applied and the extremely scruffy floor of the guards compartment of Af 874 has been sanded back, repaired and sealed. This has resulted in the floor being easier to clean and more attractive.
As previously reported, Cattle Wagon T175 traveled to Hillside Workshops some months ago. It has recently returned to the railway after having the underside grit blasted and repainted. This largely completes the significant expenditure funded by Lotteries for this project and box wagon K 610. We have most of the materials in hand to bring these restorations to a conclusion in the coming months.
On K610, re-fitting the refurbished brake gear is under way. The brake cylinder and triple valve have been overhauled. Small components are being painted and preparations are being made for installing the door track and hanging the door. The final replacement piece of timber for the project is about to be nailed on. This is the piece of cladding that runs along the bottom of the doorway behind the door track and will cover the extensive repairs to the bottom plate.
Following a hurried repaint on the Kerr Stuart's frames, the locomotive was lowered on to its refurbished wheelsets. A hydraulic test has been undertaken on the boiler following the re-installation of numerous fittings. The rods are in the process of being re-fitted and attention will soon turn to the side tanks.
Another project to be completed is the installation of the new security and fire detection system. It has been a team effort between our own members and a professional security company. The system covers the main buildings and uses a number of advanced systems to control access, detect intruders and provide alerts for fires. A number of rail groups have had security and fire issues and the system will ensure that members work is protected for future generations. The system will be monitored by a security company and we will have to recover costs for any false alarms.
A section of track on the lower part of "the hill" has been re-sleepered, some of the work being undertaken under fairly marginal weather conditions. A special thanks is due to those who worked against adversity to ensure that the line re-opened on time.
A training session was recently held at the railway. The topics were First Aid and Track Inspections. The people who attended seemed to have gained proficiency in these areas as well as having a few laughs. However, attendance was lower than we hoped. There will be further training on a different topic before Christmas. Members who haven't attended any sessions for more than two years who are unable to make the forthcoming session will need to make special arrangements if they wish to continue to hold an operational role on the railway.
The Trolley Shed is being painted, a special thanks to Frances, Luke and Shaun for advancing this project.
The railway's annual Rail Safety Audit was recently undertaken and went well. It was intruding to get an independent and professional perspective on the operation.
Members are reminded that they need to take responsibility for anything left outside on the rail corridor. They either need to arrange to take possession of a portion of track if undertaking significant repairs, or remain with the objects until they can be removed from the track. This includes tools, weeds, wheelbarrows and materials.
On Katiki Station, work has concentrated on overhauling and glazing the southern window and repainting the interior. Once K610 is complete, that team will see what they can assemble from their many and varied bits and pieces to provide replacement front windows.
On the 10th of November, we once again have the pleasure of hosting ASCO for their annual fundraising dinner. They have already had a light-hearted article in the Star newspaper to promote the event and further publicity is planned to make this a truly unique evening.
The First Aid kits have been inspected and all the wartime bandages and dressings have been retired but the remainder of the stock was found to be in good order.