STEAMING UP THE MOUNTAIN
KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON THE GAUGE!!!
Time is slowly running out for all the preparations needed for our Private Steaming event in April this year. During the last week it really was going hectic to work through the list of logistics to draw this event together. A total of 18 Locomotives will be in Steam during the week of 19 to 24 April.
STEAMING NEWS FROM THE SANDSTONE STEAM RAILWAY!!!
The resurrection of Number 88 is almost complete and will be ready to move to the Sandstone Steam Railway just after Easter weekend. Lukas Nel and his team again did a outstanding restoration of number 88 and I believe that Tamara cant wait to be loosened over the open tracks.
Number 88 Tamara with the Sandstone 19D number 2654 keeping a jealous eye on the photographer.
A side view of 88 who is hiding in the dark shed.
Lukas Nel and his team did a majestic job to the cosmetics of Tamara, note the brass cylinder covers above.
The cab and the rear unit.
No 88 motion, so perfect!
The cab.
The heart of Gold with a open mouth waiting for the first match to light up her soul!
THE BARCLAY
The packing of all the packing nuts and regulator glands on all the locomotives continued and finally I now only have the Avonside left to have all the locomotive valves packed.
The tarot spindles of the Barclay.
The Barclay's regulator was also packed with rope. This gland was leaking and it is eminent by means of brown white marks on the regulator gland, running down.
THE LAWLEY NUMBER 106
The Lawley was next in the line of Locomotives and all her packing nuts were packed with oiled rope. All the valves will be little tight for a while but will get better after a few hours of operation.
The Lawley small ejector spindle packing nut also needed to be packed. The packing nut was loosened and packed with rope.
The packing nut was moved back to allow space to pack the spindle.
The tarot spindles being packed
The ejector steam valve spindle being packed.
The Lawley's regulator gland also showed signs of leaks. The regulator handle and gland was removed and the spindle was packed with rope.
It was eminent that the right side gauge glass also was leaking. The glass was carefully removed and the old hard rubbers were replaced with new ones. These rubbers parish with time and will leak if you steam the locomotive up.
The signs of the leak
The old rubbers.
THE PECKETT
The Peckett was next in line and all the tarot spindles were packed with rope and the regulator was packet with graphite rope.
The photo shows the empty space inside around the spindle desperate for rope.
Two rows of rope were needed.
The tarot spindles being packed.
A time consuming task.
The gland totally inside proofs the spindle desperately needed rope.
O&K 2510
And so it continued... the little O&K was next!
The little tarot.
The main steam valve being packed.
The left injector steam spindle being packed.
The regulator spindle packing nut also showed sign of leaks and was packed with rope.
The regulator spindle packing nut removed.
The clackbox spindle packing nuts on both sides were packed with rope.
CLASS NGG 13 NUMBER 49
Our Class NGG 13 was next in line. These little Giant locomotives have quite a lot of spindle packing nuts to pack.
The cab
The tarot with all the spindles that were packed with new rope.
Spindle packing nuts being packed.
The old rope was removed before it was packed with new wool.
The cross couplings were removed to allow the packing nut to move back the required distance.
CLASS NGG 16 NUMBER 113 and 153
Number 153 regulator gland was packed with graphite rope.
The empty stuffing box hunger for rope.
153 tarot spindles were all packed.
THE FELDBAHN
The Feldbahn, O&K and Decauville packing nuts were all packed. During the next week we shall shunt out all the locomotives to fill the boilers. While we do this we shall pack all the valve glands and piston packing's. The reason is that most of the locomotives are not standing right to enable us to pack these packing's and needs to be moved.
The Feldbahn regulator gland was removed and packed with rope.
The Feldbahn tarot spindles were also packed.
We started with the commissioning of the Boilers and all the washout plugs were replaced. All the plugs were marked with a cross after it were secured.
The white crosses eminent on the washout plugs.
STEP 2
It is not very good for Steam Locomotives to stand for long periods and the next step was to use penetrating oil on all the valves and spindle to ease them. Many times they are stuck so we only use a few cans of this oil to spray them.
Tool in a can.
Spraying the gauge column valves and nuts for ease of operation.
Spraying into the packing nut to loosen the operating handle.
Well lubricated gauge columns.
The very dry safety valve seats.
All the locomotives received a little bit of penetrating oil to prevent stuck safety valves.
Different type of safety valves being treated with oil.
Reverser driving gears were oiled with Tool in a can penetrating oil for ease of operation.
WAGON NEWS!!!
4 XC Tanker wagons were shunted to the Coal stage for sandblasting that were needed. The Mobile workshop was parked close and the setup began. The huge Atlas Copco compressor was used to sandblast the wagons. The XC tanker wagons took up much more time to sandblast than the normal B type of wagons because they are round and have much more detail involved.
The Mobile Workshop in position.
The Atlas Copco compressor inside the Mobile Workshop.
The sandblaster.
This photo shows the severe rusty condition of the XC tanker wagons.
Photos of the first XC wagon to be sandblasted.
The Sandblaster finally in action leaving a cloud of dust rust!
The effect of the Sandblaster.
The first XC in white metal livery but still with severe pitting.
The First XC was completed and was shunted to the Workshop for spray painting.
The first XC was prepared to run behind number 88 when she arrives. This wagon is restored for a auxiliary water tank and is really looking interesting.
The XC taking a Black livery.
Wouter busy spray painting the XC
Starting to look sexy!
The buffer beams were painted red, the steps and handbrake wheels yellow and the wheel rims white. Marker brackets and the correct signage will be fitted to make her really interesting.
The XC with white wheel rims.
The second Xc was sandblasted and is currently being painted.
The Sandblaster hard at work!!!
Petrus really is doing a good job with sandblasting the XC wagons
Petrus and Victor hard at work!
THE DINING CAR
The dining car was shunted into the shed where she received a fresh coat of varnish. The main frames and roof was painted black again and the paint was sanded. The Dining car is almost completed and we just await the delivery of the PWD brown to finish the coach.
Henk painting the main frames.
Varnishing the Dining Car.
The Roof being painted.
Henk busy sanding the painted sides of the Dining car.
A Sexy Dining car, almost ready to show off !!!
THE GUARDS VAN
The two beautiful restored wooden guards vans were screaming out for a coat of varnish. Jansen tackled the vans and painted them with a coat of varnish.
A shining van!
3'6" COACHES IN HOEKFONTEIN STATION
The refurbishing of the 3'6" coaches in Hoekfontein has commenced. First of all the wagons are being sanded down and the paint work will commence closer to the end of next week.
In the meantime 10 wagons are being shunted out in Hoekfontein Station for paint touchup that is needed. Henk and Wouter manned the Hunslet and will have the wagons in by the end of this day!
The Hunslet on Shunting Duties in HoekfonteinStation.
TRACK MAINTENANCE!
Flint Construction has finished the Pandora cutting and moved to the top of the embankment to lift out the last curve. They moved down to Vailima Halt through the Station all the way down and started at the long curve on the way to the Farm School.
The Top curve of the Pandora embankment looking much better.
Flint running around the curve.
This top curve was not very easy because the ground is very wet here and they battled to lift the line out of the ballast.
Nearing Pandora Junction.
In the meantime the Hunslet departed for the new section of line between Pandora junction and Vailima Halt with 6 B wagons to clean up the line side.
Len Huxham's people cleaning the line side.
3 of the 6 B wagons fully loaded with tree branches and weeds.
Flint Construction using a jimcrow to straighten the bend in the point blade.
The short straight and curve near the security gate after Flint fixed the alignment and lifted out the slacks.
Pandora House Curve, aligned and packed.
The line from Vailima Points and the curve was aligned and all the slacks were removed.
Levelling the line
Running into the long curve!
FLASHES FROM THE PAST!!!
Many years have gone by since we saw the last of Steam on the South African Railways. Today the water columns are still waiting at some Stations but where have the Locos gone?
During the years some of these locomotives were sold to the Industrial companies all over South Africa and these Giants played an important role especially in the Mining sector of South Africa. A wide range of Locomotives were sold to them, like the class 11's, 19D's , 19B's , 3 BR's, 10Cr, 16Cr's and even Class 15F's and one Mine had a Class 25NC in service.
We were lucky to have someone like John Middelton who captured these good days for us to see. All the photos below by J Middleton.
Pres Steyn Mine Loss Control Class 11 hauling a special passenger train on Pres.Steyn Gold Mines.
A class 3BR Saaiplaas
Class 19D 1411
Below right: FSG Number 1
15CA number 2808 heading for the reduction plant at FSG
Below middle: FSG Number 1
FSG Number 6 ( Class 11)
Below left: Class 3BR Saaiplaas Mine
Saaiplaas 3BR behind a special passenger train with a Class 11 about to double head the train further.
Below left: A 19D swinging around the S curves at lorrain Gold Mines
Class 10C number 771 at Lorain Gold Mines
Below right: The Lorain Noth British tank locomotive double heading with number 771 on a special passenger train.
Class 10 number 771 and 1407 double heading the same passenger train.
The Lorain Gold Mine exchange siding
A Class 11 making a spectacular scene as she speeds around the curves.
The Saaiplaas Class 3BR double heading with the Pres Steyn Class 11 with a special passenger train from the Pres Steyn 4 shaft towards the Saaiplaas Mines in Virginia.
A class 16CR posed for a nostalgic moment on her way down to the reduction plant.
Class 16CR number 3 just as she departs from the Unisel Mine near Virginia, heading towards the West side of Welkom where the St Helena Reduction plant are situated.
CLASS 15F Number 2928
This Class 15F number 2928 once was the pride of Bloemfontein. This Locomotive was restored by Lukas Nel and she was mainly used to work the Bloemfontein Show trains to Brandford and De Brug. She often was seen working the daily pickup train to Kimberley, just to keep her wheels loose.
But today she is standing in Bloemfontein looking rather sad after a wonderful steaming life!
The Loss Control Class 11 in Bloemfontein.
FSG Number 5, Class 11, preserved by the THF
FSG Class 11 Number 7 standing in Bloemfontein after serving the Mine industry for many years.
Today these pictures tells stories from the past, only a few years ago these 11Class locomotives were ruling the Industrial Mine lines conveying millions of tons of ore.
Class 19D number 2692 in Winburg Station 1979, in 1992 she derailed and was a complete write off.
OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK!!!
· To commission remaining locomotive boilers
· Fill boilers
· To varnish both Guards vans
· To varnish NGG 2836
· To spray paint remaining 3 XC wagons
· To finish the XC water tanker for number 88
· To move NG O wagons from Gamtoos
· To Spray paint at least 5 restored wagons
· Wagon stenciling
· To pack Locomotive valve glands
· To pack locomotive piston packing's
· To fit back point blades at Shed
· Sand down 3'6" coaches at Hoekfontein.
STEAM GREETINGS
FROM THE STEAM TEAM!!!