THE GIANTS ARE RETURNING!

SET THE POINTS FOR THE MAINLINE!

Super shining loco bright
Greet the new morning light
Once again the rails she will ride
Sailing through forgotten Stations with pride
Into the future she will Steam
Help us for fill her lovely Dream!

Our North British built Class 15F number 3052 received a three-year boiler certificate this week. Our Boiler Inspector was very pleased with the condition of her boiler and gave her tubes another ten years if they are looked after. With our water treatment, this will be possible with no doubt.

The last few weeks we spend many hours with Avril preparing her for the boiler Inspection and for her to return to the mainlines. The best part of the boiler Inspection was the Steam test, bringing the Giant to life, feeling her massive body moving under my soul. Her roaring beats echoed into the massive Sandstone mountains, shouting out the return of the Giants. Her three year boiler certificate is her ticket into a bright new future.

Below: Avril blowing out smoke while her soul slowly comes to life.

The lubricator still had the blocked steam port and we had to take it of again. Eventually we got the port open and will assemble the lubricator on Monday. Now she will be happy, for an oiled front end is essential for the Giants.

We bought a bottle of Sunlight liquid and filled the lubricator. It cleans the lubricator and removes all sticky oil inside the lubricator and oil delivery pipes to the steam chests. Not long after, foam was evident at the cylinder drain corks. A little touch of magic, as they advertise that it can wash up to 5000 plates. Certainly can clean one lubricator?

The lubricator was opened as soon as the Giant started raising steam this morning. With a black stack of smoke, she slowly raised steam and came to life!

Below: Avril, showing off between the trees!

Below:  Avril shunting out her sister class 25Nc.

With a joyful face, she showed her eager to head the mainline into a great new future!

The roll ring was replaced this week and we tested it before we fitted it back under the class 23 tender. It took about two hours to lift the heavy vacuum cylinder back. The only way we could do this was to put the cylinder on a plank and jacked it till we could secure it. A vacuum test will be done again to ensure that the brakes are working properly. The neck rings were replaced on the 23 tender.

CLASS 25NC Number 3488

Vacuum test were done today on our 25 NC and another roll ring was found to be defective and will remove the vacuum cylinder for overhaul tomorrow. The gravity lock on the front coupler was removed and replaced with a new one. The gravity lock lever was broken and had to be replaced too. We started to fill the tender of the 25Nc to act as auxiliary water for 3052 on her long journey to Johannesburg.

Below left: The 25NC vacuum cylinder ready to be remove tomorrow morning.

Below right: The gravity lock replacement.

Below: A new gravity lock operating lever fitted to the Class 25NC front coupler. What a Giant!

Below: The massive tender of our Class 25Nc filling up with water.

In 1970, the water Station Vetrivier supplied water for 130 steam locomotives on a daily basis. The consumption for water for all this locomotives for a month was the same as the daily water consumption for the City of Bloemfontein.

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK

• To prepare and test Class 15F number 3052 on Saturday with Reef Steamers.

• To finish little repairs on 15F

• To overhaul Class 25Nc vacuum cylinder.

• To prepare NG 15 and NG 4 for tour next weekend.

• To do repairs on NG 15 and NG 4

• To roadworthy wagons at Kommandonek and Ficksburg.

• To washout number 113

• To spray weeds on Railway line.

• To Finish painting Shed floors.

• To start with restoration of Ratanga number 4

• To move Douglas Locomotive.

STEAM GREETINGS!