More news on the NG10.
Further work has been completed on the cab fittings as our pictures show. We have now obtained two injectors and now have all the fittings required to complete number 61.
Further work has been completed on the cab fittings as our pictures show. We have now obtained two injectors and now have all the fittings required to complete number 61.
Great progress has been made on the cab fittings as our pictures show. As mentioned in our last report the regulator assembly has been fabricated and fitted and now the boiler mounts on the backhead have been made up from various spares we had together with the vacuum ejector. The firebox door has been made from scratch and fitted. She’s looking good!
The latest happenings from the Sandstone Steam Railway, the August 2018 Steam Report - Click here to read
The first phase of the cosmetic restoration of 1555 is nearing conclusion with the locomotive now painted together with the tender tank. The painting of the tender frame is nearly complete. Our final picture shows some of the extremely rusted boiler cladding and other components that will need to be replaced when the Transnet tender for Phase 2 of the restoration to final assembly is awarded.
The restoration is now picking up pace with the fabrication of the regulator lever assembly and its fitment to the boiler backhead. The main steam pipes have now been assembled in the smokebox.
A major milestone has been reached with the completion of the main steam pipe as in our picture whilst the smokebox acts as a scheduling board for work to be completed in August.
While the work on the NG10 continues, the team working on the 4AR, number 1555 for Transnet are making good progress with the locomotive and tender now stripped and cleaned and the application of the red ochre preservative paint starting to be applied.
As the myriad of smaller tasks continues the reverser handle has been completed and fitted together with the reversing mechanism. The vacuum ejector and piping has also been assembled and fitted but the train pipes are still to be attached.
During July we were privileged to host a visit from Andreas Giller, the Locomotive Archivist from this German museum who has assisted us with a number of photographs and drawings of NGG13 number 49 recently. Andreas was visiting Southern Africa as part of a tour which took him to Zimbabwe on a rail tour and then, joined by his wife Carola, a visit to Namibia. He was keen to visit Sandstone as we have the only restored Hanomag built NGG13 Garratt in South Africa, number 49 from 1928, so prior to his return to Germany he requested a visit to Sandstone to which we gladly obliged.
The regulator assembly for the NG10 is now complete and ready to be fitted the locomotive. Our pictures from Lukas Nel show the components and in particular the dome assembly for the regulator valve. Work will continue on a number of other items as we approach the steam test of number 61.
Frameline have produced a large number of video features for Sandstone since the inception of the Sandstone Railway. A large amount of footage was kept as reference for the Sandstone Archives and has not been previously seen. We shall be showcasing a number of these clips over the next few months and we begin with Sandstone’s visit to Angola in 2003 which resulted in the rescue of a number of locomotives from dereliction including the 1899 Decauville, “Bathala” featured in the link below.
Work continues at Bloemfontein on Phase 1 of the cosmetic restoration of this loco for Transnet. After stripping the locomotive as in our last report attention is now concentrated on descaling the various components. Our pictures from Lukas Nel show work on the cab, tender tank and boiler.
As we are fabricating many parts from scratch we have had to slow down a bit but will soon pick up the pace. Our pictures from Lukas Nel show the newly fabricated reversing ratchet, part of the drop grate, the finishing touches on the roof and more small parts for the regulator assembly and main steam pipe.
Great progress has been made on the boiler of NGG13 number 49 at Reefsteamers as it is prepared for retubing.
The old tubes have been removed and the tube plates cleaned. The boiler barrel has been descaled and washed out and subject to MPI (Magnetic Particle Inspection) as have the tube plates. The initial report is that all is well. A full boiler inspection by the Boiler Inspector prior to commencing the retube will take place next week. The tubes have been cut to length ready to be fitted.
Our pictures from Reefsteamers show the boiler being descaled and washed out and the flue tubes being annealed ready for fitment and the small tubes after being cut to size.