WN05 - Camera trial Flugel - by Kerry Young

14th September 2006

There's more than a few of you will have NI MH batteries in your cameras. Foolproof to the point of being near bullet proof. I thought I had a fair handle on the charging of these things. Seems I wasn't too clever after all. At this time, it looks as though I haven't been charging the batteries in the optimum way. I'm not going to outline everything I've learned in the last week, suffice to say that there's a bit more to it than sticking them in the charger and taking them out when the light does its thing. If you know someone who genuinely knows about these things, be appraised of the preferred way to look after your batteries.

I'm not wholly convinced I'm on the right track as yet, hence the note in the Subject row. I'll advise more as time goes by.

I have begun my stint arriving at an early hour. Having flagged it away for the Winter. Got to be early or late, or spend hours in the rush traffic. So I was on site about 7:30 and the sun was just making its appearance on the scene...............

Long shadows and a chill in the air.

You don't see this every day. The Pie Cart being used for shunting. The lads getting some shingle supplies for a project.

The headstock for 'F13' being assembled by our Jolly Roger. Just visible further back, I've fitted the rings to the pistons and am working on a home made ring compressor to fit them back in with. Having done that and fitted the cylinder heads back with copper gaskets, there is no longer any need to leave the headstock off.

Seen here, I am in the process of fitting the rod gland packing assembly to the rod, prior to locking the rod into the crosshead. Note that great spring that maintains a pressure on the packing.

Just back down the track (as the old saying goes) Bob the builder is beavering away with the framework of that 'L' wagon.

Not a noteworthy shot, but something to show how much sanding is being done on the railcar. That represents a lot of hours there. Let me say too, that although I don't have a picture to show it, Mirthful Max has been working diligently on the ceilings of the verandas on carriage A1177. All overhead work and he kept at it for hours. Take a bow Max, you earned it.

So what have we here? 'R14' and someone is deeply engrossed in an involved past time. Note too, 'D140' at the front of the steam shed, ready to be loaded out to go to Dunedin for the Centennial of the magnificent station there. If you want to see steam aplenty in action, be there Labour weekend. (Andy boy, your rock's up there!)

So who was it? Our Gentleman John. (Robb) tidying the stencils. Got a steady hand?
You ought to try it.

Getting on in the day and the headstock is trial fitted to the frames. Gives it a whole new look.

Things really are moving right along. Out of the 'F' container we see Ray and Sir Colin fighting a chunk of the locomotive onto a sack trolley.

Aha, cylinder covers being pictured to show how to replicate the lining work. Sir Colin of course, who better to do it?

Who could guess what this is all about? As we see, it's Jolly Roger and he's applying the test gear for checking buffer height. If I remember rightly, I think it's 29 1/2 inches above rail level. As it is now, the headstock we just fitted (on the right) is exactly on centre. So how much will it drop when the engine is fully assembled and full of water in the boiler and saddletank?

I'll leave you to ponder that for now. I'm headed for a cuppa. Please keep your fingers crossed that my camera is O.K. Cheers, 'K'.