This weeks steam report from Sandstone 10th August 2017
Following on from our last update, the Bloemfontein team are waiting for some parts for the motion and in the meantime have begun to strip the number two tender bogie for assessment and repairs. A complete overhaul is required as expected as many parts are damaged and all are very badly rusted.
We have been training our oxen over the last year or so and have achieved impressively large spans but during late July we inspanned 24 oxen, a number we believe to be the largest span in the world.
Attention has now been given to the cylinder and valve covers as all the studs were rusted solid and could not be unscrewed. They have now been drilled out, retapped and replaced with new studs as our pictures show.
Here are further photos of the repairs currently being carried out on Class 15F No. 3052.
The locomotive gauges have been recalibrated. The brake ejector, hydrostatic lubricator, Fireman’s side delivery pipes and Fireman side blow down drum have all been refitted and the Annual Boiler Inspection was done on Friday 28th July. The locomotive passed its visual inspection and will be steam tested later this week. A test run, double headed with 15F 3046 is tentatively planed for Saturday 5th August.
Further pictures show, renewed pipe work to replace that ripped off in the derailment, the tender frames being straightened and welded where cracked and the boiler number restamped into the dome and cover following recommendation by the Boiler Inspector.
The repairs to the front bogie and bissel bogie are now complete and work has progressed to assembling the front ends starting with the side rods, connecting rods, piston slide bars and cross heads. When the loco was originally stripped many parts were found to be missing and these are now being fabricated to complete the work. Our pictures show some general views of the loco’s front end.
Celebrity 15F number 3052, “Avril”, has been moved from Friends of the Rail in Pretoria after its derailment in March on the Cullinan branch. The locomotive is now undergoing repairs from some accident damage as well as the replacement of some fire grate sections.
The motion has been reassembled, a replacement cow catcher has been fitted and the damaged fire grate sections are in the process of being replaced. The cowcatcher once secured will be primed and painted. The cab gauges have been removed for recalibration and arrangements have been made for the annual boiler inspection to be completed next week.
Our pictures from Reefsteamers show the replacement cowcatcher being fitted, work on the replacement grate and the motion reassembled afte it was removed for the tow from Pretoria.
Following boiler certification the locomotive will be kept at Reefsteamers for the foreseeable future and will be used on their tourist excursions from Johannesburg.
