RN404 - The Weekly Steam News 2nd - 8th June 2007 - by Gert Jubileus

Steam News from the foot of the frozen Maluti Mountains!

CLASS NGG 16
This very cold week we moved the driver wheels, cab and cowcatchers of this locomotive to a central place where restoration commenced. The first step was to remove all the brass from the units together with the axle boxes and keeps from the driver wheels. Our large Atlas Compressor was used to pull the sandblaster in the Mobile Workshop.Al the spares of this locomotive were placed in such a way that all could be reached by the pipes of the sandblaster. Tarpaulins were used to catch up the grid to use them again. Our new team first removed most of the hard grease with scrapers to ease the use of the sandblaster.

The wheels of the units were moved to the little storage line just in front of the wagon shed and they were sandblasted first. The trick was to spray paint the sandblasted areas immediately after, to prevent them from rusting again.

While our team was busy with the sandblasting of the wheels, Ben stripped off all the brass of the two units and cleaned them. This brass spares will be stored and used later in the restoration process.

Below: The sandblaster in action!

Below: The wheels look like they are brand new again!

Below: The sandblasting of the units. This was very effective with all the wheels and spares removed.

Below: Petrus, always one step ahead of the sandblaster, cleaning out all the rubbish and layers of rust inside the bunker and the tanks.

Below: Sandblasting and spray-painting of the first unit!

Below: Before we sandblasted the second unit, our team cleaned of the all the hard grease accumulated throughout the years. The sandblaster is not very effective when used on these hard grease areas.

Below: The sandblaster made the units to look brand new again!

Below: Almost an out of the box new engine Unit!

THE BSA RAILCAR: Derrick had to manufacture brand new doorframes for the BSA. This doorframes is looking exactly the same as the original ones, just much more stronger.

The challenge for Derrick was to bend the framework to flow into the body design of the BSA.

With Derricks Boiler making skills he soon mastered the trade and made all three the doorframes. The next step was to fit 1,2mm plates to finish the doors. The thin plate easily took the same bends as the framework with a perfect result.


In next week derrick will finish all the doors and will start with the front and rear bumper together with the mudguards and little running board on both sides. We are going to completely rebuild the missing body parts before a final touch of body putty will be used to do the final touches. The BSA exterior side of the body will then be sprayed with spray filler, and then sanded to perfection before the final 2K paint will be sprayed. Henry Brown will complete the mechanical work of the BSA
FREEZING RAIL NEWS! Early this week we build three Rail panels to fit on the 3’6” storage line down at the Steam Shed. This 30-meter track will be added onto the existing main storage line to accommodate two locomotives on their way from Randwater. The DZ near the Coal Stage will then be moved to the main storage line and the two panels on which the DZ stood, will be linked onto the main storage line. Below: 3’6” Storage panels.

We moved all the 60Lb rails in the way of the new storage line to the side of the Coal stage. 56 rails were moved closer to the shed where they can easily be build into 3’6” rail panels. Below left: Moving 60Lb rails out of the way of the 3’6” storage line. Below right: The construction of the second rail panel.

A little bid ahead of the project and maybe to eager, we all started with the preparations needed to build the new line into the Vintage shed. The contours of the new line were measured out and the earthmoving work was done.

Both the points and the 2feet rail panels were neatly stacked, sort-by-sort with curves separately. Below left: Terry did perfect professional earthmoving. Below right: Ready to lay 2feet rail panels for the new line.

SIGNALS: This week Ben restored a signal that will be on display in the Hoekfontein Station. The two signals just outside the shed will also be moved from their place of display to be used as a proper display on our Railway line. The two Semaphore signals that were moved to the shed will be sandblasted just after we are finish with the sandblasting of the NGG16 for Ratanga.

STATION STEPS Henk is busy manufacturing new light weighted steps for the passengers on the Stations/Halts. This steps will be easy to handle and will still do the job. Below is a photo of Henk and the first new step. We have enough steel ordered to manufacture ten of these steps. They are portable and can easily be loaded into any wagon.

THE STEAM SHED: The shed floors needed a fresh coat of paint and we should finish this early in next week. On Tuesday we had a very cold day and it was raining almost the entire day. This was a perfect opportunity to clean and pack all the tools and spares neat inside the shed. Locomotives were cleaned and everybody kept busy to forget about the cold weather outside.

OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK!

* To build 50 meters 3’6” storage line to accommodate Randwater locomotives. * To offload Randwater locomotives. * To move Dz to this main 3’6”storage line. * To finish BSA doors, bumpers and running boards. * To manufacture another five Station steps. * To finish sandblasting of NGG16 engine units and tanks and to assemble them. * To sandblast rods and spares of the Class NGG 16 * To move the boiler of this NGG 16 for cosmetic restoration * To go on with the restoration of the third Ratanga wagon. * Cosmetic upgrade of the Hunslet. * To washout number 153 * Restoration of flat wagon number 151 * Track maintenance Hoekfontein ( T-bolts) * To fit signals in Hoekfontein Station.