STEAM NEWS FROM KOMMANDONEK
This week we moved all the remaining wagons and coaches from Kommandonek to the storage lines on the Estates. We start with the offloading of the Guards van on Monday morning.
Below: Photos taken while offloading the van.
We immediately left for Kommandonek and loaded a caboose before we loaded the Elephant wagon. The Elephant wagon was very high and top heavy and we transported her with great respect.
First of all we had to remove the pivot brackets and all the braking gears to separate the frame from the bogeys. The wagon is lifted and the front bogey removed with the help of the Forklift.
The Freightliner reverse in under the wagon and the wagon is lowered onto the fifth wheel of the Freightliner. This needs proper alignment to accommodate the bolts through the holes in the wagon frame and fifth wheel plate holes. Once this bolts are secured, the crane stand off and the Freightliner pulls the wagon forward to lift the rear of the wagon. Once the rear bogey is removed, the dolly wheel is moved in under the wagon with the help of the Forklift.
Below: The Elephant wagon arrives at Sandstone Estates.
Because of limited space because of the storage line almost full of wagons, we had to lift the dolly wheel out with the help of the Forklift.
Below Left: The Dolly wheel being removed!
Below Right: The bolts on the fifth wheel of the Freightliner were loosened and the wagon lifted to clear the fifth wheel when the Freightliner pulls out.
Below: The Elephant wagon swinging in the air while the Freightliner pulls out. The front bogey is then placed on the rail and moved by hand in under the wagon. Again it is essential to have perfect alignment to lower the wagon into the pivot on the bogey.
This was the last goods wagon that was moved and it was time to move on to the heavy passenger wagons.
The passenger wagons were freer running because of the roller bearings fitted to them and the tractor was used just to bring them into motion. The wagons ran on their own all the way down to the stop block.
The passenger wagons were too heavy to lift with the crane and we used the Forklift to help with the lifting of the wagons. This caused a little problem, to remove the bogeys and to fit the Dolly wheel in under the coach. We lifted the coach and pulled the bogey from the rails with the tractor. The Dolly wheel had to be rolled in under by hand.
Below: The loading of the 20 meter coach weighing 37ton.
It helped a lot to prevent the coach from swinging when the Forklift is used to help lifting the long coaches.
Below right: Arno about to cut holes in the frame to secure the Dolly wheels to the frame of the coach.
Below: After 6 hours of loading, the coach was on her way to the Farm and was offloaded just before dusk.
Early the next morning we left for Kommandonek to load the second coach.
A total of 7 goods wagons and 5 passenger coaches were moved from Kommandonek to Sandstone Estates.
Below: Action photos taken of the coach being loaded.
Below: Henk securing the front part of the Dolly wheels with a block and tackle.
Below: A coach being offloaded at Hoekfontein storage line.
Below: The Freightliner ready to depart to the Farm.
Below Left: Confined space where the pivot rings and braking gears are situated.
We only had one little mishap with this operation, when Henk drove over Henry’s coffee flask with a ten ton Forklift. It is only suitable now to keep pancakes warm! 🙂
RATANGA LOCOMOTIVE:
Menasse and his team sanded the tank of the front unit and spray painted it. They were busy most of the week with the restoration of a Ratanga passenger wagon and are making good progress. Photos of the Ratanga wagon will be in next weeks report.
OUTLOOK FOR NEXT WEEK!
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Ratanga Boiler restoration.
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Ratanga engine unit restoration.
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To fit boiler onto engine units.
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To spray boiler with red oxide.
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Restoration of cowcatcher for Ratanga locomotive.
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BSA restoration.
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To offload last passenger wagon from Kommandonek.
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To shunt all wagons back into new storage line.
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To load wagons onto flat wagons to free-up space to accommodate more wagons on storage line.
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Ratanga wagon restoration.
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To clean all coaches from Kommandonek.
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To washout number 153.
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To service Forklift for Port Shepstone wayside stations.
STEAM GREETINGS!
THE STEAM TEAM!
