LOCOMOTIVE NEWS!
NGG 16 Number 112
The making of all the boiler joints are taking time, to manufacture out of steel. The end result is pleasant and Henk really put in huge effort to simulate the parts. The cab interior is finish and is being painted for a good finish.
A steady hand is needed and Oupa is doing a sterling job of it. With masking tape and a small brush he painted the inside with pride.
The ejector was the most difficult part to make out of steel, but Henk was very imaginative about it and it looks super. Henry made the left and the right side delivery pipes. The bending without a pipe bender is quite not too easy, but he did it with determination and the result, perfect.
The delivery pipes were fitted and the ejector exhaust pipe and blower pipe on the left side of the boiler. Just when we thought we were finished, we realized that we forgot about the whistle. Henk immediately put his mind to work and constructed a whistle to fit to the tarot.
Below: Early stage of the whistle construction.
We should be finish by the end of next week and will then clean 112 for a completed photo out in the sun. I sometimes stand in the cab and could imagine her almost to be ready to steam out on the rails.
This week we sandblasted ST 657 and lifted her back on her wheels. Extensive steelwork was started and will take a while to finish. The biggest problem with this wagon is that there is not much left of the floor and will need to repair it.
Below: Pony, grinding off the badly corroded cross channels. The 500mm upright channels will be welded back because we had to cut them to be in height limits when we loaded them on the low bed.
Last week this wagon was sandblasted and sprayed. The wagon came to the inspection pit to fit back all the braking gears and to fit brake blocks. The stuck handbrakes were loosened and lubricated.
The sharp ends on the frame were grinded and once the under frame restoration is complete, the wagon will receive a final coat of paint with stenciling. This wagon is so long that it almost just fitted on the inspection pit.
The restoration of this ST was completed this week. The under frame restoration was finished and this wagon only needs stenciling to be complete.
Below: Henry securing the chamber pipe under 248.
This week we shunted one of our old AY wagons to the inspection pit. Brakes were adjusted and handbrakes were loosened and lubricated.
The one side handbrake was working very stiff and we had to strip of the complete handbrake. It is very frustrated if one wants to fasten a handbrake when it is that stiff.
We are not finished yet and will finish the AY in next week.
It was needed to overhaul a bogey for ST 301 this week. Some bogeys have good wheels and bad springs, while others have good springs and bad wheels. The first bogey was disassembled and new wheels are being prepared to be fitted again. Wheels and springs will be changed to buildup good condition bogeys.
Blow: Photos of the disassembling of a bogey.
Below: The second bogey for ST301 had a broken spring and we replaced the spring. This bogey is now ready to fit in under 301.
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NGG 16 112
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ST 657
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ST 300
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ST 301
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Stencil 248
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Wagon maintenance
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AY 2806 maintenance
GREETINGS
FROM
THE STEAM TEAM
