Next Workday in Canberra..

is on Saturday 6 September, 1000 start..maybe good weather, certainly interesting and rewarding work..we look foward to seeing you all there.

a note from Ron

Hi Guys
A couple of us have been working on the cabin independently. With really great support from our colleagues at 3801 Limited, we have needle gunned, angle grinded, and primed around 75% of the exterior panels.
On Saturday week, I'll probably make a start on the roof. Alan and Steve will then need to assess the amount of exterior metal needing replacement. This is not extensive.
Work will then start on the interior wood panels.This work is very rewarding. There's nothing like swapping intellectual rigour with hard physical yakka every so often.

Cabin boy.

See http://eveleighworkdays.blogspot.com/ for information and pictures

helping with the project

Our estimate of costs to complete the job, and return 6029 to steam is $150,000, really not a lot of cash, but we do need help to raise it...one ongoing expense is to pay the wages; one day per week, of the two ARHS ACT fitters, who do one day paid work on the locomotive during the week, then come back on the weekend workdays as volunteers!

We are also interested in hearing from potential corporate sponsors, for example; is there an engineering company out there interested in helping with the construction of a new front tank?

If you can help with a tax-deductable cash donation, we will gratefully accept it, remember that the taxman gives it back to you , dollar for dollar, when you do your tax return... go to the donation form at http://www.arhsact.org.au/arhs/donations_form.php to help.

Maybe you can afford to donate $10 or $20 dollars a week? If we all do this, we will easily acheive our goals, and barely feel it in the hip pocket. Of course, one off donations are more than welcome as well.

Be sure to clearly mark the form as a donation for the 6029 project, so that your hard earned coin is used in the way you would like it to be.

Progress Report August/September 2008

Teams are working on different aspects of the project.

The cab is at the large erecting shop at Eveleigh where a small group of Sydney members, under direction of 3801 Ltd and Goodwin Alco Pty Ltd are preparing it for protective paint and the construction of a new cab inner roof. After rust removal and necessary rust repairs the first coat of undercoat is being applied to external surfaces. New timber window frames, fitted with safety glass have been manufactured, using the historic machinery preserved in the Old Erecting Shop

Many boiler fittings are being renovated off site by experienced hands, including Bruce Manuel in Camden, Mike Reynell in Hornsby and Michael Potter in parts unknown.

The replacement boiler is being prepared for hydrostatic pressure testing by a team which includes Project Manager Alan Gardner, Peter Reynell, Shawn Barker and the Society’s employed fitters Gavin Woolf and Andrew Duffy. This work is nearly finished, the surfaces for fittings have been cleaned and prepared to receive the re-conditioned safety valves, clack valves, water gauge glasses and pressure gauges. Many of the detailed modifications from the boilers' use as a stationery unit are being removed to prepare it for its new role. One very important part of the work is replacement of all the studs with which fittings are mounted as they are mostly crystallized after 50 years. The studs around the dome for the cover are being replaced too.

The old boiler, which will eventually be repaired for re-instalation in the locomotive is almost ready to come out. On 2 August, with valuable help from the society’s vintage Hyster fork lift a team including Roger Maynard, Ted Chuter, Alan and Mike removed the ash pan ; the last significant impediment to the boiler’s removal. it is anticipated that boiler removal will take place in the last week of September.

Previous work had concentrated on removing live and exhaust steam pipes in the smoke box and all the superheater elements after access was gained by removal of the petticoat and exhaust skirt. Lifting the cross compound compressor off tested the capacity of the fork lift. On Sunday 17 August 20, 2008 the coal supply screw was removed, complete with coal from twenty years ago. Tedious tasks that you would not think about, such as removal of the strapping that the boiler cladding fits to are also being undertaken.

An assessment has been made of the condition of the front tank. Unfortunately the floor is rusted beyond repair so the decision will be made to build a new unit, adding some $30000 to the restoration budget. The rear tank is in better order, requiring only some repair to the coal delivery chute.

Another seemingly endless task is steam cleaning of the engine units. Marc has the rear unit half done, and is expected to reemerge when the job is completed some time in the future.

The final task currently under way is removal of connecting rods and associated valve gear so that roller bearings can be assessed and reconditioned where necessary. This is a task allocated to the staff, who work one day per week on 6029, financed by our fund raising efforts. They work too, as volunteeers, such is their pride in the project.

Alan Gardner

Project Manager

workers picnic 17 August 2008

Here are some snaps taken by Howard Moffatt yesterday.

A message from Alan Gardner

Well another great day was spent working on 6029, and again Peter Reynell did a great job with the home made BBQ (ex 3016 smoke box).

Again Mike Reynell made good use of the fork lift and we removed the last sections of the mechanical stoker. Despite running out of gas he and Peter also stated to collect all of the Garratt bits spread all over greater Canberra. Andrew Duffy started the removal process of the motion and side rods, the bits that were removed are in very good condition. Howard continued to strip down the front tanks and he has now almost completed the entire right hand side.

The last of the old boiler crinoline bands were removed and Ted continued to remove the bolts attaching the smoke box to the boiler cradle. Also big thankyou Gavin and David Malcolm who came in last Monday (their day off) to take on the smoke box with the oxy and the jack hammer, because of their efforts the old boiler is almost ready to be removed. Basically before the boiler can be removed we will have to extract about six obstinate saddle bolts and disconnect the remaining steam and exhaust pipes, in all about two days work. Subject to cash flow we will the organised the big lift out of the cradle, hopefully not exposing too much repair work once removed.

The steam cleaner again was in constant use removing literally inches of crud off the hind unit. Once the weather starts to turn warmer we will start the process of painting the entire engine units. Could I ask you to follow my lead when you are at Bunning’s and purchase a $3 paint brush and bring it along with some old overalls to your next work day?

Our next workday is Saturday the 6^th of September and could you please advise if you are attending so Bob can organise the snags. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend as I have to be in Cairns for the ATHRA conference representing the ARA.

Now for some exiting news, we will be holding a super work week from Monday the 29th of September until Friday the 3^rd of October. It is intended to complete the hydrostatic test of the change over boiler and if successful we will continue to prep the boiler for the steam test. Again if the weather improves painting will be carried out on a large scale.

So why not take a week off work and join us in sunny Canberra and really help kick the project along. Accommodation will be as usual available in the BAM’s and yes the BBQ will get a good workout in the evenings.

Exciting times ahead, keep steaming

Alan Gardner

Manager 6029 Project

Project 6029 Progress Reports

Hi Guys
This is intended to be a constantly evolving page that will describe some of the trials, tribulations and milestones as a group of volunteers work to restore 6029, to working order.
6029 is one of the largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever to operate on Australian rails.

One of 42 Garratt locomotives built in Manchester, England between 1952 and 1957 by Beyer Peacock for the New South Wales Railways , 6029 is one of four 60 class locomotives that escaped the scrappers oxy torch and is currently the only one that is ever likely to steam again.

6029 last steamed in 1982, and has since been slowly rusting in the Canberra railway museum. The intention is to have it back in steam early in 2010.