The cold has hit Canberra; snow has reached the mountains
and frosts the windscreens of the cars. Of course not all is lost – the shortest
day passed last weekend and so have a few key milestones on the path to our
first inspection.
The wiring for the electrics has really been underway for
some time but the last week has seen some accelerated progress. As mentioned by
Alan we are rapidly approaching testing days and certification so, everything
needs to be ready. This has provided incentive to the electrical fitter, aka
Andy to deliver some critical steps in the wiring harness fit out. The critical
lengths of wire running from the generator to the main bus have now been
fitted. Previous wiring to head and tail lights already completed. The bus must
carry all power to charge batteries, run lights and fittings and also the
critical ICE radio. Clearly, most of this gear was never even dreamed of when
6029 was in the foundry being cast and beaten into shape. As a consequence
there are many electrical engineers and experienced people engaged to advise of
their needs for the specialty equipment and what power and voltage they need.
So Andy is running lots of thick cable down conduit that is narrow and
restricted – lubricant has been required.
The radio aerials and connecting wiring has been installed
on the coal bunker and the metal sides and ends for the radio and battery box
delivered.
Passing on from the electrical components we moved to the steam
side of things. The air compressor some may remember at Easter showed a lot of
leaks around the glands and the lubricator (for those with a good eye and
memory) seemed to stick at the 90 degree position in its rotation. So the compressor
was tested and pushed and shoved and finally it revealed its problems and spoke
by belching steam from a gasket. The low pressure cylinder was only generating
about 15 psi rather than 70 psi. This was causing the lubricator to fail –
simply not enough pressure! Secondly why was the pressure so low? The gasket
had blown and allowed steam and water to never fully move to the next stage of
the pump and the exhaust. This finally came to a head when the pump just
stopped and sent steam and water out through the gasket. A minor setback, but
better to happen now than later when we are out on the road. A new gasket will
be laser cut from the original drawings and all will be replaced.
Some heavy work has been conducted in the smoke box over the
last week or so. Ben has been aligning, replacing and repairing the mounts and
screens for the smoke box. To do this, alas, we had to take the chimney and
blast pipes out so combined with the compressor on a pallet we do not really
look like an engine any more. But only temporarily! There are many pieces to
fabricate in the smoke box and having no pattern, Ben has had to make the
components based on cardboard templates. The boiler if you remember is an
authentic 60 class boiler but it had been converted for use in a saw mill so
many unnecessary fittings had been blue tipped and spanned away. This has meant
some extra holes and cutting and use of the English language in ways some
thought very creative.
But the fun work just does not stop coming! And not to be
out done by some TV shows the 6029 Cooking
Classes commenced last week with the recipe known but the scope and extent of
the effort not fully realized. Chef Shaun took to the challenge so well that he
offered a master class last weekend on how to make fire arch bricks. So in
front of a number of keen house bound chefs watching on from bar stool and to
the dulcet tones of 4403 shunting back and forth, Shaun showed his skill in
mixing the required batch of mortar garnished with stainless steel sprinkle to
add that strength factor. What a mix it was! A heavy duty mix master finished
the mix and with a deft hand Chef Shaun demonstrated why he is a class leader
in this art by plopping the mix into 4 molds cunningly prepared earlier. There
are 6 to 7 rows of bricks spanning the fire box plus a cast in place in the base
row. Shaun and Ben have and will be busy! Those chefs still able to stand after
this demonstration will no doubt remember this master session for many months
to come when they see the coal spraying in and reaching to the back of the brick
arch that Shaun built!
So some truly good progress has been achieved over the last
few weeks, with lots of fabrication, lagging and painting being performed. The
driver’s side needs paintings so hands on deck for sanding and preparation
work.
Steady and deliberate steps are happening even between
official work days and this is keeping the whole project on track – great work
from every one.
