So Superweek is over..

Here is what we achieved:

Old boiler out; thanks B and D Cranes of Canberra..and all the hours of work by Gav; Andy, Alan; Mike and the Vintage Hyster fork lift, which in turn recieved running repairs in the form of a new alternator, thanks to David Griffiths. Others helped too, Paul Quinn and Dave Malcolm amongst them.

New boiler tested; thanks again to those named above, to Barry Peffer for his wonderful work on cleaning and polishing fittings and to Roger Maynard for his one-armed painting.

Guest worker on a couple of days was Life Member Gerry Birminghan, who was able to drill out stay tell tales that were otherwise inaccesable. Great to see him, and indulge in some "remember whens".

Kerry Mellor assisted, particularly when rail bourne movements were needed, and at story telling time when my Michael was informed of some of the good old days stunts. I denied all such tales. Simon Cowling assisted with shunting.

Dismantle Power reverser; thanks David Carroll.

Boiler frame cleaning has begun, thanks to Paul Coulter, whose Father Ted drilled boltholes in a plate which provides access to the superheater header. This is one of many bits that have to be transferred from old to new boiler, and is a good example of the work that has to be done to remove the modifications made for stationery use..the plate was welded on the replacement boiler; which of course did not have the superheater.

And a hugh big thank you to 3801 Limited for the loan of the test pump; which was delivered to Canberra in the trailer behind the V8 Superute [made a big difference to the fuel consumption, too!]

Clean site up, using the Hyster and my equally vintage body. And Howard Moffat came along on Friday and in between photos also cleaned up the work site.

Thanks too, to the owners of the carriage in which Mike, David G. and I stayed; you will no longer have a problem with stale beer!

Rumour has it that the sound of a Garratt whistle was heard; but best fact from the week was the spanner in the works!

Pictures will follow.

Gavin is making a new smokebox floor; and at some time we will need another big plate of steel to make a new compressor mount [the stationary conversion took six inches away!]

Another 300 hours [task total 1300]...so we are about 20% into the job.

Next work day is Sunday 19 October..come long.. be part of this fabulous project. 1000-1600; Canberra Railway Museum.

Superweek day 3

Too busy to blog yesterday...
The second milestone for the week...The old boiler is out, thanks to our friends at B&D Cranes and our expert preparation. There was however a spanner in the works, literally.... there was some resistance at the firebox end which turned out to be an 1 1/4" railway fitters spanner that had been dropped down between the outer wrapper and the frame many years ago.

superweek day 1

The first day of superweek is over, and as the sun sets, Gavin has fitted almost all of the backhead fittings to the replacement boiler. Paul Quinn was grinding and drilling out modifications made to the smokebox, and Alan was cutting bits here and there. Berry Peffer spent most of the day undoing the copper lubrication pipes on the engine units, so that they can be annealed. Some cleaning up of the area was done, and that pretty much saw the day out.

Speaking of time..

the official sign-on book shows that in the year we have been at it; about 1000 hours have been recorded.

So a pat on the back for everyone, that is one milestone of several expected this SuperWeek.

where does the time go?

It amazes me how much time can be consumed on seemingly small components. I have spent 20 hours in the last 3 days finishing off the backhead boiler fittings. about half of the time was spent dis-assembling and cleaning the parts in an abrasive blaster, with the balance spent doing local repairs and putting it all back together. Unfortunately some of the valve assemblies may need to be replaced in the near future, as they are near the end of their life.

All the work in the last few days clears the way for the hydostatic test scheduled to occur this week in Canberra. The countdown to superweek is over and starts in the morning. Peter and I will do the 3.5 hour drive to Canberra in the morning with the hydrostatic pump on loan from 3801 limited... Thanks again guys!

If you have a few hours or even a day ot two to spare, come along and join us, there is plenty to do, and you may even get to see an 80 ton crane lift the old boiler from the frames or the official test of the replacement boiler.

Mike

sunday 21st Sept

Workday Sunday 21 September was a perfect Canberra spring day..ideal for the small group of workers to watch 3016 go off to the Bungendore Market day, to watch miniature trains on the CSME minature railway [including a little 73class, and notably a GWR goods train] and to do some much need tidying up of the replacement boiler. Photos show Peter Gleeson and Barry Peffer cleaning up after Alan Gardner has removed even more of the bits and bobs attached for stationary boiler use.

Another photo shows some of the refurbished boiler fittings back in place preparatory to the hydrostatic test.

Whist there were only a few physically present on Sunday; work continues apace..for example Ron Denholm has completed treating the external surfaces of the cab at Eveleigh; and Mike Reynell collected, with thanks to 3801 Limited and our extended family at Eveleigh; the boiler test gear needed for SuperWeek.

a few photos from the past

Here are a few photos of 6029 in the not so distant past, to help spur us along.

Dont forget that the work day is this Sunday, from 10-4, and that everyone is welcome to attend this, or the SUPER-WEEK, Sept 29th - 3rd Oct. Come down for one day or come for the week.

Accomodation is available for those not lucky enough to live in Canberra and there is plenty of work to do. The boiler will be getting its Hydrostatic test during the Super-week, and lots more will be happening as well. Come along and join the fun!













Howard Moffat photo















Dennis Rittson collection















Dennis Rittson collection

Workday Sunday 21 September 2008

Our next workday will be on Sunday 21 September, 1000 till 1600 ish.

A bbq will take place on the famous thirtyclass smokebox plate.

Work will concentrate on getting the replacement boiler ready for its forthcoming hydrostatic test, and painting of the now cleaned rear engine unit will commence [byo 3" paintbrush]

And please remember that our SuperWeek commences on 29 September, in this period we hope to undertake the hydro test and to remove the original boiler from the frame.

work direction for sept/oct

The critical path at present is to continue to prep the boiler for the hydrostatic test and the removal of the old boiler out of the frame. For the next few months work will focus on the following.

New boiler
Tap out and fit all new studs to boiler.
Remove remaining studs on steam manifold
Finish making all gaskets
Fit new studs to steam manifold
Re-pack main steam stop valve
Fit manifold to boiler, use Dixons graphite jointing compound. Leave two ¾ inch lugs off for pressure gauge fittings.
Fit blanking plates to safety valve seats
Fit whistle to boiler with Dixons graphite jointing compound
Anneal copper ring for steam dome
Fit steam dome cover, use Dixons graphite jointing compound
Fit clack valves, use Dixons graphite jointing compound
Fit blanking plate in front tube plate
Fit blowdown valves, use Dixons graphite jointing compound
Anneal Copper pipes for steam end gauge glass fittings to boiler
Fit gauge glass assemblies and steam pipes, use Dixons graphite jointing compound
Fit all wash out plugs, use Dixons jointing compound

New boiler smoke box
Oxy cut out all welded blanks & plugged bolt holes
Oxy cut saw mill bottom exhaust extraction ducting
Flush grind all surfaces to remove remaining welds, including smoke stack and super heater header cover.
Make and temp fit super heater header cover plate
Temp fit smoke stack
Order new smoke box floor
Fit new smoke box floor
Make and weld cut off air compressor mounting plate
Fit mounting plate support brackets
Repair and re fit front plate under door
Repair smoke box door wheel and dart bar
Fit aux mountings for blower, air comp etc
Repair and fit/weld grid brackets

Old boiler
1. Remove remaining saddle bolts
2. Disconnect remaining steam and exhaust bolts under smoke box
3. Survey entire boiler ensuring nothing is still connecting the boiler to the cradle

Other tasks
Continue to steam clean engine units
Strip down of front tank
Clean up site, i.e. collect all serviceable nuts and bolts
Head stocks leading and hind... electric wire brush clean down and under coat
Remove brake stands
Remove rocking grate lever stand
Replace studs on DS steam pipe
Steam clean top of bunker, tool box and under coat
Remove stoker screw and slides

Alan Gardner

Another nice day!

Well the workday is over and it was another good day. Peter organised lunch again, after removing the cylinder clading with Marc's help, and didnt take any home, it was all eaten, yet no one went hungry.

Today we got the hind tank up off the ground so that work can start on repairing the stoker tube, which has suffered from years of exposure to the elements.

Marc continued the steam cleaning, and was cleaning under and around the cab for most of the day.

Work continued with freeing up the old boiler for removal from the frames. The high pressure steam pipe was released from the side of smokebox and has been liberated while the exhaust manifold is now loose and almost ready to lift out. This leaves only the high pressure steam pipe for the front unit to be released from the floor of the smokebox, and two stubborn bolts in the right hand smokebox saddle.

Barry Pffer started a collecion of the scrap metal around the site, and managed to colled a few pounds of corroded and cut nuts and bolts.

We had to new volenteers today, Art O'Brien who spent of the day cleaning up the hind tank, and David Clarke, who had travelled from Cootamundra, was helping Mike with the lifting of the tank and the boiler preparation.

I will post some new pics of the progress shortly, when Howard Moffat, our resident photographer has reviewed his work for the day, and selected a handful for the blog. Its great to have someone keeping a photgraphic record of our work.

Mike

This pic shows a few of the boys waiting for lunch and reading the New Order's First Commandments;-p

Actually Eddie and Andy are reading the nominations for the upcoming election.