News Apr - May 08
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News Apr - May 08
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18/5/08 Ng123 Test Run On Saturday 17/5/08 Ng 123 was lit up and prepared for a test run up the line to WVJ station to ensure all is working correctly. After some minor adjustments at the Mussel Pool depot, Ng123 moved off to Mussel Pool yard and then proceeded to WVJ where it was turned on the turntable before returning after several journeys up and down the Mussel Pool branch, to the depot.
Ng 123 is currently the only steam locomotive operational in W.A.
15/5/08 Ng123 Passed "In Steam" Boiler Inspection On Tuesday 13/05/08 Ng123 was lit up for a visit by our Boiler Inspector. The boiler was certified as fit for use after inspection at 5pm. Shortly after a test run was made down to the Mussel Pool yard before stabling the loco. A good test run will likely occur over this coming weekend to ensure Ng123 is ready for use on Friends of Thomas Day on Sunday 25th of May. Thanks to Jamie, Bob, Neil, Derek and Brian for their efforts this day.
11/5/08 A busy week at BBR this week with members pitching in to get jobs done. Early in the week on the Monday, Simon took delivery of the Perry wheel sets on their return from Gemco. Derek and Neil were out on Tuesday afternoon to meet the boiler inspector for Ng123's "Open Inspection". All went well enabling preparations to be made for what would be a busy Friday night.
On Thursday Planet #2 moved under its own power for the first time at BBR, since being regauged from 3ft 6inch (which it had been converted to by the Boulder Loop Line group), back to its original 2ft gauge. Michael reports that although there is still much to be done with electrical needs, the loco can be operated mechanically. This he duly showed all in attendance on the following Friday evening. Friday afternoon came around and approx 15 members were in attendance to "Box Up" Ng123. Thuis meant fitting the Dome, Manhole cover, all washout plugs, tender manhole covers, gauge glasses and safety valves. The crew worked hard to have the locomotive mostly finished by around 8pm, ready for lighting up the next day and to break for dinner. After dinner loose ends were completed on Ng123 whilst efforts were directed towards refitting more of BT1's boiler cladding.
Saturday was another organised work day primarily to steam test Ng123. About 13 members plus the train crew were on site for the day. Preparations were made to light up 123 after a good shower of rain had passed around 9am. When ready, the fire was lit around 11am. Whilst waiting for pressure to build further work was carried out on BT1 with most of the cladding being added. Once working pressure was achieved on 123, the safety valves were set and inspections made of all other fittings. All went well with only a couple of minor leaks which require attention. Pleasingly, the Dome and the manhole cover had not even a wisp of leaking steam. It is not fun when you have to undo all those bolts and try again. With a successful steam test, Ng123 will now be steamed again on Tuesday where it will undergo its "In Steam" inspection by the boiler inspector. It is quite likely that Ng 123 will then be test run the following weekend.
4/5/08
Sunday 4/05/2008 was a beautiful Autumn day, the pictures above show the 4 coach service train for the day, hauled by PW 27 and the well turned out crew for the day. The Mills family making up 5 out of the 8 members operating the railway, with longstanding members Bob and Richard training new member Ken.
The Friday night crew continue to progress with jobs needing to be done around the depot. Now that the track upgrade is over, we can concentrate on getting some jobs done on the motive power fleet. With FOTTE Day looming fast, there is now a rush on to get NG123 ready for steaming. A cleaning of the loco was done by Liam and his Dad Peter, whilst David checked over the bolts inside the smokebox. Neil and Derek were to be found inside the firebox repositioning the centre brick of the Arch which had been slightly dislodged during last years steam season. Not the easiest job around! Unfortunately BT1 will not make it to Thomas day this May as we are still waiting for return of the wheels from re-profiling, never mind the need to put it all back together. Reconstruction has started though, with Richard and Ross getting the first section of boiler cladding in place. The tanks have been painted and are ready to be installed. All axle boxes have been re-metalled and await fitting to the axles. Meanwhile Michael spent the evening working on some gaskets and other fittings on Planet #2. All of the air line work has now been completed on this loco and even the air whistle works. Now the electrics need to be sorted out and then decisions will need to be made about the cab arrangements and drawgear. Keep up the good work everyone
26/4/08 Today the Western Australian Light Railway Preservation Association celebrates its 32nd Birthday and the Bennett Brook Railway will have been running for 24 years.
Bobs Track Report During the week just gone, the midweek guys cut another 140 sleepers which were required to finish the track upgrade project, stacked them and delivered them on site. In fact there are a further 59 spare sleepers which have been stacked on the track panels near the pit shed entry track. These are however ear-marked for use.
The train crews had fun running different configurations to work around the track crews. We had WVJ - MP; KF - MP, WVJ - Zamia via KF and WVJ - Zamia south. The Skilled Rail crews have all but finished, except for about 100 sleepers which will be done on Monday. The areas not yet completed are :Wig Wag xing to KF, these were missed on the initial drop. (24 sleepers). 3 road WVJ Nth to 2 Trees (top of the grade north of WVJ), 50 woods & 10 steels required. WVJ to Beechboro Rd - 15 woods & 5 steels required. This is the end of this part of the project for Skilled. However they will be back in a few weeks to replace some point timbers at KF west and 2 road south at WVJ . This cannot be done until the sleepers required have been measured and "Tamper Dave" cuts them. Currently the section from Mussel Pool to WVJ has been cleared for track speed of 20kph, however there are still speed restrictions in place on the loop until tamping can take place. This will most likely occur on Wednesdays and Thursdays as these are the days that the mid-week crew are at the railway. The midweek crew have gotten quite good lately at tamping and are happy to continue to do so. A big thankyou must be given to Derek, Bob, Jamie, Tamper Dave, Pommie Dave and all of the Midweek and Friday Night Crews who have worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth completion of the track work project. There is still much to be done though, as now we have to finish the tamping and the clean up of removed timber sleepers. Thank you to all members involved, and a please help out if you can, to any other members, to help finish the clean up.
Parkers Siding Named On Sunday 19/04/08 about 20 BBR members gathered for the monthly General Meeting of the organisation at the Revolutions Museum, Boardroom. After getting the official business completed the meeting adjourned to WVJ station to catch the last train service to Mussel Pool station where the official naming ceremony for "Parkers Siding" took place. The name board was painted and installed by K Wright, and Ross was on hand to receive recognition for his efforts. Parkers Siding is named after long standing BBR member Ross Parker who has done much around the railway over many years. Ross undertook the relocation and construction of the Goods Shed and built the associated track work at Mussel Pool to provide the railway with this most useful facility. After much organisation and sourcing of materials, the project started to take shape during 1995 and was completed in October 1997. Later Ross also restored to working order and installed the 1855 A&J Inglis goods crane on the loading dock at the goods shed. This completed Mussel Pool station, providing the area with an appropriate Goods Shed facility. After the brief ceremony, members took the opportunity to socialise and have a chat with Ross at Mussel Pool and then the group reboarded the train, travelling to WVJ where a sausage sizzle and drinks was held.
The locomotive watering tank project is now going to go ahead as Ross has agreed to manage this project. The tank itself has been in storage at the Mussel Pool depot for some time. Also in storage is a water column which was acquired by the organisation from Gnowangerup in May 1992 along with a tank mounted column from Formby siding. These are hoped to be put into use in conjunction with the water tank.
19/4/08 A busy week has passed at the BBR with the "Skilled Rail" track crew making good progress, replacing all sleepers (approx 400) in the WVJ to Zamia section. A record number of sleepers were replaced on the Tuesday with 182 being recorded as removed and inserted, spiked / clipped. Due to such good progress, it has been decided that the project will be extended for another week and go ahead and hopefully complete the section from Zamia to Kangaroo Flats. Thus a further 380 sleepers were required to be provided for the job. The 150 steel sleepers needed were loaded onto the QBB on Wednesday afternoon and were dropped line side on Thursday morning by the Skilled crew. 230 timber sleepers are needed and so the BBR midweek crew got busy and commenced cutting these to size from the stock pile. By Friday, 150 sleepers had been sorted & sized. These were finished and stacked by the Friday night crew and then loaded onto the QBB for dropping in the Zamia - Kangaroo Flats section on Monday morning. The remaining sleepers are to be cut during the week to come. Add to all of that - the railway has also provided train services every day to the travelling public for the 1st week of the school holiday period. These trains have been operating Mussel Pool to Kangaroo Flats only in "Top and Tail" formation with Wyndham and the Planet #1. With Ashley in use on the works train and Rosalie on the sleeper train, we have had all of our operating diesel motive power in traffic during the week
13/4/08 More Track - A week of track work notes by Bob Baker. Tuesday Tamper Dave and Bob laid ballast from the ballast crossing east of Kangaroo Flats to Kangaroo Flats west points on the main line. On Wednesday and Thursday, Tamper Dave and the midweek crew tamped the line from the ballast crossing east of Kangaroo Flats to Kangaroo Flats west points on the main line. A great effort. Bob had to run the revenue train service on Wed and Thurs as Terry was ill. Thursday morning Barry repaired the air leak in the Planet. On Tuesday the crane broke down on the way up to Kangaroo Flats and on Friday it refused to start. Jamie later repaired the crane Friday Dave and Bob delivered ballast to the loop at Kangaroo Flats. So far an estimated 893 sleepers have been replaced up until Thursday afternoon. Mussel Pool line is completed including tamping; Sleeper replacement completed from the old Ballast Crossing east of Kangaroo Flats thru the rally road Wig Wag crossing, including the Kangaroo Flats Loop. Tamping has been completed between the old Ballast crossing and the Kangaroo Flats main line west points. At Whiteman Village Junction, the yard is complete including tamping. Sleepers have been replaced from WVJ South to part way up the long straight to a short distance beyond the top of Robert's Bank. Next week Skilled will continue south towards Zamia and tamping will begin on the section also. And just for something different - whilst delivering a load of Ballast to Whiteman Junction the truck delivering the load, got itself bogged when venturing a little too far off the dirt track. The photo below was captured by Bob when all assistance was mustered, and a interesting collection of tractors was used to drag the truck out of the dirt.
A further 100 timber sleepers were dropped by the small group of members who showed up for the Friday night crew, from the middle of the S bends through to the Zamia side of the level crossing at Contractors Corner. 30 steel sleepers were also dropped from the top points at the north end of WVJ through to the 2 trees at the top of the grade.
5/4/08 Track Track Track Track work is the current news on the BBR. After a few minor delays, works began on our track upgrade by Skilled Rail Services. Members Bob, Jamie and Dave have been at the railway each working day to ensure a BBR presence, liaise with the work crews, provide drivers for locomotives & provide transport and move equipment, as well as operate the tamper and drop ballast. Gemco "Wyndham" is mostly being used as motive power for the ballast work using the LA hopper wagon and D van to transport tools etc. "Ashley" is being used to move the air compressor "Blowhard" and provide crew transportation with one ADL coach. Blowhard provides the track crew the ability to use air operated tools to make the work easier.
The Mussel Pool to WVJ section has been completed and awaits inspection by the track master to enable lifting of the imposed 10kph speed restriction, to return to line speed. The yard / platform roads at Whiteman Junction are currently almost complete with some ballasting to do. The crew are still at work in the Junction to Kangaroo Flats section.
On Friday evening 4/04/08 the night crew dropped a further 200 steel "Straight" sleepers (those used on the straights) in the southern loop section from the top of Roberts Bank through to Zamia and then beyond to Emu Way. This completes the current drop of steel sleepers with all of the remaining "Curve" sleepers required having been dropped the previous week. We now only need to get the remaining timber sleepers cut and dropped between the S bends and Zamia. Any members not already involved in the track upgrade project are requested to help out even just a little bit to ease the load for some others who are wearing out. A big thank you to all who are involved in this very important project. There is still quite a bit to do so "keep up the good work".
Other jobs done involved further preparation of timber sleeper which were stacked and loaded onto the QBB for next Friday. The work train was also restocked with extra steel & timber sleepers. Ng123 was dragged out of the shed to enable access to BT1's side tanks which are soon to be painted before refitting to the locomotive. The tanks were lifted from the rear of the loco shed and placed outside for loading onto a truck to be taken off site. This also involved relocating the cab. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bennett Brook Railway Webmaster N. Blinco
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