Eveleigh work days

SFN 2182 overhaul

2011-02-20T23:41:00.000+11:00

During 2011 passenger car SFN2182 has been withdrawn from service and is being overhauled at Eveleigh.

Work has commenced repairing the roof area.

The malthoid covering on the roof was in need of repairs and the end timbers required replacement.

Whilst most of the roof will only require painting some sections had to be removed to repair rotten timbers in the roof.

It soon became obvious that this was not going to be a quick repair job. (Is it ever?)

What started off as a simple job soon became a much bigger than expected task.

The end sections of malthoid were removed to repair the wood work. All metal sections were treated to prevent rust.

A new wooden section will be manufactured and spliced into place before the malthoid material is reapplied.

New wooden mouldings were cut and shaped to the correct roof profile. These sections were primed and reapplied before the malthoid was replaced.

At the same time the removal of body rust began. This project will continue throughout the year and the car will receive a mechanical overhaul during this period. More updates throughout the year.

Spot the difference

2011-02-06T13:07:00.000+11:00

In recent times Railcorp has let a contract to refurbish parts of the interior and exterior of the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh.

During 2011 the exterior of the building will change to resemble the original appearance of the building. Do you see any changes in these images?

Those with an eye for detail will notice that the toilet block on the right hand side of the building is no longer standing. This was a later addition to the building and was recently demolished. In the months ahead new wooden doors made to the original pattern and drawings will replace the corrugated iron doors on all 6 roads.

L516 update

2011-01-09T12:51:00.000+11:00

Whilst we have not been working on L516 in recent times we did take the opportunity to use up some left over paint from the HKB project.

The car has been in painted primer previously.

We decided to use up the remaining paint from the HKB project and painted one half of the car. Steve begins by painting around the timber strips.

Soon the colour begins to cover one end of the carriage.

The buffers were recently removed and replaced as the originals were bent.

Slowly the appearance of the carriage begins to change.

And now to paint around and above the windows.

And continuing along the side until the paint ran out.

We hope to return to working on this carriage during 2011.

Another cab update

2010-12-12T17:04:00.000+11:00

With all the flat sections ready to assemble into a box shape a frame was manufactured to ensure that the cab would be assembled back into the right shape.

The frame was made from RHS and was used to hold the cab panels into the right position.

Both cab sides were held in place and the front spectacle place was able to be bolted into position.

The new metal sections are un-primed unlike the original pieces that are in red primer.

each piece was bolted into place. Eventually the rivet team will come in and replace each bolt with a hot rivet.

The back wall of the cab is reunited with the cab sides.

The cab is now assembled less the roof. Note the new metal section on the left side of the door.

Looking at the back wall from the boiler position.

A look at the other side. Lots of new metal in the back section.

Slowly each rivet hole has a bolt and nut screwed into place to hold the sections together.

A new roof will be manufactured and be fitted soon. Further updates will be posted during 2011.

Cab assembly

2010-11-28T16:56:00.000+11:00

The drivers cab of steam locomotive 6029 has been resident at Eveleigh for some time. In recent months it looked more like something that came out of an IKEA flat pack.

Mike and his team have been reassembling the cab pieces now that all the rusted sections have been replaced.

The new cab sections are bare metal unlike the original primed section.

The plan is to reassemble the cab to one piece read for the hot rivet team to come in and do the final rivet assembly.

The cab consists of two sides, two ands and a roof. Each of those parts has many sub assemblies to be mounted and secured in the right position.

Another piece in the jigsaw puzzle.

Can you recognise any of these bits?

Slowly the cab is beginning to take shape.

Another update on the cab will be posted soon.

Marker lights

2010-11-14T16:39:00.000+11:00

It is time to replace the marker lights on both ends of the HKB.

Each marker lamp was previously overhauled and was ready to be remounted onto the ends of the van.

The backing plates were unfortunately not in a good enough condition to reuse so new backing blocks and plates had to be manufactured.

Each backing block and plate was primed and mounted to the body.

Electric wired were pulled through the block ready to wire into the marker lamps.

Marker lamps were mounted and painted in the final colour.

An end view of the HKB with marker lamps reattached.

Time to paint it (Part 2)

2010-10-31T12:48:00.000+11:00

Another work day and another coat of paint (2nd) is applied to the HKB.

After a light rub back the second coat of paint was applied to the body.

The second coat shows the high level of gloss in the paint.

The paint will now be left for several weeks to harden before a 3rd and final coat is applied.

On the inside

2010-10-03T09:53:00.000+11:00

In recent months Steve has continued to work on the guards vestibule area inside the HKB.

Work is now at an advanced stage with only a few minor touch ups required.

The interior surfaces were sanded back and primed before being repainted into the original NSWGR colours.

One mistake often made by carriage restorers is the colour of ceilings in NSWGR cars. After some research (thanks Davo) we selected the colour “Manila”.

The missing hand brake wheel was replaced and mounted onto the mechanism. The surround box that was missing was also replaced.

We have now commenced painting the exterior. More updates soon.

Patience and Perseverance (part 4)

2010-09-29T09:18:00.000+10:00

The interior of the guards vestibule on the HKB van is progressing.

Painting of interior surfaces is now progressing quickly.

The handbrake wheel surround and gourds equipment boxes have been painted in the original colour.

Many hours of surface preparation has paid off with a mirror finish now being achieved.

Hundreds of hours work have gone into this task.

Slowly the paint goes on and the appearance of this van begins to transform to resemble what it looking like many years ago.

The ceilings and walls look like new.

Doorway surrounds are painted Indian Red prior to refitting the restored doors.

Even the floor surfaces were restored and repainted with a special mix.

Finally the light switches and light shades and vents are replaced.

Soon the doors will go back on and the internal fittings will go back in place.

Doors, doors……………….doors (Part 2)

2010-09-28T09:16:00.000+10:00

A further update on the rebuilding of both guards doors on the HKB van.

After rebuilding both doors they were reassembled and prepared for painting.

Both doors were rubbed back and primed.

The doors were then painted cream on the inside.

And Indian Red on the outside.

The doors are now ready to be installed.

Thomas takes time out

2010-09-27T13:36:00.001+10:00

During his recent visit to Sydney Thomas the Tank Engine took time to visit his friends at Eveleigh.

Thomas was able to spend 3 nights in the safety and comfort of the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh.

It is pleasing to report that Thomas has friends in Sydney that are prepared and able to look after him and provide safe accommodation during his visits.

Thomas was escorted to and from Sydney by his old mate Diesel 4916.

Diesel also took shelter at Eveleigh during the visit. We look forward to seeing Thomas returning to Sydney in the future.

Thomas is always welcome to visit his friends at Eveleigh.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2010-08-22T22:27:00.000+10:00

As the HKB vans nears the stage where we will begin to paint the body exterior we decided to remove the end marker lights and restore them.

Electric marker lights were removed from both ends. A test paint section in the elliptical section of the end has been painted and reveals the final livery for this restoration.

Todd and Brett began to dismantle each marker lamp.

We soon discovered that most of these lamps did not work.

Hardly surprising as the HBK was withdrawn from service in May 1985. (35 years ago)

The decision was to strip each marker lamp down back to basic components and rebuild them to as new condition.

Each lamp body was paint stripped and returned to its cast alloy condition.

All castings were cleaned on a wire wheel.

The glass lenses were removed and will be repaired or replaced.

The right angle mounting brackets required attention also.

The stripped castings were sent off site to Rowling Electrical Engineering Services for specialist attention.

Each lamp was rewired and reassembled.

Each marker light was tested in both the white and red position.

The five marker lamps are now restored and will be reattached to the HKB ends once the body exterior has been repainted.

Todd and Brett have transformed these worn out and damaged marker light fittings back to working condition. A job well done!

Doors, doors………………….doors! (Part 1)

2010-08-08T19:24:00.000+10:00

The decision was taken to remove both doors from the guards section of the HKB as both were worn out and in need of attention.

The doors had not been removed for more than 30 years and took some effort to remove.

Each door had to be dismantled back to the wooden frame and new timber sections were spliced in.

Both doors required extensive repairs to make them serviceable.

The doors were painted in primer and will be fully restored on the floor before being rehung onto the HKB.

The opportunity was taken to replace both drop lights (windows in car builders language) and the new drop lights were painted in primer.

The door lock sections of both doors required extensive surgery to repair damaged wood.

Once painted the doors looked like new. There will be another update on this site about the door restoration soon.

Patience and Perseverance (Part 3)

2010-07-25T19:08:00.000+10:00

You may remember the last update to this story in December last year. The last update is located here.

Whilst there has been no update since late last year Steve has been progressing with the restoration of the guards area within HKB836.

Both doors to the guards compartment were removed and will be restored separately and reapplied once this area is finished.

After consulting master car builder Dave, we decided to use the original NSWGR “Manila” colour on the ceiling.

Many coats of “Buff” paint will need to be applied to restore these well worn surfaces.

Todd assists Steve with the mammoth job in the guards compartment.

Slowly this much neglected brake van begins to look like it once did in the days of the NSWGR. Further updates will be provided on this blog in the coming months.

Guards equipment box

2010-07-11T18:51:00.000+10:00

During the restoration of HKB836 the guards compartment equipment box was found to be broken and in need of attention.

The box was dismantled and rotten wood was replaced.

Each section was painted with primer.

A new bottom rail was applied to the box.

The dismantled box painted in primer awaits painting in the authentic NSWGR brown.

The first layer of brown is applied.

Two Hinges are reapplied.

Each section is repainted and several coats of brown paint are applied.

What seems such a simple thing takes time as each coat of paint must dry before the next coat is applied.

The rebuilt and repainted box is ready to refit in the guards compartment.

Another small job done.

6029 cab update

2010-06-27T18:07:00.000+10:00

Progress continues with the restoration of the drivers cab from locomotive 6029.

During the winter months ARHS ACT members Mike and Mike have been cutting out rusted metal sections and replacing new steel into the cab structure.

It is encouraging to see cooperation and assistance between several preservation societies that have been working along side 3801 Ltd volunteers at Eveleigh.

Perhaps one day the restored locomotive 6029 will visit Eveleigh?

Visitors

2010-06-13T22:15:00.000+10:00

During June we were able to assist to Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway with their recently acquired 73 class locos.

7307 and 7321 were purchased by OTHR in a non operable condition.

Assistance was given to OTHR to reactivate these locomotive prior to moving them on to Tarana.

One important task was to remove the Patrick branding on each locomotive.

Rick works with a hot air gun to remove the decals.

Rick Fletcher stands beside “Rick”.

Time for a break.

Graham Williams put many days working on both 73 class locomotives at Eveleigh during the short visit .

It was a pleasure to assist OTHR during their short stay at Eveleigh. Both locomotives are now in Oberon and will eventually be operating heritage trains. More information about the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway can be found here.

In case of fire

2010-05-23T15:49:00.000+10:00

Recently a training day was held to show volunteers how to use fire extinguisher should the need ever arise.

Several different types of extinguishers were used and the differences for each type were explained.

Orange safety cones were placed on the ground to represent a fire.

All of our carriage attendants were allowed to discharge an extinguisher at the fire.

Extinguishers with water, foam, powder and CO2 were all demonstrated.

Each person was shown how to pull the pin and how to attack the fire

Choose the right extinguisher for the fire.

It is important to train all staff and volunteers to use the right extinguisher in the event of fire.

More visitors

2010-05-16T19:29:00.000+10:00

During May there have been several visitors to the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh.

RTM water gins and VHO van were stabled at Eveleigh between trips.

The VHO is beginning to look in need of some attention to the body.

An interesting feature of this van is the “late letters” slot.

In the days when Mail Trains were operating in NSW letters could be posted immediately prior to the train departure. Note a fee applied.

The recently restored Railway Pay Bus was moved from Central Station to the QR Museum at Ipswich via Eveleigh.

Railcorp staff prepare to move the bus off the concourse at Central onto a NDYF flat wagon. The wagon was then moved to Eveleigh with the Pay Bus on board.

At Eveleigh the Pay Bus was loaded onto a truck that transported the bus to Queensland. The Pay Bus is now on display at the QR Ipswich Museum.

Eveleigh is a very busy place again. There is some talk that Thomas the Tank Engine may visit soon!

Who ever said there was no need to retain the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh?

HKB buffer reassembly Pt 2

2010-04-25T18:57:00.000+10:00

Reassembly of the buffers on HKB836 continues.

Each of the four buffers is assembled and the springs and lock nuts applied behind the headstock.

The buffers are now assembled and await painting.

Steve begins to apply gloss black paint.

Lamp irons have been added to both ends. These fittings allow kerosene tail lamps to hang on the end of the train.

Meanwhile the painter has been busy painting the buffers and headstock.

The opportunity was taken to paint the steps and door edging.

Another big day at the large.

An Old Mate visits the Large

2010-04-11T21:37:00.000+10:00

During early April Railcorp locomotive 4819 was a visitor at Eveleigh was parked at outside the Large Errecting Shop between duties.

Former NSWGR branch line locomotives 4918, 4833 and 4819 parked at the entrance to the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh.

4819 was parked along side our preserved sister locomotive 4833.

In recent years 4819 has been modified by Railcorp for working underground in the Sydney suburban tunnels.

An exhaust scrubber system is fitted to reduce smoke emission.

4819 celebrated it’s 50th anniversary in April 2010. Happy Birthday 4819!

HKB buffer reassembly Pt 1

2010-03-28T22:16:00.000+11:00

Work has continued renewing the life expired wooden blocks that sit between the buffers and the headstock on both ends of the HKB.

The headstocks were stripped back and primed ready for the new buffer blocks.

All the buffer parts were stripped and requalified prior to painting.

New backing blocks were prepared for installation.

The four buffer assemblies were reassembled one by one.

All metal surfaces were painted with metal primer.

The team begin to assemble the left side buffer.

Steve makes final adjustments

Brett tightens the four mounting bolts.

A visitor from Merriwa dropped in to lend a hand.

Another busy day. More updates soon.

6029 Cab restoration

2010-03-16T21:50:00.000+11:00

In recent months Mike and Peter have been dismantling the drivers cab from Beyer Garratt locomotive 6029

The cab was reduced to a kit of parts much like the kit that was delivered to the NSWGR in 1952.

Over the years much of the steel plate forming the cab sides had rested and these damaged sections now need replacement.

One by one the rusted sections are cut out and new sections of plate have been formed to the original shape.

A new roof hatch has been manufactured as the original was beyond repair.

Peter inspects another section of plate that has just been welded into place.

You can follow the rest of the 6029 restoration activity here.

The big lift

2010-02-14T18:20:00.000+11:00

Preserved passenger carriages need to be lifted and bogies removed every 10 years. In 2010 we will be lifting 3 carriages at Eveleigh as part of our planned maintenance program.

The carriage is lifted and placed on purpose built stands and the bogies removed.

The bogies are removed and overhauled. Wheels, axles and bearings are tested and requalified. Pins and bushed are replaced.

Bogie centre castings are crack tested to verify that they are in good condition.

Worn pins and bushes are replaced as part of the bogie overhaul.

The couplers and draft gear is removed and requalified. Worn parts will have to be replaced.

Plunger bars supporting diaphragms are also overhauled.

The overhauled bogie is returned under the carriage ready to reconnect.

The carriage is gently lowered back down onto the bogie.

Just a few more inches!

Time to reconnect the brake rigging.

Time to measure the coupler heights to confirm they are within tolerance.

With the mechanical work completed the carriage is now ready for painting. That’s another story for another day.

Buffers and buffer blocks

2010-01-31T17:51:00.000+11:00

Work on the HKB buffers continues.

Old damaged buffer castings are removed and will be replaced.

The buffer beam is cleaned and painted with primer.

All metal surfaces are cleaned with a needle gun and prepared for painting.

Todd cleans the buffers with a wire wheel ready for painting.

Leon and Brett take time out to inspect the progress.

Happy New Buffer Blocks

2010-01-17T22:14:00.010+11:00

One of the first jobs for 2010 was to remove the buffers from the HKB to replace the wooden backing blocks that had cracked and begun to perish.

One of the buffer shanks was cracked and will be replaced.

The buffers had not been removed for many years and all bolts were rusted solid.
Todd used brute strength the remove the bolts which allowed us to dismantle the buffer assemblies.

New wooden backing blocks have been obtained and will be prepared for fitting at our next work day.

Patience and Perseverance (Part 2)

2009-12-12T21:26:00.005+11:00

After many days of scraping and sanding off the old paint the wooden ceiling and walls were ready for painting.

Two coats of primer were applied to all surfaces by our dedicated volunteer Steve.

The ceilings will soon be painted with 2 coats of gloss enamel “non yellowing white” and the walls will receive 2 coats of NSWGR cream to replicate the original finish.

Patience and Perseverance (Part 1)

2009-11-27T21:07:00.002+11:00

In recent months Steve has been scraping and paint stripping the ceiling in the guards compartment of the HKB van.The original layers of paint were in very poor condition and had to be removed layer by layer.This turned into a longer than expected job but the results should be well worth the effort applied by Steve.

More milestones

2009-10-08T22:00:00.006+11:00

With Eveleigh back on the map as a heritage centre scenes like this with multiple heritage locos from multiple operators "on shed" will hopefully be the norm for many years to come.

Eveleigh Alco hood units paused briefly side by side before the Eveleigh workdays team fitted the 4 8 3 3 with spring packs and diaphrams which will again allow it to be coupled with link fitted heritage rollingstock.

15 years in the planning, the buffers were moved into position.....

...and bolted up ready for the fitting of the plates.

Once in position a needle gunning to remove the many layers of old damaged paint was performed.

Although now again servicable a lick of primer and the top paint coats will pretty up these fittings and support heritage operations for a long time.

Another milestone was the final refit of the "Redfern end" carrier plates to L516.....

..to reinstate the drawgear.

With the path clear the overhauled bogie was pushed under the car....

...and the king and queen castings again mated.

After many hours of work the proud team gather for a group photo and to reflect on their efforts.
Only 1 end to go!

Spring activity

2009-09-19T22:56:00.011+10:00

The day began with steam loco 3265 being towed out front to be prepared by PHM staff for the official launch.

Work under L516 is continuing with the fit up of a battery box. Measurements were taken to ensure correct clearances are achieved.

The battery box frame was assembled under the car however a few problems were encountered.

The battery box we are using was originally from a different carriage and it appears that Richie Brothers used a slightly different mounting arangement.

At the other end Scott, Dave and Patrick were preparing to assemble the belt driven generator.
The brackets are cleaned before mounting.

The support bracket is assembled under the car.

The generator is hung ready to be connected up to the wiring.

Graham continues priming and painting fittings for battery boxes.

Another bracket is painted black.

The guards area in the HKB is also progressing. This week we assembled a surround for the hand brake wheel. The original was missing and a new one was sourced.

The hand brake wheel will be mounted soon.

Meanwhile Steve continued scraping back and sanding the ceiling boards ready for painting. This is a long and tedious job.

The vacuum cleaner comes out at the end of the day to keep the work area clean.

Window jewelry is prepared to go onto new windows being installed in the FS cars.

Who spotted the shiny ring?

Jess and Dave continued replacing old windows throughout the day.

As each window is replace all the window runners and trim is reassembled.

Another one goes in.

And another batch is prepared to be replaced.

Another battery box

2009-09-14T19:26:00.007+10:00

L516 is missing its battery boxes. This car had two 12 cell boxes on each side when built. In recent weeks we have been collecting parts to be able to assemble battery boxes under this car. As we collect each individual part it is needle gunned and cleaned before being primed and painted black.

Graham follows on with a coat of metal primer.

Gloss black paint in applied to all parts prior to assembly.

The frame is assembled to check all sizes and clearances. It will now be dismantled and be reassembled under the carriage.

To be continued next work day

New windows in old carriages

2009-09-14T18:52:00.000+10:00

Several carriages are having their windows replaced at present. The original windows are now more than 30 years old and the timber frames are life expired.

New windows were manufactured by Bob Bennett from Pinnacle Cabinets & Joinery at Molong. The replacement windows incorporate the important inclusion of safety glass.

Felt runners and window latches are recovered from the original frames and reassembled on the new windows prior to refitting the in the carriage.

Two more windows are replaced. Another job well done!

Another big day

2009-08-22T21:25:00.000+10:00

There was much activity at Eveleigh today.

The drawgear carrier plates for L516 were prepared for installation.

After heating in the forge they were shaped to the correct profile.

A correct shape carrier plate ready almost to install.

New battery box lids were manufactured for loco 4464.

Follow the restoration of 4464 here.

The battery box frame for L516 was needle gunned and primed ready to reinstall.

All metal surfaces are painted with primer.

A battery box frame almost ready to assemble.

Another step closer

2009-08-16T21:01:00.003+10:00

The side steps on L516 are being replaced with original steps.
During conversion from TAM502 to L516 in 1978, the side steps were replaced with much larger steps to assist the breakdown gang crews to enter and exit the car from ground level. We have now removed these steps and replaced them with the original type.

Measurements were taken to ensure the correct size steps were applied.

Another job completed.

HKB battery box – Part 2

2009-08-16T20:32:00.007+10:00

The steel frame that supports the missing battery box we are replacing has been carefully reassembled under the van.

This box is diagonally opposite the existing 8 cell box.

The metal frame was painted black prior to the wooden box being bolted in.

A 4 cell wooden battery box was then fitted into the frame and suitable packing timbers manufactured to ensure a good fit. The box was bolted into the frame and now awaits fitting batteries and wiring.

516 Underfame

2009-07-28T20:23:00.005+10:00

In recent weeks the team has been working on the underframe of L516. Old paint and grime are removed using a needle gun.

After each section is thoroughly cleaned the painters follow with a coat of metal primer.

Once the primer has dried a coat of gloss black is applied to the under frame.

More on the inside

2009-07-28T20:00:00.004+10:00

Work continues sanding back the ceiling and walls in the vestibule area of the HKB.

Rotten timber panels above both side doors have been removed and replaced with new wood that was machined to size.

Once the ceiling and walls are sanded back they will be painted in primer.

On the inside

2009-07-14T17:03:00.002+10:00

The guard’s vestibule area has been cleared out and is being prepared for painting.

The ceiling is being stripped back and will be primed prior to being painted in the original colour.

The hand brake mechanism will be serviced and reassembled prior to painting.

Interior markings will be reproduced after the interior has been painted.

Battery boxes

2009-07-14T16:50:00.002+10:00

Whilst inspecting the underframe of the HKB it was noticed that one 4 cell battery box was missing. The team made a list of missing items including the box, support brackets and carrier frame. We have been able to obtain the missing parts and these are now being prepared for installation.

Support brackets and carrier frames are cleaned and primed ready to be reassembled

The brackets will be painted black prior to final assembly.

All NSWGR loco hauled stock used 24 volt DC lighting. Twelve 2 volt battery cells were placed in battery boxes under the carbody and these were charged by a belt driven dynamo.

The large 8 cell box is still under the HKB and this photo shows four battery cells in each half of the box. These 8 batteries are connected in series (8 x 2 = 16V). The new box will have 4 additional cells (4 x 2 = 8V) which will once connected in series give a total 24 volt working voltage.

Black steps

2009-07-14T16:35:00.006+10:00

Work on the HKB continues with all steps now replaced, primed and painted black.

Steve applies the final coat of glass black paint to the steps.

Another task is completed.

A massive attack

2009-07-06T21:01:00.007+10:00

Another cold day greeted the Eveleigh work team but the massive effort from the 20 oldmates that attended ensured that a blistering pace was set and the work list was burnt through in no time.
The HKB had the last of its door windows put back in place with new rubber section

which will keep the drafts out for years to come.

Down stairs the torch team put the top coat on the frame

with a shiny black coat resulting.

Step production continued with more slats

measured, jigged

and screwed in place.

After the BBQ some still had room for a quick tea party and sweetie, good one cupcake!

Deep in discussion others planned strategy.

516's sills received more attention

whilst the bogie brigade did some last minute scrapeing

ready for the painters and primer.

Locos were also targeted by the various teams with the garratt boys attacking the windows

before really getting stuck into the cab sides.

After lots of sparks

the cab now looks like an IKEA product but we're assured that the boys know how to put it back together.

It certainly makes it easier to sweep the cab out!

Inside The 5 9 1 7 Neville continued with his boiler quest

whilst The 4 4 6 4 also received some close inspection from the Lithgow oldmates.

At long last the missing compressor components and doors have arrived for reassembly.

A few toenails were checked during the day as well. The fun just never seems to end......

One step at a time

2009-06-14T18:42:00.010+10:00

Despite the extreme cold weather, work continues at Eveleigh. This week a full set of new wooden steps have been manufactured for HKB813.
All the original wooden steps were rotten and in need of replacement.

The new steps were cut and machined to shape using the woodwork machinery on site. All of the new timber was then primed prior to being fitted back on the carriage.

New step treads have been machined to shape, predrilled and primed ready for fitting to the new steps.

All the step brackets were needle gunned, primed and painted gloss black prior to the new steps being fitted.

A guard’s doorway step fitted without treads applied.

Another step is fitted with the treads screwed into place.

This vehicle is almost ready for painting.

Takin' care of business

2009-06-01T00:00:00.014+10:00

The heritage restoration business is a fun but serious business and one that requires commitment and constant effort to achieve compliance and worthwhile results. The Eveleigh work days team takes its work very seriously and also makes every effort to help others to achieve their goals when they can.
At present the Large erecting shop is the temporary home of visiting locos and carriages from the LVR and works continue to take care of what needs to be done.
This work day saw a few visitors and oldmates combine to continue the repair works on 5917.

The works on the 59 have something for everyone to do from cleaning off the road grime....

... to replacing boiler stays.

After the old stays are cut the "prod" is required to fish out the debris.

These old stays are still in solid condition but are being replaced as part of the maintenance plan and also support detailed inspection works to confirm boiler condition.

The new stays have been manufactered on site at Eveleigh and once screwed into the firebox are "knocked down" to lock them in place.

Using the riveting gun is hard work but these boys have been around many boilers in their time and certainly know the ropes.

While the attraction of big walve steam locos back in the shed has got a few people busy the majority of the team continues on carriages.
Richard has been busy finishing off the wiring runs in L516....

...and is now at the stage where the first terminations are underway with the reinstallation of the corridoor switches.

The HKB body work is teasingly close to completion and this week Bob finished off the guards "crossover doors" with the fitting of the cover trims.....

...the weathproffing of the joints.....

...and a final fill and sand of a few rough patches.

Chris continued on his step replacement with his nuts and bolts approach to the nuts and bolts....

.....and the final painting of primer to the step brackets.

Enjoying a day off from garratt duties Ron the cabin boy defected to Team HKB and finished the body sanding....

...and applied the last of the tinted undercoat.

After lunch Ron also spent some time tidying up gutter strips on the LVR cars with a lick of gloss black.

Until the supply of new windows arrives the rebuilding continues.

Some frames cannot be salvaged but the brasses, some felts and jewellery can.

Slotted head brass screws are also in short supply so those that can be are saved and reused.

Today a look through the square window sees a bear in there.....

...and a Steve as well!

Once rebuilt the windows are given a silky smooth coat of Indian red gloss enamel on the outside and a fresh coat of varnish on the inside.

Another of the defectors, Graham from the Oberon group helps clean the windows up ready to be reinstalled....

..by trimming and scraping the excess paint off the glass.

Then the brasses are cleaned up.....

...and refitted to the side frames.

The brass strips get screwed in place with a felt spacer and guide the free movement of the windows in the carriage window openings.

One more shipment of screws has been received from our UK envoy....

... so they've been used with new felt to provide the tension required to make a free but firm window fit.

With all the refitting done the window sides are given a quick wax....

....and another overhauled window is reinstated. Only a hundred or so more to go......

Steaming along well.

2009-05-23T23:37:00.011+10:00

The sun rose on our latest Eveleigh work day and the Large erecting shop was again a hive of steam, heritage and volunteer activity. With 5 steam locos (plus a garratt cab and BoB remnants) in residence on this day it was hard to believe that not long ago there were plans to bury the past and build a high rise building here!

Visiting RailCorp heritage loco 3642 in steam outside on the apron was not only performing a heritage train operation to Newcastle but it also carried a special headboard as a tribute to steam legend and oldmate Ian Thornton. Well done lads!

With the pig departed the steam action continued inside the large with the Canberra boys busy hotting up 6029's cab roof.....

...and knocking down the bolt heads to convert the cab temporarily to an open top model.

The cab roof hatches allow vital cool air into the hot cab for crews and as they have deteriorated badly during the years of storage they will be remanufactured prior to the cab being reunited with the boiler unit.

Keep up the progress boys and dont forget how it goes back together!

2 other steam locos were also receiving attention with 3237 getting the wash out treatment....

..and 5917 receiving a few new stays. Thanks to Robs excellent machining skills theres no problem supplying the requirements just like has been done at Eveleigh for 120 years.

As usual the P Reynell testimonial lunchtime BBQ & salad bar proved a big hit with the hungry workers and struggled to cope with the demand. Next time we might have to use 2 feeds?

Carriages of course received the majority of attention during the day with the visiting LVR FS cars getting some specialist works completed by the Eveleigh work days volunteers.
Windows are a constant work task and these cars are no exception.

To ensure ongoing safe operations the windows are being inspected and where required removed for adjustment or overhaul.

The cover strips and side runners are removed and all components including the screws carefully placed so none are lost.

Once out the windows are stripped down and repaired as required or replaced as necessary.

Over time many items wear and need replacement including often overlooked details like door felts.

These items may look decorative but they help keep the drafts out, reduce the doors rattling whilst on the move and protect wayward fingers that could get trapped between closing doors.

The felts have a rubber insert and are nailed in place.

Work donwstairs on the HKB accelerated at a great rate thanks to the focussed efforts of a small team. Chris decided to tackle the replacing of the remaining step boards and treads and was soon grinding.....

... and banging.....

...to get the old steps off.

Chris is now sourcing new timber and has started shaping the new steps ready for fitting.

With a clear run at the underframe the dynamic duo of Graham and Ron continued to needle gun the frame and soon had it looking like new.

Graham is one of the stalwart workers on the Oberon Heritage Tourist railway and his efforts to assist at Eveleigh is a greatly appreciated example of inter group support. Ron of course is one of our inspirational oldmates from waaaay back.

Bob followed the boys applying a good coat of primer to the frames....

..and the result speaks for itself.
Thanks all, see you next fortnight.

Its all coming together.

2009-04-14T20:10:00.006+10:00

Another day has dawned at Eveleigh and the significance and usefullness of the Eveleigh heritage precinct is realised again.

Inside the shed the boys made an early start to get 516's bogies stripped back with needle guns.

Not only does the bogie get stripped back to bare metal ready for painting but the bogie can be thoroughly inspected and any defects more easily seen.

To expedite the exacting job of machining yoke bushes, expert help has been brought in.

Rob (not a dentist so we can show his face) made easy work turning up the 2 bushes to the exact size....

.... and then pressed them into the yoke.

Next came the reassembly of the spring pack and welding of pins....

...and the "Redfern end" yoke is ready for reinstallation.

The auto pin (also expertly machined) is trial fitted to complete the job.

After an extended absense on the road, our chief eleco Richard has returned to complete the 516 rewiring task.

Having previously run the main wires, Richard has now commenced terminating and testing the circuits.

Elsewhere in 516, other internal activity is now underway.

Bob has picked out a suitable backboard for the saloon end of the car.....

...and with it mounted on the centre compartment (ex attendants compartment)wall, he and Steve commenced assembling a first class seat module.

With the first squab and back in position, Bogie boy Benson was called in to perform a load test.

Not being able to help themselves, the boys were soon passing up a luggage rack selected from stock....

...and had it screwed and mounted in no time.

Work also continued on the final preparation of historic HKB 836 which is now even closer to completion.

With preparations for the Mateland SteamFest in full swing all efforts were turned to reinstalling the generator after lunch.
The first task was to remount the insulation and cabinet panels.....

...and make sure the gen would fit back under cleanly.

Our hand model demonstrates a recent hatch mod, complete with one of his mums kitchen drawer handles.

After some groaning and gentle pursuasion the gen is back in place....

...and the filters replaced to finally complete the works.

With a thorough inspection and full service this job definitely has a happy ending in time for the big trip north.

Catch up time

2009-03-31T22:47:00.011+11:00

Its been a while between drinks (particularly in the ABN) and despite a range of distractions and other projects in many areas, good progress continues thanks to the efforts of the Eveleigh work day team.
Since our last look inside the shed the HKB has gone pink. The use of tinted undercoats is a long standing railway tradition used to help provide a good final coat so with the final stages of the HKB's body overhaul getting close, the first coloured coat has been applied.

Theres still a few niggly dents and scratches to tidy up so some putty freckles have reappeared.

Inside the boys continue their works to make the doors run smooth like they never have before......

....while Steve having finished his external patches is now replacing some damaged internal timbers.

Project 516 has also been the recipient of some rekindled works with missing sill replacement underway.

The new sill has the recesses cut out with multiple saw cuts and then the "fingers" snapped out.

A clean up of the edges and an overall sand follows,

....and the sill is then test fitted in place.

Work on the compartments has also recommenced with the bedding stripped for stuffing and new trim. This involves the removal of many securing tacks....

...to remove the precious green vinyl cover....

.....and reveal the inner lining.

The compartment floors are also receiving new masonite base sheets......

...prior to their covering with new lino.

Thanks to many individual efforts over many weeks the ceilings can now receive their coat of gloss "Manilla" enamel.....

...and the light fittings and vents reinstalled.

The windows have also had their polished tracks and catches reinstated......

....and the sills finished off with a hard setting coat of brilliant Bristol enamel.

Preparation of the ABN for its next outing has also seen Shamus continue with the overhaul of the generator....

...and even Mr S Tinger sacrificed one of his last days of freedom to help adjust the clapper switches.

Lunch time saw a gathering of oldmates and lit candles to celebrate the 45th anniversary of our oldmate Bob who announced to all that he couldnt believe that his 29 years of railway restoration activities had passed so quickly. Congratulations oldmate, lets hope you get to enjoy many more at Eveleigh.

Down the back of the shed the father & son reinforced articulated team started trial fitting of the gutter strips....

...and spectacle plate section to the cab.

Not being shy types, the boys soon had the new rolled cab boiler angle being fitted.....

...cut.....

...drilled....

.... and bolted in place.

Canberra escapee Mike has also now become a team fixture and continued the clean up works to get all the components ready for final placement.

Prior to "gluing" the new metal in place a survey of the cab was performed and some ingenious but simple methods used to get the cab squarely in place.

The missing lower door and step plate were reunited briefly to check all was well....

...and then a new section of frame angle welded in.

After a quick grind.....

...and a lick of primer its on to the next job(s).

In the News.....

2009-02-14T17:28:00.002+11:00

The recent article below is from the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader and highlights the efforts of our father and 2 son volunteer team at the Eveleigh work days.
The "Rowlings" who share a passion for rail heritage restoration have an unblemished attendance record at our Eveleigh workdays and have become leaders in our work team with Dad Steve passing on his meticulos wood working skills to sons Todd & Brett.
A great example of the passing on of traditional skills to future generations and how we can help secure our heritage for the future.

Oldmates West - The Cowra Road trip

2009-02-10T00:13:00.005+11:00

For a change in scenery and to help out our oldmates at the Lachlan Valley railway, the Eveleigh oldmates headed west to Cowra for a weekend of boiler, carriage repair and social activities. Despite the temperature hovering in the low 40's day and night, much progress was made and we suspect a good time was had by all.

Here we see part of the boiler brigade who worked with the LVR team to remove and fit boiler tubes to The 5 9 1 7 steam locomotive......

...whilst over in the carriage shed father and son Steve & Todd carried out repairs to internal car fittings.

Another team worked on sealing the carriage roofs ready for another year of operations.

All in all a satisfying weekend away and a great example of oldmates working together.

Hot progress.

2009-02-01T01:03:00.012+11:00

The traditional end of year "shut down" period may be a hot time to work but its the time where routine maintenance tasks and other works can be completed with minimal disruption to services.
This year our crewvan, ABN 2194 is the target of works to ensure see that it continues to give sterling service for our oldmates during those long days out on the road. A good crew van certainly makes a difference!

The 240V generator has been removed to check water leaks and basicly receive a tone up. Whilst out the boys ponder the task ahead and consider improvements that can be implemented.

With the water pump off a check is made to ensure all looks good before reassembly.

The roof of the ABN also received some attention with minor roof repairs and a fresh coat of silver applied.Some old and new hands made light work of the task first "blackjacking" the joints....

...and soon had the silver coat applied....

....and ready for another years work.

Further over the HKB progress continued......

....with Steve sanding and finishing the trim to ensure a first class finish.

The protective metal corner strips were rusted and beyond salvaging.......

so new plates were ordered (thanks Ian), primed....

...drilled and countersunk......

...and then fitted into place. Brendon has been nominated for Apprentice of the year and his work clearly shows why.

A final external primer coat sees another job well done.

The treads on the door steps have also begun to be replaced.

Next on the list were door repairs. Bob was curious as to why the guards door was bulging......

....so the internal lining was removed.....

...and the 30 year secret revealed. A combination of newspapers, timesheets and departmental envelopes dating back to 1979 were found in the bottom having rattled in after being used to try and wedge the loose door window shut.

To finish the job a new door catch was also installed.

In the luggage area Todd and Brendon decided they'd get into the door act as well and having adjusted the big door runners which had dropped, these doors now run so freely no guard would recognise them.

The welcome lunch break was this week prepared by Bob on the BBQ......

...and Steve on the Bweadwolls. A welcome break from the heat of activity.

After lunch the 516 team continued the door theme sanding the new vestibule doors...

...and applying a sealing primer coat.

A few feet away the final movements saw the last bogie spring back in position.....

....keenly watched by other team members.

Previously the buffers were removed from 516 but to provide marshalling flexibility and a smoother ride are being reinstated.

Finished dooring, the team position the new buffer....

...and with a coordinated push and spring fit place them in position.

Underneath Bob fits the retaining nuts....

...and then sweats out the lunchtime drink while tightening them up.

Down the back of the shed the garratt cab is looking good.

Ron returned to finish his cab cleaning and priming works....

...and now the painting is done the fitting of replacement parts can be commenced.

Thanks again to our oldmate Ian, the metal parts have been manufactered exactly to order. The new cab barrel angle is ready for marking out and drilling......

.... and will be fitted along with the new spectacle plate section.

The lower sections of the cab walls have some significant wasteage so new sections have been folded to be "glued" in as well as new gutter sections.

Back to business.

2009-01-18T23:50:00.012+11:00

Heritage restoration has started at the Large for another year with the old team, plus some new faces, getting back to work on January 17.

The bogie team is tantilisingly close to having the first bogie ready to go back under L516....

...with the springs being in place and the bolster trial fitted.

The white spots tell the story of the many pins and bushes changed.....

...but theres still a few tidy up jobs to do.

The collection of pins are lined up for comparison of sizing and as trophies of the job.

To get a "showroom" finish on the HKB, half the team spent the day bogging....

and sanding the many small gaps and gouges.

The final strips were also packed with malthoid to even out and seal behind the strips...

and the last handrails screwed back in place.

Part of the crew also returned to the 516 body project and finished off the works on the recanvased canopy. A mix of Navy dressing was prepared...

and with the aluminium cover strip and ventilator mounted....

..the whole canopy was given another water proof coat.

For the first time in a long time lights could be seen illuminating the interior of L516.

A closer inspection found Steve & Bob closing the car ends by rehanging doors.

The interior of the car ends have suffered from modifications and the original doors were not in place.

The doors repaired during late last year were finally hung....

...with new hinges being screwed in place.

Its good to finally have the car back to lock up stage.

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T14:41:00.001+11:00

On the last work day for 2008 we replaced the missing window in the sliding door. After several attempts the glass was fitted to the rubber using the correct tools. Another job done.

Ending the year on a positive note, the van is now fully painted in white primer. Additional fittings will be added and final painting will be done during 2009.

Continuing the tradition.

2008-12-21T09:17:00.011+11:00

Restoration works at Eveleigh continue to proceed at a great pace using many volunteer "new hands" and some new materials, but still using traditional methods and machinery.
Thanks to the establishment of its own timber working machinery, (which was rescued from scrapping at another railway workshop many years ago by 3801 Ltd) the Large Erecting Shop facility is still a working example of how the railways conducted most of their overhaul and repair business ïn house".
This capability allows the Eveleigh workdays team to produce the essential (and often expensive to purchase) timber mouldings, strips and components for the restoration of its own and other restoration projects. Many of the items required to restore these heritage vehicles simply cant be bought but we can make them!
All you need is the timber to start with....

After checking for nails and any other foreign objects the timber is first passed through the planner to provide a consistent side to work off.

Then the thicknesser is used to reduce the timber to the required size.

Beautifully finished timber ready for cutting timber flows out the other end.

Cutting timber of this size and length requires a serious saw.

Brute force is also required to pull and safely push the timber through to cut it down.

To tidy up and bevel the edges the good old hand plane gets a run....

...and then a quick hand sand removes any remaining "dags".

The end result is another bundle of quality machined timber prepared inhouse and under the time it would take to drive to Bunnings - even if you could buy the right material!

To prepare the strip for fitting the young hands apply their painting skills.

The panels and ends of the HKB are made up of several timber panels so cover strips were used to help weather proof the joins.
The strips machined and painted earlier in the day are measured, cut and fixed in position.

Because the strips are made of hardwood, the nail holes are pre drilled to prevent splitting and then the nail heads punched and puttied to provide a smooth finish.

Another panel is finished!

The strips adjacent to the mail doors are metal to provide additional strength to the door framing. These have been removed, cleaned, painted and refitted.

The main door strips are bolted in place through the body to the internal metal angle framing.

Metal plates were also applied adjacent to the bottom door frame corners to minimise body damage from platform trolleys. Water ingress has resulted in these rusting from the inside so they have been removed and replaced.

Some of the corner roof moulding have also become cracked or damaged so new pieces are hand crafted and screwed in place.

With the metal work off the main body panels were found to be in excellent condition and only required a quick clean up with the sander.

The body has also received an initial spot prime to seal the screw heads and minor cracks and then the whole side rolled with a thick coat of primer ready for final sanding and painting.

The 516 bogie team continued on replacing those hard to get at final pins.

The positions required to repair these bogies could certainly not be called ergonomic!

After consultation on the rating requirements for shear forces the centre casting has been bolted up using high tensile bolts.

The brake cylinder has also received the attention of the fitters.

After removal the piston was striped and cleaned....
...ready for a new "leather" seal to be fitted.

A new triple vale (CAR - Charges, Applies and Releases the brakes) has also be fitted to make sure the car not only runs well but also stops!

With our steam friend The 5 9 1 7 still in the shed many hands were occupied with its preparation for its final run of 2008 the next day.

The 4 5 0 1, still grubby from its steam assistant duties earlier in the week, was used to position the 59 for coaling outside the magnificaent facade of the Large Erecting Shop.

Nick the coalman has been a great supporter of Eveleigh steam operations over many years and again came to the party with the delivery of another load of "black rocks". These ones came from Werris Creek.

The end of another successful Eveleigh work day sees much progress, the fire burning and steam slowly being raised.

Steamy days

2008-12-07T21:41:00.009+11:00

The Eveleigh work days just get bigger and bigger with more work, more oldmates and more feeds happening in the shed.
With the arrival of summer and new visitors, the days are now much longer and steamier than experienced for a long time so 3 meals to keep the troops going are the order of the day.

The apprentice cook started the day with a good helping of various animals dished up ABN style and provided much needed energy to get the oldmates on the job.

First task was to finish the 516 spring ordeal.....

....and with some jacking and banging another job was completed.

Over on the HKB Steve continued his repair works routing an exact edge to butt the patch.

This van seems to have suffered many hits and bangs over the years and thanks to sound repairs like this she's now well prepared for many more runs in the future.

With the sides tidied the cover strips are now going on.

The door handrails sit on top of the strips so the holes are drilled.....

...and the long screws waxed and screwed in to firmly hold them in place.

Last the strips are trimmed off flush with the bottom of the car sides....

....and everything given a good coat of primer.

After lunch the group gathered to help support our oldmate Keg with his "Movember" fundraising effort. During "Movember" Keg joined the ranks of those growing Mo's to raise funds for research of various mens illnesses. Our Eveleigh oldmates donned fake Mo's to support Kegs effort and through their donations additional funds were raised.

Some of the resulting looks wernt that convincing.....

....and some looked downright suspect....

...but everyone had a giggle, albeit briefly for some that had trouble sticking the distance.

The steamy side of the day saw much attention turned to preparing 5917 for her run the next day.

During the week a run of new fire bricks had been started with a new mould constructed to finally make the right bricks available.

Out on the wood heap Chris started breaking up the light up material....

......and after many trips a steady fire was burning nicely and steam raised slowly.

Everyone wanted the engine to look its best so out came the cleaners.
First the tender was washed of grime to show the excellent paint finish applied at Cowra....

...and then the boys did the same on the bolier.

With steam being raised attention turned to more tidy up jobs.

Having been steam cleaned the driving wheels received a fresh coat of black...

...and the rods polished to show off their length.

The bro's and Jess put in a big effort all round....

...and the results speak for themselves.

After a quick inspection underneath everything was ready for a day out on the road.

2 years may have passed since the 3 8 0 1 left the building but steam, skills and oldmates are still alive and strong at Eveleigh, just the way its been for 120 years.

All over the shop!

2008-11-20T22:23:00.011+11:00

Another day has dawned and concluded in the Eveleigh Large Erecting Shop and again much progress achieved to safeguard the future of rail heritage rollingstock.
The HKB mail van holds a soft spot in the hearts of many oldmates and works continue on its restoration at a pleasing pace.

Previous attempts to do something with this vehicle have seen the outside modified and stripped of many parts and these are being slowly reassembled for display and/or use.

Holes bored in the panels have been plugged....

...and sanded to restore the smooth outer sheeting.

Some drips from the over zealous efforts of the roofing team have also been removed and more of the sides sealed with a good cover of undercoat.

Detection of foreign metal objects in the new cover strip material continues to occupy our helpers time...

....whilst the jointed areas are prepared for their application.

Work on the corner posts has again been tackled by Steve...

... who is certainly the right man to fit a square block into a rounded requirement.

These shots show the results of Steves methodical works using the traditional repair methods.

Nearby the L516 bogie team received some guidance from tradesman Ziggy.

During the day the bush repairs continued...

...and the final spring was removed.

With the spring out a clean and inspection was conducted and its now ready for installation at the next working bee.

Over the back, Rons cab works have continued to dismantle the components that have passed their "useby date" and....

...and in some cases have completely rusted through.

Items that can be used are assembled for cleaning, straightening and painting.

Works have also moved "inside" with the inner walls and roof being stripped and painted.

Mark has now become our regular "man in the buffet" and does a great job keeping the hungry workers feed.

Over on 1 sheds the new steam department also started its work activities doing some minor maintenance tasks on visiting loco 5917.

LVR Maintenance oldmate John Mackie is seen here taking a short pause between jobs.

The silver roof fetish also continued with the MBR car receiving the clean, patch and paint treatment. The MBR is a RailCorp core collection heritage car which is used as the buffet car for the Cockatoo Run.
Hopefully it will continue to run in the 3801 Ltd fleet for a long time but wherever it ends up, at least we know its been looked after!

After a day of hard work, the MBR again sparkles in the shed.

No sooner had the roof been finished but carriage volunteer Tony was busy polishing the handrails ready for its outing on the Camp Quality charity Cockatoo run trip.

Next day a special line up headed the Cockatoo run through Heathcote....

With a sleak silver tail training behind.

Silver is the new black.

2008-11-02T16:06:00.007+11:00

Another Eveleigh workday has passed and the production rate continues to rise impressively thanks to the determined efforts of our volunteers.
A look in the "steam department" found Ron hard at work as usual.

This week he finished the external priming of the garratt cab..

..and the removal of the items deemed as unsaveable commenced.

An order has been placed for special sections to be rolled, folded and cut to allow the reassembly to commence following the original design.
The cab roof hatches will be next but they are certainly not an open and shut case!

Over on 5 sheds Neville continued his refurb program on the redfern end bogie of L516. This weeks activity was to replace the rubber "donuts" under the coil springs.

This before and after pic shows what a hard life of express passenger train running does.

With the new donuts in place there should be smoother rides ahead in this sleeper.

Unfortunately not everything easily unscrews or taps off when working on these old cars so occassionally some extra assistance is required.

Visiting oldmate Rob made short work of some stubborn pins and bushes with the hot spanner.

Further down the road some impressive progress was made on HKB 836 with the missing handrails found and put back in place. Its amazing how a small detail like this can transform the look of a carriage.

Of course the ongoing task of body repair and preparation continues with sanding, sanding and more sanding completed.

Lunchtime saw 18 hungry mouths line up to the sausage sizzle and salad bar and it was proved that volunteers have no lesser appetite than paid staff. The inclusion of beetroot on the menu continues to receive favourable comments as was the addition of an afternoon watermelon break to quench the dry mouths!
A close inspection of this pic will show the "diesel doctors" taking a well earned break, the only time they stopped all day!

One of the big tasks of the day was to freshen up some roofs on the running fleet to prepare them for the long summer ahead. Its vital that carriage roofs be regularly maintained to ensure that they are sound and water tight. The results of a roof leaking are obviously detrimental to passengers but seeping water can quickly cause unseen and potentially terminal damage to a carriage.
To ensure that the carriage paintwork and windows are not affected by the work up top the sides are covered with sheets.

This may look like a hospital ward but the sheets will ensure that there is no additional treatments required by catching any drips.

Over time its inevitable that a carriage roof will deteriorate due to its exposure to elements like water, heat and foreign objects. When small problems appear its best to patch them quickly to try and stop the problem becoming a major job.

With the problem areas cut back a similar size patch is cut by "Malthoid Man"....

...and once tacked in place, is sealed up with good coat of bitumous paint by "Blackjack girl".

A final coat of silver roofing paint not only makes the roofs look good it provides an additional waterproof seal and also reflects the heat of the sun on hot days.

A good coat of silver is brushed on and around the roof "jewellery" to get a consistent thick coat...

...and then the same applied right down to the gutter strip.

At the end of the day the visual production is stunning....

...but more importantly a carriage can be sent back into service knowing that it is again protected from the elements and will provide good service.

Silver roofs are definitely back in vouge at Eveleigh, until a steam engine comes along that is........

Grind, weld, cut, screw & paint - something for everyone!

2008-10-25T20:24:00.008+11:00

Our Eveleigh projects are making good progress and our last work day had activities of all types underway.
Work to get L516 back on its bogies continues with our western workers attending to the underframe grinding and weld repairs.

These types of jobs can be long and often lonely but is it any wonder when you have to don this type of apparel!

Some wag has kindly provided some instructions to guide our bogie handling and the search has commenced for a "12 inch to the foot" compatible coupler.

A yankee made a brief appearance again to assist with the replacement of broken screws....

...but most of the bogie work focussed on pin and bush replacement.....again!

Carefully the bushes are "nicked"....

...but thats where the delicate touch finishes. Brute force is required to knock the worn bushes out.....

...with another bush used to help drive it through.

The attack on the historic HKB also continued including the machining of new cover strips to replace those that are missing.
Prior to machining old timber its important to check for anything metallic that could damage the expensive cutting blades. With the aid of a metal detector any screws or nails are quickly found and marked for removal or to plan cuts.

After a few cuts and a pass through the thicknesser the old timber is transferred into perfect moulding.

A quick coat of paint is then all thats needed to get it ready for attachment - thanks Jack.

Having previously hung the new malthoid roof covering....

...the team returned to finish the reroofing task.

The excess malthoid was first roughly trimmed to allow alignment with the gutter strip.....

..and then the over door drain strips reattached.

The HKB has 6 doors so several hundreds screws later another part is complete - all brass and headed of course!

Next to reapply was the aluminium cover strip which holds the bottom edge of the malthoid on the gutter strip down each side of the van.

The malthoid is also held in place at each van end by a cover strip over the top.

With all screws tight, the malthoid was neatly trimmed to the bottom edge of the cover strip.

The previously painted ventilators were secured in place over the vent openings with an extra "lick" of blackjack underneath and around the edges to ensure a good weatherproof seal.

The butted joints between the malthoid sheets were also treated to get the best seal.

The job was finished with two coats of roof silver being applied and the HKB is now water proof for the first time in many years.
Good work gang!

Elsewhere in the shed Ron continued his cab crusade but thats another story......

Birthday bash

2008-09-26T22:35:00.008+10:00

September has always been a time for NSW railway and oldmate celebrations but this year has seen even more reason to rejoice having now passed the one year milestone of our regular Eveleigh oldmate work days.
There may not have been candles on site but there was plenty of flame as the garratt cab works entered the next phase with the dismantling of some components earmarked for straightening, modification or replacement.
Here we see work underway on the "undoing" of bolts to allow the removal of rusted angle and spectacle sections from the front of the cab.

Is this the real Darth Dibnah?

Ron got into the party spirit early in the day and prepares to finish the job he started with needle gun in hand.

Ron also removed the shelving from the rear of the cab. Long range planning is already underway for the installation of respirator and train radio equipment in this area, secure and out of the elements. There wont be any unsightly extra boxes sticking up on this engine!

Canberraite Mike also came in to join the celebration and pick up the hydrostatic test pump in preparation for "Superweek" at ARHS Canberra. Commencing on September 29, the Project 6029 guys plan to have a week long working bee to prepare their replacement boiler for testing. If you want to join in the fun, give them a call. Good luck guys!

This pump is solidly constucted using former locomotive air compresssor components and proved to be a "good" load for Mikes trailer.

Elsewhere in the shed the work and celebrations were also underway. Here we see Jess momentarily left to do the dirty work on the bogies.

This week the springs were removed to allow further bogie checks to be made.

Once everything is given the "OK" we can put it back together.

With a dramatic improvement on recent work day weather, the day passed quickly and soon the team was preparing for a party lunch - including salad!
Gary manned the BBQ...

...whilst the others chopped and buttered.

In honour of the occasion, birthday girl Jess quickly cut (and demolished) the special "516" cake....

.....and a quick group photo was taken.

Well done all that have helped during the last year and thanks for your wonderful efforts. Lets hope the next 12 months is as rewarding and as much fun as our first.
Getting back to work was delayed by Jess serving up to the waiting sweet tooths.

Outside The 4 5 0 1 was already in party mode ready to haul the 75th anniversary tour west for the ARHS the next day.

Unfortunately not all oldmates could be present to celebrate our 1st anniversary and many congratulatory best wishes were received from oldmates far and wide.
Out west, some young oldmates gathered with a familiar friend to celebrate....

...while another attempted a "personal best" in recognition of our milestone.

Further afield it appears the celebrations might have extended to further extremes than elsewhere.

We understand that no one was injured in the participation of this event as the participants are all professional uber wags!

Congratulations to all celebrating birthdays at this time. Lets hope that we oldmates can continue to celebrate together for many years to come and that those that have already passed are never forgotten.

Goooooooooooodmaaaaaaaaaaates!

Cold days, hot progress!

2008-09-15T22:55:00.011+10:00

The temperature may be cold, the shed dark and the winds blowing a gale but the works progress at Eveleigh is nothing short of hot.

The restoration of Mail Van HKB has already become a favourite of a few volunteers and the tasks are being completed at a great rate.
Previous attacks on this car saw several modifications commenced and to ensure the van is restored in an appropriate configuration, these items are now being removed.
Steve started the last working day by removing a partially installed side lamp enclosure.

To plug the hole which had been cut into the side, timber was cut to form a frame...

....a frame formed.....

.. a piece of ply rough cut to form the filler....

...and the hole routed square.

With the "plug hole" ready....

....the "plug" was screwed and expoxyed in place.

Up top the reroofing continues with a thick coat of blackjack applied to the roof boards to reseal them.

Then the malthoid roof skin is tacked down.....

...and the joints given an extra seal coat of the blackjack.

Like 516, the torpedo vents have been cleaned and repainted.

If anyone has access to the railway store catalog the MI number for new ones is 23815038.

Project 516 is also rolling along nicely with the bogie brigade working well.

One by one the rods, hangers and rigging are being checked....

...The pins knocked out....

... the worn bushes cut....

.... knocked out...

....the holes dressed....

...and the worn pins replaced as well.

When each one is finished its sprayed to indicate and track the progress.

With the bogie out inspection works have started on the underframe and here we see the first centre casting on the bench under the watchful eyes of our "senior" staff.

Down the back the garratt cab cleaning job has almost been finished by Ron...

...whilst at the Erko end the real fitter has hooked up 4464's fast coupling.

The other loco lads have also been busy replacing the spring pack and refitting 4464's diaphram plate.

Stay tuned, the progress is only going to heat up!

Roof rebuild (Part 1)

2008-08-30T15:15:00.012+10:00

With the recent success our restoration team has had repairing the roof on L516 we have taken on the task of rebuilding the roof on HKB836. Last year two of our volunteer commenced working on the roof of this van however it was not placed in the work area and only limited work could done at that time. With L516 moved out of the restoration bay to allow it’s bogies to be removed and refurbished we have moved the HKB into the restoration area and recommenced the task of rebuilding the roof. Over the years the original roof covering has worn away and the areas around the roof vents have suffered from rot. At some point the original roof boards were cut out around the affected areas and replaced with plywood panels. Of the ten plywood panels in the roof , nine were rotten and in need of replacement. Each panel was different in size and all had to be made to fit individually.

A roof vent that was removed with the rotten panel attached. The plywood base panel is affected by wood rot and requires replacement.

New panels are cut to size.

The ventilator hole is cut into the panel.

This is the only original panel that was not damaged and has been retained.

A new panel is applied with Duraseal coating to protect the wood.

Only original brass slotted screws are used and the slots aligned with the timber grain.

Another panel is replaced and the roof surface is now ready for coating.

A heavy coating of Duraseal is applied in preparation for the new malthoid roof.

The roof is now ready to receive new malthoid sheets.
To be continued .....................................

Brakevan Blitz

2008-08-29T21:49:00.000+10:00

HKB 836 was built by Eveleigh carriage works in 1912. Originally coded KB, it was one of two bulk mail vans built to carry increasing quantities of english mail throughout NSW. To complement the operation of mail sorting vans on overnight mail trains, the vehicles were fitted with end doorways between 1915 and 1924 and when their use for mail duties was no longer required they were fitted with guards accommodation and reclassified as HKB in 1942.
HKB 836's last years in regular use saw it frequently heading to Newcastle on the early morning "paper train".
HKB 836 has been recognised as being of state historical significance and the project teams hopes that it will soon be transformed into a condition that its Eveleigh creators would be proud of and one that will continue the tradition of Eveleighs fine carriage works.

With faded paint and smashed glass HKB 836 faces an uncertain future in Sydney yard in the late 1980's.

HKB 836 retained its navy dressing and canvas roof throughout its career but sadly it is now well beyond salvaging.

Although lifting and cracked, the original roof covering was still well bonded in places and its removal is a time consuming process. The work continues to clean the roof back to the bitumen sealed roof boards.

In later years of service many of the vans early features were changed with new style "duckets" installed and the tongue and grooved timber replaced.

Work has started on replacement and rust treatment of screws where necessary and the screw heads sealed. Soon the body will be sanded and the L7's will be gone.

During its years in storage the HKB has unfortunately been the target of some experimental restoration works and the results of these efforts are now being removed. TEK screws and heritage rolling stock definitely dont mix!

As each sheet is preped and sanded a sealer undercoat is being applied. This also reveals areas where additional work is required.