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Steam Incorporated is picking up the pace on restoration of Ab 608 to operational condition. A commitment by the society management to fund the start of major repair work on the locomotive’s boiler signals a new stage in this project.
The locomotive has been completely stripped to its component parts, and many have been repaired or renewed in preparation for the locomotive’s reassembly.
The main frame has been needle-gunned of old paint, dirt and built-up rust, and is now primed and mostly painted in finish black.
Earlier in 2008, the tender frames were taken into the main workshop by mechanical staff member Peter Steer and all running boards, which had earlier been needle-gunned and painted in primer, were fixed in place, then hot-riveted. All brake rigging and fittings were then assembled, overhauled as necessary and fitted, before testing. Other miscellaneous fittings have been restored and fitted, including the tool boxes, jack frames and transition head pocket.
On the tender body, a combination of Huck bolts and hot rivets have been fitted, depending on accessibility. The lat major hurdle is to unite the two halves of the body, which will be hot riveted together. One of the recent major tasks was Huck-bolting the two doubling plates to the bottom which sit on the frame cradles. Once complete, the tender body can be reunited with the frames.
Meanwhile, the tender bogies have been stripped to their component parts, needle gunned and painted and reassembled. All they now need are the wheelsets, which require turning to the correct tyre profile.
On the locomotive itself, work has picked up in recent months, with the boiler removed and placed on accommodation bogies in preparation for the attention of certified welder Alastair Maciver, who has recently been responsible for major boiler work on Silver Stream Railway locomotives.
Alastair began work on the patches in early August, beginning with the large patch to the top outer shell, which includes the safety valve mountings.
With the boiler out of the way, the ashpan was able to be removed. This item is in remarkably good condition – it is not uncommon for them to be completely rusted out and only fit for scrap - and much of it should be able to be repaired and reused. Preparatory work on its repair began in early July.
With the ashpan out of the way, the trailing truck was relatively easy to remove and it now awaits stripping, cleaning and attention as required, while the wheelset will need reprofiling, along with all the others.
Work on rebuilding the cab is near completion, with fitting out the conduit for electrical systems in progress. Woodwork for the windows is complete, off site
Immediate priorities include securing funding for the boiler work and wheel reprofiling. While Steam Incorporated is seeking funding from a range of donor organisations to help with these projects to complete the restoration of this landmark historic locomotive, any financial assistance will be welcome from.
Much of the current work is being financed by hard-earned society money. Donations to these projects are tax-deductable, as Steam Incorporated is a registered charity (#217440). Work under way is budgeted to cost at least $50,000, so donations large or small to aid this nationally important project are welcome.
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Last updated 24 October 2009 - STEAM Incorporated