Carriages Sold

The TRAK committee recently announced that they have disposed of all the carriage stock that TRAK had previously collected. There were many reasons behind this decision but the uncertainty of the future of the association was the driving reason.

The small van had already been donated to the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway. BL361 was purchased by a private buyer in the local area. The other cars have been sold to Australian Train Movers. As ATM is a dealer in railway rollingstock it is understood that they will be are available for sale.

Under Inspection

Yesterday started cold but sunny, this was one day we would have liked to be working on the sunny side of the carriage. Alan and Justin arrived early and got stuck into finishing the side. While all panels had been attached most only had a few screws. Alan had obtained longer screws which gave a better grip in the poorer timber. They proceeded to add extra screws to each panel, replacing some but not all of the shorter ones in the process.

Kevin arrived to find the end of the car was still damp. Timber dries slowly on these cold mornings particularly when the sun doesn't touch it. He dried where he could so he could continue with the undercoating and painting the headstock. He was able to attach the buffer and cover later in the day.

When Jim arrived he prepared the table area for lunch after giving everyone the news we were expecting guests. Paul arrived later loaded with sufficient food for everyone.

When Justin and Alan finished adding screws and after a cuppa, Alan and Jim applied a little undercoat to all areas where bare timber had been exposed. By this time Paul had the BBQ alight and was preparing lunch.

We have fortunate to have a former carriage works expert available to us to advise and assist us. Wayne visits us occasionally and is always welcome. Today he brought his former boss Bill and a couple more of his mates. They had a good look around and then joined us for lunch. Over lunch we discussed our plans as well as getting some good feedback.

When the food was gone Bill and Wayne continued their look around passing on valuable information as they went. The van was opened for inspection and to pack away a few things from the exhibition. We discovered a broken rope on 683 so Alan and Jim replaced it.

After our guests departed we finished cleaning up the site and headed off home. An interesting and fruitful day.

As always click on the pictures for a larger view and then are other images in the gallery. Over 120 photos are there now, click on the link on the top left.

Working for Our Lunch

We finally got to mow the grass around the carriages yesterday. Although it was only thin, spindly growth it was getting long so it was mowed down. Kevin and Alan got there early and got stuck in. When Paul and Jim arrived they gave a hand with the mowing and moved some fallen branches. It was all done in time for morning tea.

Kevin refilled the water tank too. So now there is water for the basin again. This was put to good use when we started cleaning the Heritage items. Most things were dusted or brushed. Paul started washing down the signs and got most done.

The stretchers were taken out in the sun and brushed to remove the worst of the dust. A couple of them felt a little damp after the wet week we have been fortunate to have so it was decided to move them to the van. They were all examined and it was realised one was different from the others. It is believed it is the most original having Tarpaulin Factory stamps and red handles. The others have green handles and on a couple it is apparent they were originally red. One is in poor condition with the canvas torn and paint peeling. We may restore that one to new condition. The others are in good to excellent condition and we will try and maintain them as they are.

Alan treated the metal on the side of 547 with Fish Oil. Some shows some corrosion but Kevin feels none is bad enough to be concerned about. It was decided to treated it and then spray it with rust resistant paint before replacing the sides.

Paul had won a meat tray at the club the previous evening and decided to share it with the rest of the team. So the BBQ was moved away from the carriage and lit up. Kevin had repaired the tray that hold the volcanic rocks so this was the first use in TRAK hands. We dined on steak, pork and lamb chops with onions and fresh bread rolls. Mario and Nora joined us for the meal and all enjoyed it. Certainly a big improvement of takeaway. We hope to make this a regular feature of future workdays.

Kevin had repaired the handbrake assembly of 683 and it was moved into the car for storage until it is replaced on the rear platform. Kevin has been gradually working through the metal parts of this carriage, repairing and repainting as needed. We hope to replace the headstock very soon.

Paul got back to cleaning signs until a call from our treasurer looking for end of month paperwork meant a couple of us needed to scurry home to get it ready.

The photo gallery has been updated, some new albums were created with photos from yesterday, there is a general one as well as one for 683. The Heritage items has been updated with several new photos and one or two were added to the 547 album. Click on the new link on the top left to access the gallery.

Meet the Carriages

Another change to this site is the addition of a "Meet Our Carriages" page. Click on the link under About us to view details and photos on all of our cars.

Stacked

The donated timber has arrived and the details follows but first a little background. A large Silky Oak tree was cut down and was offered to our friends at Hawkesbury Woodcraft. They had sufficient timber and remembered that the interior of our carriages used Silky Oak quite a bit for things like seats. So we were offered it. They would arrange for it to be sawn into manageable sizes and we would store it to age. After a few false starts and setbacks this is what happened.

Alan, Justin and Kevin arrived at the site early to clear a space inside 683 to stack it. They also needed to prepare spacers to go between the boards to allow the air to circulate. These are important as the timber needs to have a moisture content of less than 10% before it can be used. We had been given some scrap plywood that was cut up for this.

After lunch the Andy Macs' truck arrived with the timber. Paul providing an escort to the site (for no particular reason, he just timed it well!) where Alan was waiting at the front gate to guide it in.

After the timber was unloaded it had to be moved into 683 and stacked carefully. Paul and Kevin provided the muscle to move it while Justin and Alan provided the knowledge (and some muscle) to stack it.

There was some sign of moisture between the boards, we don't know exactly when it was cut and how long it has been waiting to be moved. As it is now stacked under cover and with spacers it should dry out fine. There are various sized pieces and after drying it will be useful as we progress with the restoration of the carriages.

Track Grows

The first section of new track was laid at the site on Monday. Stephen and Alan had previously laid some sleepers. These were moved into the correct position by Stephan, Jim and Paul. Mario then used the crane to put a couple of rails in place. The fire-damaged bogie was moved off the end of the existing track.

Next workday the holes for dogspikes will be drilled and the rails secured. Some new bolts will need to be purchased to bolt the fishplates to the rail.

The other job completed on Monday was retying the tarp on 683. A rope had broken with the strong winds recently and it was repaired. We have run out of spare rope so that's another item for the shopping list.

The new OnTrak newsletter is out on the TRAK site so check it out.

What will we do on Sunday?

Although we had no workday this weekend there definitely will be one next Sunday, probably. We have some jobs planned. As well as continuing with the paint removal in 547 we have some maintenance to do and there is some exhibition stuff outstanding.

David Ranger has lent us some rotary wire brushes that Stephen intends to test on some old timber. If it works without damaging the surface it may prove a faster way to remove the old paint.

Alan has been working on the generator and hopefully it will be running properly by then.

If you have been at the site lately you would have noticed how the steps we all use to access the BL (the most important carriage as it is where we keep the coffee) have become a little wonky, actually the top step has rotted away and is now quite dangerous. We have been donated some steps off a Victorian guards van and we will use a piece of these to fix the steps. Thank you to our benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous.

I will cover more on the exhibition in another post but one of the jobs we have to do is prepare the bookcase. It has been cleaned, repaired and sanded. Then Paul applied undercoat. It needs to be painted if we remember to buy paint before Sunday.

If Kevin is feeling better he will be working on 683. There is plenty to do but it is coming along well.

As you can see there is plenty to do so if you are available please be there and give us a hand.

A couple of other bits of news are that there is no news so far on our Silky Oak. Also the planned move of 547 has been delayed for while as Mario is very busy and will be for sometime to come.

Progress on 683

Here's an older photo of Kevin (behind) and Paul (in front) working on 683. Alan is just visible on the platform too. This is quite an old scene as it was just after we took the second railing off. Since then the whole end back to the door has been removed. Kevin took much of the steelwork home for repair and painting and is returning it as he finishes each piece.

I will post some more up to date photos of 683 soon.