Flugel_related_articles
Sandstone Heritage Trust - News
WN05 - Camera trial Flugel - by Kerry Young
14th September 2006
There's more than a few of you will have NI MH batteries in your cameras. Foolproof to the point of being near bullet proof. I thought I had a fair handle on the charging of these things. Seems I wasn't too clever after all. At this time, it looks as though I haven't been charging the batteries in the optimum way. I'm not going to outline everything I've learned in the last week, suffice to say that there's a bit more to it than sticking them in the charger and taking them out when the light does its thing. If you know someone who genuinely knows about these things, be appraised of the preferred way to look after your batteries.
I'm not wholly convinced I'm on the right track as yet, hence the note in the Subject row. I'll advise more as time goes by.
I have begun my stint arriving at an early hour. Having flagged it away for the Winter. Got to be early or late, or spend hours in the rush traffic. So I was on site about 7:30 and the sun was just making its appearance on the scene...............
Long shadows and a chill in the air.
You don't see this every day. The Pie Cart being used for shunting. The lads getting some shingle supplies for a project.
The headstock for 'F13' being assembled by our Jolly Roger. Just visible further back, I've fitted the rings to the pistons and am working on a home made ring compressor to fit them back in with. Having done that and fitted the cylinder heads back with copper gaskets, there is no longer any need to leave the headstock off.
Seen here, I am in the process of fitting the rod gland packing assembly to the rod, prior to locking the rod into the crosshead. Note that great spring that maintains a pressure on the packing.
Just back down the track (as the old saying goes) Bob the builder is beavering away with the framework of that 'L' wagon.
Not a noteworthy shot, but something to show how much sanding is being done on the railcar. That represents a lot of hours there. Let me say too, that although I don't have a picture to show it, Mirthful Max has been working diligently on the ceilings of the verandas on carriage A1177. All overhead work and he kept at it for hours. Take a bow Max, you earned it.
So what have we here? 'R14' and someone is deeply engrossed in an involved past time. Note too, 'D140' at the front of the steam shed, ready to be loaded out to go to Dunedin for the Centennial of the magnificent station there. If you want to see steam aplenty in action, be there Labour weekend. (Andy boy, your rock's up there!)
So who was it? Our Gentleman John. (Robb) tidying the stencils. Got a steady hand?
You ought to try it.
Getting on in the day and the headstock is trial fitted to the frames. Gives it a whole new look.
Things really are moving right along. Out of the 'F' container we see Ray and Sir Colin fighting a chunk of the locomotive onto a sack trolley.
Aha, cylinder covers being pictured to show how to replicate the lining work. Sir Colin of course, who better to do it?
Who could guess what this is all about? As we see, it's Jolly Roger and he's applying the test gear for checking buffer height. If I remember rightly, I think it's 29 1/2 inches above rail level. As it is now, the headstock we just fitted (on the right) is exactly on centre. So how much will it drop when the engine is fully assembled and full of water in the boiler and saddletank?
I'll leave you to ponder that for now. I'm headed for a cuppa. Please keep your fingers crossed that my camera is O.K. Cheers, 'K'.
Sandstone Heritage Trust - News
WN02 (RN 246) - Thanks to Sir Colin FLugel - by Kerry Young
14th September 2006
Ah yes indeed. My camera threw a sickie and is presently in the camera hospital where they are determining whether the sickness is terminal. Such being the case, Sir Colin stepped into the breech in the pixel picture department and I have just returned from collecting his pictures for this issue. (The pictures were transferred to a jump drive, thereby retaining them at full size.) So, what have we got? Let's see................
Well this week was concrete foundation week. The morning was devoted to final trimming and securing of the boxing. On this site, we will have four containers for secure storage. Seen here, the crew are almost finished the preparations. You know them all, but for the record from L. to R. we have, Yours truly, Graham Inwood, Jolly Roger, Ray Shearman, (not driving anything at the time) and Pete Soundy. The shovels are being leaned on in the time honoured tradition.
When lifted thus, a large portion of the dirt and shingle comes away. What these pictures don't show, is the work that has been done to prepare for this to happen. Undoing tracks like this is quite a labour intensive job to get to this stage.
So easy these days. Just over two tons each these sets. Andys Castle Rock makes its appearance too. These sets are destined for the continuation of the Valley Line. Does this make you happy Peter? (Jenkinson.)
In a totally different vein;
Very sadly, beyond redemption.
You only have to look inside and it becomes obvious that decay is the master. What a real pity! It was written off in 1954, so the elements have had time to do their damage. Colin thought it dated from 1887 or thereabouts. Almost qualifies to go on the heritage train.
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Wherever you look, the Dragon Decay has taken its toll. Leaves you feeling depressed doesn't it? The shaping of the timber there is crying out for preservation and how good it would look when finished! (They don't build them like that any more :-( ! ) So there you have it for another week. Again my thanks to Colin for making his pictures available and very interesting they were too. It's good to get out and about, to see aspects other than the workshop and restoration. Till next week it's so long from me. Cheers, 'K'. |
Sandstone Heritage Trust - News
WN04 (RN 251) - A bit of this & a bit of that Flugel - by Kerry Young
15th September 2006
Interesting. Very interesting. The various books and magazines that people collect. Over more recent times, the Thursday Gang has developed into something of a book exchange. Seems there are people everywhere exchanging publications of interest. Makes for a very interesting extra to the day.
So what of the day anyway?...........................
This is as near as the boiler will get to the frames for some time to come, but still, it's good to have them even this close together.
Mention of the boiler, I managed to get this shot of the two great minds in collaboration regarding the smokebox of the 'F'.
This is our Ray Shearman. Driving as usual, but this time a weed sprayer. Ray does a great job with this in the season. Starts around six in the morning with the advent of the better weather.
Back to the 'F' and Roger is looking in detail at all the motion work before we bolt it up for good.
No chance for idle talk while the thicknesser is roaring in action. Our Keith was machining up some timber for the carriage.
Mention of the carriage brings to mind something I learned during the week. I heard mentioned the term 'Scarret Carriage'. Seeing I didn't want to appear to not know what sort of carriage that might be, I kept my peace and appealed to a higher authority. I received this reply............
"Further to the Scarrett designation of carriages, the name relates to the type of seat. The Scarrett seat has a roll over back, to reverse the seating position, which also alters the angle of the seat cushion, so retaining maximum comfort. They were fitted to NZR 2nd class cars from the late 1920's.
Regards,
Colin (Sir)"
There you are chapter and verse. Thanks again Colin! (Sir) The picture shows three seats in the carriage giving an idea of how the system works.
I couldn't find the 'N' wagon. Turns out it had been put on road three. There were a couple of shady characters skulking in the background when I turned up to get my picture. Who could they possibly be?
Sir Colin has been carrying out a lonely vigil on the railcar. Man, there's such a lot of work to be done there, but he assures me he has it under control.
'Bump Clearance'. It has been determined there is insufficient of the stuff on the forward R.H. end. Mike Webb is seen here reaffixing the cylinder end prior to doing another check. He and I spent some time later, re checking the truth of the crosshead slidebars on that same side. With the result that we elected to re-do the setting up of the bars. Finally got what we wanted, just as it was time to go home.
There has been track being lifted in the Firestone yard by the Saturday team. This is a bucket containing some of the rail bolts from the job. These we have been cleaning and fixing the threads, for re use on the valley line. Peter Jenkinson is really chafing at the bit to get going on that project.
That's all for this week. See you in seven days time. Cheers, 'K'.
ndstone Heritage Trust - Rail News
WN01 (RN 245) - Another day at the glue factory Flugel
14th September 2006
It's the outer ends of the screwed stays, which have to be trimmed back to a given protrusion from the outer firebox shell and rivetted over. These stays are now carrying that inner firebox you saw in earlier pics. There are also the ends inside the firebox to do of course. So where are all the volunteers then? Gert and Lukas, this will be all too familiar to you!
Seems the person (not a 'regular' Thursday guy) has given up after trying his hand with an angle grinder and a coarse disc. This we will have to fix. Additionally, in the front, a panel had rusted through very badly. This needed to be renewed and with no resident panelbeater in the crew, I asked my son Blair (who also does all that work with Branchlines) for help and he turned up to cut out the old and weld in the new.
The 'W' had to be pulled out to get the 'La' wagon out from behind. An interesting picture I thought. Shows a weather beaten gangers hut and the good looking 'W'. Sharp eyed readers will notice the wagon is an all steel flat, on plain bearing bogies, classified 'Ub'.
Something different? Try this shot in the library. Webmaster Ian McDonald (seeing quite a bit of him lately aren't we?) is in the drivers seat, with John Robb our resident librarian, historian and what have you on the far side and Keith Brown, founding member, carriage restorer and fountain of information on the early days, nearer the camera. I have had the great pleasure to work alongside Keith on occasion and have been wholly delighted with what he has been able to tell me about the early days.
This shows the way the drawgear meets in the middle, transferring the drawgear loads directly from one end to the other without loading the framework. Beneath this is the brake cylinder. Note the poor condition of the two longitudinals on either side. Let's face it, this is why you strip them right down.
This shows the drawgear at the far end in detail. Very handy to have during reassembly.
| Lastly, here's a look at the new panel in place on the railcar. Thanks Blair! |
| That'll do till next week. Cheers, 'K'. |
Sandstone Heritage Trust - News
WN03 (RN 250) - A Change of FLugel - by Kerry Young
15th September 2006
R14 in its new guise. The timber within (remember?) gets fresh air to dry with, but little rain.
The 'L' wagon from last week has been started on. Bob's right into it.
How do you undo the rusted nuts on coach bolts? With a slitting disc of course!
Going,
going,
Still on the 'L' wagon, Roger addresses all the uncrowned heads. L to R, Ian McDonald, new member Jane, mighty, mirthful Max, Sir Colin and our omnipresent Roger, supporting the broom. Kind hearted abuse being happily shared. Why? It's free of course!
So who is Jane? A young lady, recently joined and more or less attached to the sparkies. Seen here, cleaning conductor cable clips for the overhead.
A1177 proceeding well. Soffits and associated timberwork in place. So good to see.
Our example of a steel panelled guards van. Showing a tasteful assortment of colours. One of the latest items of rolling stock we would have I think. (Correction Colin?) Took this picture while it was unobscured by other rolling stock. Used to be around in their hundreds. That's it for this time folks. Cheers, 'K'.
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