- National News
ATHRA - Association of Tourist and Heritage Rail Australia
ATHRA Alerts
The Association has set up a system of "Alerts" to immediately draw
to member's attention urgent changes which are taking place in the rail
industry. Alerts No 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 have already been issued. For
details please see the ATHRA website. Click Here
News from our Members
Alexandra Timber Tramway
The tramway has been able to secure Public Liability Insurance
through Community Care Underwriting Agency at slightly less that
that paid to the VMIA and much lower than that quoted by Willis
Insurance Brokers who are acting for ATHRA in seeking PLI for all Victorian
and Australian railways. Accordingly, the tramway has
had to increase admission prices from 1 July 2005.
Maintenance has been carried out to the coping of the station
platform as termite damage and time has accelerated the movement of
the platform towards the track. The platform has been repaired and
the fence reinstated.
Four exhibits have been acquired by the tramway for their
collection and these include a 3'6" gauge 0-4-0PM Day's
tractor which started life as an 0-6-0 unit. The second exhibit is a
5 ton 2" gauge Baldwin-Whitcomb 4wDM which came to Australia to
work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The other two items are the
remains of a 3'gauge TACL and a 2" gauge locomotive
"Flora".
- Australian Railway Historical Society - Victorian
Division.
The Association recently sent out a questionnaire to their members
to ensure that the direction that the Association is taking is the
one that members wished it to take. The response was very good and
one result was that the members expected a stronger historical
emphasis.
The Museum has been faced with the dilemma of the need to replace
the toilets which have reached the end of their life. Due to the
delay in the State Government making any decisions on the use of
Newport Workshops and the possible relocation of the Museum exhibits
under cover, the decision has been made to replace them.
The Museum has a policy of changing over the locomotives on their
dioramas and they now have the Rowan Car modelled
by Frank Kelly on display.
Locomotive J559 has been repainted and No 2 Crane is also
receiving attention. Due to the open nature of the Museum painting
needs to wait for a sunny day to allow the paint to dry.
The Museum has taken delivery of Hitachi motor 187M and it
took a vast amount of work to place it into the museum as a
lot of shunting was needed.
-
Ballarat Tramway Museum
The trams operated every day of the Begonia Festival and they ran
from 9.45am to 6.00pm each day of the festival. The trams carried
7,000 passengers.
Work is progressing well on tram No 40 with several replacement
sections of guttering being installed and new front aprons
manufactured at a local engineering works. As well as this work one
of the pillars in the drop centre has been replaced. Work has also
gone ahead on mechanical repairs. The car is about to be painted in
the traditional SEC green.
Work has also gone on in upgrading the electrical supply in the
substation.
September sees the centenary of electric trams in Ballarat and
this will be celebrated on Sunday 25 September 2005.
In common with other heritage operators, Public Liability
Insurance has been a major problem but the Museum has been able to
find an alternative insurer.
Bendigo tram No 18 has now returned to that city after being on
loan since 2001. In its place Bendigo single truck No 17 is arriving
for the 100 year celebration.
The Museum is taking part in the Central Highlands Historical
Association Fair to be held in Ballarat on 1/2 October 2005.
- Bellarine Peninsula Railway
Sleeper and bolt replacement is currently underway at various
locations on the line. 300 new sleepers have been delivered. A new
turnout has been built for the up end of Queenscliff yard. It
replaces a 1882 set.
The workshop has been improved and it is proposed to introduce a
workshops induction programme.
The new midweek service has made a reasonable start. This service,
the "Seaside Explorer," runs with railmotor DP29 each
Tuesday and Thursday.
Puffing Billy - Emerald Tourist Railway Board
The Kiosk at Menzies Creek Station now opens each day. It was
closed for a period when the previous lessee retired.
The Museum at Menzies Creek is also open to volunteers.
The Climax engine is being
worked on and the boiler has been sent to the USA for a full overhaul. The
railway is progressively changing over the telephone system to Voice
over Internet Protocol. The existing equipment is 40 years old and
technology has advanced in that time.
Puffing Billy has introduced a
new fare regimen for 2005/06 with higher fares being charged for the
busier times of the year.
50
Years
June 8th, 2005, saw the 50th
anniversary of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society. A Golden Jubilee
film night was held in Scots Church Hall to celebrate this event.
The Society started in a meeting held in the Independent Church hall
in 1955. As that hall was demolished this was the closest hall to
that historic site. A special Luncheon train was run to the Packing
shed on Saturday 16 July. The train was composed of rolling stock
painted to resemble the early Society trains. One of the railways
stalwarts, Norm Wadeson, was awarded the OAM in June 2005 for his
contribution to the development of Puffing Billy.
Melbourne Tramcar Preservation Society
VR tram No 41 has retuned to its home depot at Haddon from
Bendigo where it was restored to operational condition.
Mornington Railway
The railway is having a feasibility study done by an
external company to help determine the direction that the line
should take in the foreseeable future. The railway has
introduced a new product the "Wine Train".
The repairing of carriages has continued with work on the
roof of 57BE being completed and work on 45BE about to start.
3ABL's roof has been cleaned of all old canvas and is being
sanded. Another carriage has been obtained from McDonalds restaurant
in Cheltenham.
Track work has not been neglected and faulty sleepers under
rail joints are being progressively replaced. Some disused rail
was obtained from sidings at Hastings for use to later build run
round loops at Moorooduc and Baxter.
Steamrail
The proposed tour programme for the rest of
2005 has been approved by V/Line Passenger
R711 is being stripped of parts for repair and replacement. Work on A2
986 is continuing with the boiler's foundation ring and the
tender bogies receiving attention.
K190 failed on a trip to Mitcham with a hole in the main steam
delivery pipe. The train had two engines and K153 pushed the defective
train to Camberwell where K190 was detached.
Y112 at Ballarat is being prepared for running trips.
S313 is ready to return to traffic after the repair of cracks.
Carriage repair also continued with 9BRS being completed in a new red
and gold colour scheme. The Electrail division is busy working on the
double ended tait carriage 470M and work is well advanced on this car.
Dog Box carriage 12BT has also been worked on and the roof has been
re-canvassed.
The E class locomotive E1109 is in the process of being
repainted. Carriage 700Bk suffered flats on its bogies on a run to
Seymour and the bogies will be replaced at Seymour with those from
714K which were sent up to Seymour.
38BE is being repainted in red paint. 60BW is receiving roof work.
At the depot at Newport a connection has been laid to No 11 road and
the first carriages have been moved under shelter there. Two additional
tracks are being laid to allow more of the Steamrail fleet to be under
shelter.
The Bendigo Trust
Brussels
Trucks
The
overhaul of the third ex Brussels truck, being carried out for
the Perth Electric Tramway Society, is progressing well, with
the manufacture of new top chords and springs the only items
still to be completed. The
wheelbase has been shortened to 7 ft on this truck to suit their
C class No. 61.
Bendigo
Trams
Bendigo
No. 35 recently received some much needed repairs to its roof,
and a repaint into Bendigo Bank colours.
Repairs to the motors and chassis of No. 21 have
now been carried out, together with some re-wiring.
The final coats of paint and the sign writing will now be
applied, and No. 21 will then be able to return to active
service. The overhaul of the Toast rack has recommenced, with
the roof being re-sealed, and work commencing on re-finishing
the ceiling and seats. It
is hoped to have No. 17 back on the road by early August.
- Bendigo No 35
Photo Bendigo Trust
Hawthorn
No. 32
The
second Work-For-The-Dole project commenced in late March,
involving works on the Maximum Traction car formerly known as
MMTB No. 138, Bendigo No. 24 and Hawthorn Tramways Trust No. 32.
The tram was originally refinished as MMTB No.
138 as part of a RED Scheme project in 1975, and spent several
years in Melbourne during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The current refurbishment will see the tram returned to its
Hawthorn livery, but retaining its MMTB body configuration.
The
project is being supported by The Salvation Army - Employment
Plus, providers of the Work-For-The-Dole project, and the
Department of Infrastructure.
On completion of the refurbishment, No. 32 will be loaned
to the Hawthorn Tram Depot Museum for display
The Central Highlands Tourist Railway
The railway is investigating the ramifications of the "Riga
Charter" a document developed and issued by Fedecrail the European
Heritage rail group. This is reminiscent of the "Burra
Charter used by conservation groups in Australia.
Work is continuing on the refurbishment of the DERM. RM 63 has had
the canvas replaced on the roof and a new wiring loom was placed in the
conduits before the canvas was replaced. The canvas had received several
coats of paint to seal it. The engine and gearbox have been removed from
the unit and after dismantling the gearbox, it showed that all was
not right with bearings needing replacement. The moral of the story is
that the more you dismantle historic rolling stock the more you find to
repair.
As usual the track has received attention with 20 sleepers being replaced in
the home signal curve near Daylesford. A further order for sleepers has
been placed and point timbers also sought.
Tramway Museum Society
The Museum has taken delivery of W2 646 and Y1 612 trams from the
Victorian Government. Both trams are operational and were driven
into the museum after unloading. A further tram movement was the
return of q 199 to Bylands from North Fitzroy where it had been
partly restored under a skills training scheme.
The damaged glass on Y1 612 has been replaced and a missing window
on VR 343 has been replaced.
Victorian Goldfields Railway
At Muckleford Station permission has been granted to build a set of
toilets and a grant has been received to install yellow tongue
flooring in the goods shed. In addition electrical power will
be connected.
At Castlemaine the signalling work has reached the stage where the
mechanical interlocking has been completed for future needs. The
next major work is fitting electric lever locks to interface with
the new signalling system for trains on the Maryborough line which
in turn is integrated with that of the Bendigo line signalling.
Retiring work on J549 is continuing at Puffing Billy and K 160 is
having work done on the motion. BPL 43 is receiving attention to the
roof and it is hoped to commence work on the 105hp Walker rail
Motor. The engine has been started and a full assessment of the work
needed is to be made.
K 160 leaving Castlemaine
- Photo Bob Wilson
Yarra Valley Tourist Railway
The railway has been carrying out the staple
work of replacing sleepers and doing other remedial works. This includes
new station coping at Healesville and the replacement of point timbers
in the yard. 50 new sleepers have replaced in the station yard as well
as the point timbers. Lineside clearance is also under way and attention
is being given to drainage along the line. In the workshop the lathe and
the compressor have been wired up and made operational. Locomotive
W250 is receiving attention and is being repainted in VR blue and body
panels have been sand blasted in preparation of this. The crane truck is
now operational and the locomotive/turntable area has been cleaned up
with trees removed to allow the area to be re-fenced. The
railway is working on an amendment to its accreditation to allow it to
move trains when it needs to without receiving specific approval for the
move. The goods wagons are to move
to the workshop for overhaul and certification to allow them to
run on works trains in the near future. At
Yarra Glen the missing roof trusses are being constructed and will be placed in
the roof to allow work to be completed. A new structure built without
discussion with the railway at the entrance to the station and has
obstructed visibility at the level crossing. The railway is negotiating
to have the building shifted to another location.
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