The ARHS Needs Your Support!

The restoration of 4468 needs support to ensure its ongoing restoration continues! If you are interesting in lending your ongoing support to this project, either labour or financial contributions (or both), please contact the ARHS front office (email: trains@trains.org.au) and you will be put in contact with the restoration team! All donations made to the ARHS over $2.00 are tax deductible.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Dyno's away, rust removal and dunny gone...

Sunday 20 June 2010, another 4468 workday has been ticked off with the aim to further progress the restoration of the engine.

Today, present were The A-Team (Pat and Gav), Milton, Sean (back in Canberra after an absence of three and a half years) and Paul.

The focus of today was to continue with the body work and rust removal, which Milton is performing a stirling job on. Also, the A-Team focussed on the removal of the dynamic brake 'bath tub' out of the top of the locomotive and Pat worked on cleaning out the grease and gunk out of the main generator. The dyno bath tub contains all the necessary resistors and blower fans to cool the dynamic brake grid. This unit is being removed so our Goodmate Electrican Col can come down and have a look at it with a view to the unit being re-activated.

Sean also started dismantling the toilet room, which will eventually be converted to a storage room for the radio equipment and other miscellaneous tools.

In preparation of Pat cleaning out the generator by blowing through high pressure air, there was a need to start the engine. As 4468's current batteries are NFG, it is necessary to jump start off 4807. Here we see the jumper cables hooked up between the engines.














... and 4468 firing up with blowing grey smoke.














Milton doing a cracker job of de-rusting the body work in his new clothes.














This is part of the problem in restoring this engine with so much rust and mud built up in the body work drains. Once cleaned up and properly treated though, it will be good for many years.














More rust in a compartment hidden behind a panel that has been removed off the No. 2 end.














With the donk fired up and turning over, Pat is holding the air hose hooked up to the main reservoir to blow out muck that has accumulated in the main generator.














Yep, we can see that motor turning over.














Welcome back Sean - been a few years since you were here last, what has changed in the yard?














Thanks to Sean's efforts the old loco bog has been removed. Milton having a look - dont get too close to it!














The Thinker.














In order to remove the dyno grid out of the roof, it was necessary to relocate the locomotive away from the main loco shed.














Comfy seat Pat?














4468 relocated to where the dyno bath tub can be removed.














Last bolt being removed by Pat and the dyno is ready to be lifted out!














Airborne dyno bath tub.














Bringing down the grid to where it can be placed on the ground.














Mr Reynell pointing out a message previously written by an enlightened fitter.














Gav settling down the bathtub on the ground.














Hole in the top of the locomotive where the dyno grid used to be.














First 44 class with a sky light.














Yep, definitely the hatch is missing.














Returning 4468 back to her spot next to the shed.














Pat hanging out the back ready to close the gate.














After a days work on the 44 class, time for some fun - nothing like doing a lap on the mini railway. Happy days Milton and Pat!














The 44 class in the back ground next to the mini-railway















Happy Alco'ing until next time!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Saturday 5 June 2010 - Drop the Pilot

Saturday 5 June 2010 had a simple focus ... remove the pilots ... as previously prepared last week for removal.

Thanks have to go out to Shaun, John, Barry and Milton for their efforts in lowering, removal and shifting of the pilot parts to the stock pile for restoration.

Here are some pictures of removing the last bolts, pilots sitting on the ground and what each end of the 44 looks like sans "cow-catchers".

Next 4468 work day is Sunday 20 June.