SteamRanger Heritage Railway

David Peters · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:17 pm

Yes Phil the Greek (621) should be back on the tracks soon from what I was told! Cool

National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
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daves_t186 · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:35 pm

520 · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:39 pm

'Phil the Greek' comes from 621's commissioned name, "Duke of Edinburgh", after Prince Philip (Philip Mountbatten), the Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Her Madge. He is a Prince of Greece by birth (Mountbatten is the name he adopted upon his British naturalisation), and is often referred to as Phill The Greek. It is only suitable that the locomotive bearing his name enjoys the same pleasure! It is also said that 621's large smoke deflectors (when she used to sport them) resemble quite fittingly his well endowed ears!

Did anybody end up grabbing a picture of the Sth. Encounter on Sunday? Or any more whisperings about 520 (Sir Malcolm Barclay Harvey, out of interest!). I am quite genuine when I say there is something most promising in its future, and am confident I have not been led on.

Cheers,
Alex

2001 · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:20 pm

mynameismike · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:48 pm

621 is getting fairly close to returning to service. Most of the insulation is back on the boiler but the clothing is a real PITA but the old girl is starting to turn green again. I do not have an ETA on her return to service but it is imminent.

As I have stated in the past, once 621 has been returned to service, work will shift to putting new tyres on 207. Work has started on 207 preparing it for jacking.

Once 207 is retuned to service, hopefully within 9-12 months, the focus will turn to 224, which once it has its tubes fitted can be returned to her frame. 224's tender will also need to have its tyres replaced and we have acquired these when we ordered the wheels for 207.

Hopefully by this stage we will have 224, 207 and 621 in service and the focus can shift onto 520.

Alex: There is something in the pipeline for 520 however I am unable to disclose any more information at this stage. We need to get the other loco's running first.

At the end of the day, the more people who front up on Saturday mornings, the quicker we can get these things happening. That's all it boils down too.

"The Americans will always do the right thing... After they've exhausted all the alternatives." - Winston Churchill

520 · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:51 pm

mynameismike,

Thank you for such an informative and frank update, very much appreciated.

Aaron · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:25 pm

I am pretty sure you will not find out anything soon, anyone who knows anything should (will) be keeping their traps shut.

Aaron
Chief trouble shooter and resident myth buster NMRI Inc.

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TA, in charge of less now than before...

520 · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:46 pm

BB 260 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:15 am

mynameismike
What I know of loco tyres, the job of putting new tyres on Rx207 isn"t a big job and really should take 4- 6 months to complete. SHR can't afford to have this loco out of service for a large amount of time.

There is lots more work required on Rx224 before boiler can be fitted into its frame. New boiler tubes need to be purchased at $$$$$$. If correct size tubes no longer made, then maybe two new tube plates. New horn guides are required for the frame and much more work. Possible time frame 3-4 years.

What about the rework on F251 before 520. This would make better value for Dollars spent.

520 will require many $$$$$$$$$ spent on to make it operational. As for the hush hush, my contacts, which are too in the loco group high up, is there is no secret plans for 520 yet, but only thoughts. 520 had always required a large some of money to keep it in operational condition, just to pull ONE more Centenary car up the hill from Strathalbyn to Mt Barker. does not make economical sense. But this talk is YEARS away and at lots can happen before then.

What I've seen, more sleepers every year must go into the track to keep the track up to good condition and not allow what happened in the past to raise its ugly head again.

520 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:56 pm

David Peters · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:04 pm

Anyone who has a spare few millions and wants to see it run again I suggest you donate the money for 520, that way you are assured of getting it back on track, from what I was told it needs a complete new tender underframe as the old one was made into the bottom of the water tank and is very badly corroded. Yes a new tender top was put onto the frame a while back but it was done the same way as the original.

To those that do not know about the 520 tenders the underframe was made and the top welded to it, with the bottom of the underframe sealed as the bottom of the water tank, so the underframe was inside of the tank, it was a good idea first up as it gave more water capacity but is a maintenance headache as is now known.

The replacement tender top was done the same way, so now it will need a complete new underframe for the tender and possibly a new top as well, as well as work on the engine it will not be cheap and that is why it has been put into the to hard basket for the time being! Cool

National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net

Aaron · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:48 pm

David Peters · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:54 pm

Yes black paint does suit it better as it looks bulkier when painted black, green makes it look smaller for some reason, it is an opitical illussion but it does do this! I have seen it in both! Cool

National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net

simont141 · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:09 pm

Can anyone fill me in on the signals at Strathalbyn? They have been on every time I've been there for the past few years. Are they still used? How?

Simon

www.prr.org.au

steamhead · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:40 pm

This is from Steamranger's website;

520's tender was routinely drained and inspected in December 1998 after the normal running season. This confirmed previous evidence of corrosion and wastage of the underframe, where the tender had been extended down to increase water carrying capacity. Calculations based on the static and dynamic loads on the underframe indicated that the tender frame had reached its design life, having been subjected to over 55 years of ongoing corrosion and to rectify this will require substantial strengthening and long term anti-corrosion coating.

Mechanically, the loco is in good condition, but the boiler and smokebox need attention. In 1994 the loco was converted back to a coal fired boiler by superficially covering over the oil burning apertures in the boiler backplate. This approach is not now acceptable to our boiler inspectors and initial work involving stripping fittings in the cab was commenced prior to discovering the tender corrosion problems, but has not been further progressed. A full rebuild is required to address wasting of material in the smokebox. This will require reproducing a complicated smokebox profile.

The unfortunate outcome of these inspections is that 520 will require over $200,000 of work to put it back in reliable condition. Steam hauled "Southern Encounter" trains will therefore utilise either double headed Rxs or 621 for the foreseeable future

Cheers, Adrian