The 6A NA Class locomotive rebuild, supported by the Victorian Government Living Heritage Grant Program and with Puffing Billy Railway (PBR) Major Rebuild Funding, is progressing. With the recent delivery of components from suppliers, progress is visible and noticeable.
- Simon Walker – PBR Fitter has been working fastidiously on the Westinghouse air brake equipment, such as ITV’s and double check valves.
- The Wednesday Night PBR Volunteers crew, with the assistance of Simon Walker, have completed the fitment of Mesh and Insulation to the boiler. We are now 75% through the fitment of the boiler barrel cleading.
- The signwriter, Andrew Rowe, has been completing odds and ends and begun the painting of the head and tail stocks on the Locomotive.
- New firebars have been fitted to the firebox, and we have begun fitting the mould in preparation of casting a new fire arch.
- PBR has received the new wheel castings from IXL foundry in Geelong, the wheels have been picked up and delivered to Inver Engineering with the help of our very own David Miller! Thanks Dave. We are now trying to liaise with Inver to progress the wheel machining and assembly.
A major issue with the 6A Project has been accessing trades in between the other PBR operational requirements. This is made more acute as components arrive at Belgrave and become ready for fitment to the locomotive.
As a result we have started a PBR Volunteering Night also on Mondays, on top of the regular existing nights on Wednesday. If you want to join PBR Volunteers and attend these nights, you can register as a Volunteer on puffingbilly.com.au/volunteer/.