News Jan - June 10
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News Jan - June 10
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30/05/2010 On Sunday 23rd of May BBR held its "New Friends of Thomas" day. The weather leading up to this day was rather average causing some concern with organisers. Sunday dawned also overcast with predictions of showers throughout the day, however the railway gods must have smiled on BBR and mostly kept the rain away with only a very light shower of rain occurring.
Once again BBR members rallied to provide a great day for the visiting public. Thanks to the hard work of the regular workshop crews the majority of the BBR locomotive fleet was in traffic, though BT1 unfortunately didn't make the party (despite best efforts of the locomotive manager) due to a main steam pipe fault which had been found in earlier weeks during steam tests. This also allowed Wyndham to have a rest too.
This saw a change in operations for this Thomas day with Ng123 and Rosalie operating 2 trains on full loop services whilst the Planet and Ashley ran a "Top and Tailed" service on the Mussel Pool branch with the small stock carriages. The WA Bus Preservation Society once again provided a Vintage Bus service between Mussel Pool and Whiteman Village Junction stations.
At Mussel Pool and Whiteman Village Junction stations there was the usual displays, attractions and food stalls available as well as the BBR ladies on the Thomas souvenir stands. Unfortunately due to the poor weather conditions the Aero-modellers were unable to provide flying displays at Zamia and the Model Buggies were also washed out due to a very soggy track. Thanks to all who helped out with this New Friends of Thomas day - It was another successful day and is a credit to all volunteers who provide a very professional service to the visiting public. Well Done to All !
Saturday 17th of April Friday Night Crew Report By The Friday night crew organised a Saturday testing day. The Ng15 123 locomotive had non destructive testing on the inside of the firebox. 'Betty Thompson' was fired up for the fist time this year and had a successful steam test. This steam test was done by Derek and Jamie. 'Planet' number 1 has a problem with the amount of oil it uses, so had a test run which was driven by Michael, it went around the loop a couple of times with the help of Brayden, Liam and James. The train consisted of 2 AQ wagons, an RP wagon, a R wagon, the Party Coach and a Z brakevan. This consist of vehicles was used to push the locomotive to the maximum and to find out the reason of the high amount of oil it uses.
Friday 16th of April On Friday the 16th, another sleeper train was organised and included Andrew who was driving 'Ruston', Liam controlled the excavator, Peter, Samuel, Sarah and James positioned the sleepers for the excavator to pick up. They brought back a good number of sleepers. The sleepers between the southern end of Whiteman Village Junction to the 'S' curve (Just before Zamia station), have all been cleared up and taken away for possible use as fire wood in the steam season. The 'Ashley' locomotive had it's break shoes replaced and adjusted. This was done by Trevor, Greg, Alex and James. Now the locomotive is ready for the New Friends of Thomas the Tank Engine day. The QBB wagon is almost complete, the last of the decking planks will be installed in the next couple of weeks. The bolster wagon is planned to have pieces of metal angle running along the edges, this would then be used to move bolsters and position them along the wagon. Simon, Jamie and Wayne cleaned the front of the carriage shed to enable a place for the sleeper train wagons to be housed. Tony chopped up some wood in preparation for the steam season.
Friday 9th of April Good Friday saw the regular crew meet during the day to continue working on the current projects around the railway with much getting done by the crew. The track crew were also out working on the line with assistance from some of the Friday night regulars. Rumour has it that Chef Trevor and friends cooked up a pretty good seafood luncheon for the crew which was enjoyed by all - Thanks for organising the nosh Trev! - Thanks also to Kym Howieson for the pics below.
23/03/10 Classic Car Day, 21st of March report by J. Waterhouse Classic Car Day was a very successful day. The day saw Bob driving the “Planet” locomotive, top and tailing with “Rosalie” who was driven by Andrew, on the Mussel Pool Line with the summer stock. “Ashley” was driven by Ken and operated on the loop with the small stock, and Michael was the relief driver for the day. The guards were Wayne and Kieran with cadets Braydon and James, The station masters for Whiteman Village Junction were Bob and Robyne, and Mussel Pool had Tony and Judi. Apart from the staff system no longer being operational, the day had no locomotives malfunctioning or any fires. Although people did think there was a fire, but it was just the Planet locomotive going up the Mussel Pool gradient. It was a successful day and overall was a great event.
Theft of Copper Wire - report by B. Baker On Classic Car Day, March 21 at approximately 0845, I attempted to retrieve a staff from the electric staff instrument at Mussel Pool but to no avail. My initial diagnosis was that the batteries had failed at WVJ. A train order was drafted and I rode with Ken Buck in Ashley to WVJ for the day's operations. It did not take us long to find out why the electric staff instrument would not work. During the evening, the hard-drawn copper wire on the pole route between Mussel Pool and WVJ had been stolen.
Police and Office of Rail Safety were notified and Staff and Ticket Safe working using the Blue Staff has been re-introduced. It will be some time before the pole route can be re-established. The hard-drawn copper wire is virtually unobtainable and investigations will have to be made to source a suitable alternative.
Other things occurring at BBR during the last month - Water Tank stand was erected by Ross and his son Kim at WVJ station, Greg and Trevor completed the overhaul of the Crane, well done fellas!, Friday Night and Midweek Crews continue to keep our rollingstock operational as well as progressing with restoration and seasonal maintenance requirements. Our little Perry " Betty Thompson has had a boiler inspection and is now being sealed up again for a steam test, Peter completed his repainting project of the D Van "Mc Phersons" Advertising Sign, Excellent Work Peter!, there has been a sleeper pick up train run, and at the workshops, Brayden and James have been busy painting yellow safety lines in the Pit shed and Carriage Shed.
17/02/10 Always something going on at BBR - The midweek and Friday night crews continue to progress with the many projects and day to day maintenance needs of the railway. Thanks to Greg and Trevor the crane is getting a much needed birthday with the chassis getting some repairs carried out, pumps overhauled & new tyres being fitted. A sleeper puller machine has been donated to the railway by JD rail arriving at the railway on the 3rd of February, A day when we had a larger mobile crane on site to shift a few things around the yard at the Mussel Pool depot. The Big Perry has had its boiler removed from the frames which will now allow better access for the boiler inspector to check out the boiler as well as enable easier removal of the wheels for re-profiling and cleaning up of the chassis. The tender tank from 118 was relocated to the front of the pit shed and stood on its side for access to repair the floor.
With a crane on site R 1751 was lifted out of the storage compound and placed onto bogies with high bolsters to enable conversion to begin for future use on the railway. R 1751 is the last of the 5, R type wagons BBR acquired in the formative days of the railway. New boards to replace some of the old worn deck, are being fitted to QBB 2889 which is currently under overhaul. The repaint of the authentic WAGR "McPhersons" advertising sign on D33 is well underway and should be completed soon.
30/01/10 New Page Added -Water Tank J 11374 29/01/10 Well here we are in a new year and already a month has gone by. BBR projects continue to move along with Friday night and Mid-week crews restarting after the Christmas break. Much is getting done with wagons D 33 goods van and J 11374 water tank receiving repaints, ongoing tidying up of workshop storage areas & working spaces, Maintenance to the diesel and steam locomotive fleet, brake rigging fitted to new bogies for carriages, The crane is having a major overhaul, container storage areas are slowly being set up, The New Perry has been prepared to have the boiler lifted off the frames, the body of open wagon R 1751 in the storage compound has been cleaned out to enable lifting and positioning for restoration, the track gang has been out an about replacing sleepers, tightening fishplate bolts & re-spiking as required and then off course there is the ongoing operation of public train services.
The school holidays has seen Ashley and her toast rack carriages and BV1 as brake van providing the regular midweek services. The small train with its inbuilt "air conditioning has proved popular with the public especially the children. Some days have been well patronised, however the summer heat has seen low numbers of visitors in the Park. There have been several days where fire bans have seen services cancelled.
Click here for Archived News Sept - Dec 2009
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Bennett Brook Railway Webmaster N. Blinco
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