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Presidents Report

I am pleased to report that the electrical upgrade is completed, with the cable underground we now have a reliable power supply throughout. However some additional work is required to upgrade exterior lighting and to connect the pump house to the new system. A telephone cable was also laid so landline phones can be installed later.

Dick Schneider and his few dedicated helpers are slowly progressing with the open carriage and little progress has been made on the Price loco restoration in recent months so if you are willing to assist with either of these projects please contact me.

Thanks to the Hawkins family and Peter Boyes team of workers the Steam Museum interior walls are now lined in natural stained timber shiplap adding an attractive warm look to the exhibits.

The Bush Railway continues to operate on the first and third Sundays each month, we are always looking for helpers to sell tickets and crew the trains.

Completion of the new toilet block in the Museum is stalled awaiting consents to install the sceptic tank.

Over Queens Birthday weekend the Society hosted the Motor homes club, with about 65 vehicles on site their members enjoyed a convivial weekend with us, this is proving a popular annual event and a welcome addition to our calendar.

Until next time,

Peter Harris

Important Information

ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY AND THE SOCIETY LEASE:

The lease with Environment Canterbury goes back to 1966 and incorporates a clause where every seven years they will review the amount of rental we pay. We currently pay less than $2,000 every year.

It has been a major shock to use to receive the seven year review this month, backdated to 1st April 2007 increasing the rental to $4702 every year. It must be noted that for such a sum we get nothing from E Can other than the use of the land. Over the past 5 years they have very reluctantly repaired boundary fences at our request and even more reluctantly sprayed the noxious weeds in the area adjoining our back boundary. Other than that nothing!!

An annual rental of $4702 is nearly insurmountable for the Society. I have discussed with E Can the possibility of the Society abandoning the lease and moving elsewhere. The alternative is to run annual events but have very little left each year for our objectives and aims, the preservation and display of steam equipment.

Another alternative is to raise more funds each year by looking to the members who have sheds on the Island to pay a rental or levy. An increase in subscriptions is not feasible as most of our members are elderly and they have enough difficulty paying the existing subscriptions without increasing them.

As at the date of this Newsletter we need the assistance of a registered property valuer to fight this increase.

We cannot afford to pay one so if anyone has a generous valuer friend Peter Harris would like to hear from them. Currently we have told E Can that we cannot afford the increase and are awaiting their response.

C J Barry ( Society Secretary )

Grounds Tidied for Queens Birthday Weekend

Many thanks go to Brian and Pancho for their work in sorting out the grounds for the very successful Motor Home Weekend. Many hours were spent rolling and relocating dirt and even rebuilding the causeway for the motor homes easy access to the arena area. Thanks to Peter Boyes and his crew for the firing and oiling of the steam engines.

Below - Pancho and Brian at work weekend before the convention.

News In Brief

December fire 2005

The chief Rural Fire Officer is still seeking costs for the fire we had in December 2005. He is having a further meeting with the Society and trying to recoup costs of in excess of $6000.

New Sawmill project.

Final drawings are now on hand from our structural engineer. Drawings have been viewed by the Committee but site still to be confirmed so it does not interfere with our power and reticulation system.

Additional Passenger carriage.

The first bogie has been rebuilt and tested. Thanks to Andy Roe for helping Dick Schneider with this. These has been more discussion around adding a roof similar to our existing carriage.

Electrical upgrade reticulation

The Society received a grant from Community Trust for the Electrical reticulation upgrade.

New Toilets

The cost of erecting of the building by outside contractors was quoted with some excessive costing. Discussions have been held within the Committee and some member have been approached and work will begin in the month of September. If you can help - Give Peter Harris a ring.

Goodbye to a long time resident

On the 8th of June this year a very somber day was had. It was the end of a chapter when Fowler Traction engine No. 11982 left Mcleans Island for South Canterbury. Owned by Dave Pollock and his wife and restored by Dave and Jack Marshall ( Past joint owner with Dave) ( Past President before Bruce Biddick).

A small group of members watched as this beautifully restored engine was carefully loaded on to a low loader by Dave at the wheel and the new owner.

I spoke to Dave as they finished chaining the Fowler down.

He said Well, I think it is time for a cup of tea I can now get to work on the Price steam Locomotive. Dave is working on Price now in his sparetime.

Many members were not aware of the engine being at McLean's Island but many Saturdays Daves blue van could be seen outside the shed. At the present time Dave and his dearest wife are in the UK having a well deserved holiday.

Queens Birthday Pictures

Loco Shed News

The following article was submitted by Dick Schneider to demonstrate what is involved in the annual survey and annual maintenance programme.

Fowler Steam Locomotive

Some correction is needed to the well illustrated article on the Fowler Steam Locomotive in the last newsletter.

The full service mentioned is mainly oiling and mechanical checks which are normally done by the crew prior to running the locomotive. There are only three grease nipples on this engine. A full mechanical inspection and brake test are carried our prior to the annual audit, by the mechanical inspector. This also applies to any rail service vehicle ( RSV) used for public running e.g. Railcar and Motor Trolleys.

The Fowler will not be due for a 10 year survey until 2014. A five year survey may be required in 2009, depending on the general condition and any changes to the boiler code for locomotive type boilers.

The annual boiler survey has just been completed. For members not familiar with this procedure, the following information will give you some idea of what was involved.

Sunday 15th April - Last public running day before survey

Wednesday 18th April - Boiler water and fire sides washed out, manhole and handhold doors removed together with the washout plugs. Wash outside tanks

Saturday 21st April - Remove and prepare boiler mountings ( valves, water gauges, fusible plug and cocks) for Surveyor's inspection.

Thursday 26th April - Surveyor s inspection of the boiler an mountains. Replace the fire bars and ash pan after cleaning and painting.

Saturday 28th April - Replace all mountings and prepare for hydraulic test.

Tuesday 1st May - Following welding in place of the backhead washout plug ( the threads of the original being wasted) and a magnetic particle crack test and then fill the boiler.

Wednesday 2nd May - Hydraulic test on repair with surveyor present.

Friday 4th May - Steam test on boiler and safety valves tested and set.

Saturday 5th May - Treatment chemicals to the boiler water and circulate by steam boiler. Clean locomotive, update log books and the locomotive is ready to run.

In addition to the above work, there were numerous phone calls to the Surveyor and Lyttleton Engineering Co., visits to Kelford Engineering for boiler door joints and the specialist firm that calibrate, test and certify pressure gauges.

This year the work was carried out by Andy Rowe, who repaired the ash pan and steam brake pressure pipe and myself during the time when we were both working ten to twelve hours shifts.

Next year the left hand asbestos packed water gauge set will have to be replaced and also three or four old boiler tubes with burnt off firebox ends.

Price Locomotive

Re: Price Locomotive article - Sadly few, if any parts ( apart from most of the ash pan) have been cleaned and painted. If the same level or people numbers and enthusiasm displayed when the locomotive was dismantled in record time had been applied to cleaning and painting part, it would have been completed long ago.

Regards Dick Schneider

Chief Mechanical Engineer.

RailCar

This is still in need of some external and interior repainting. The Railcar is in very good running order. If you can help with the painting - Please give Peter Harris a call.

Motor Trolleys.

The society trolley is in need of a repaint - If you can help give Peter a ring.

WW6922 - Owned by Darrin Wilkinson is fully operational for passengers.

2007 - March

2006 - August

2004 - May