After nearly 7 years undergoing a major overhaul, Locomotive 12A is set to return to traffic very soon. The engine, which played “WOMBAT” in the children’s TV series ‘Come Midnight Monday’, has been through a ground-up rebuilt, with everything having been overhauled or replaced. Above you can see the boiler being painted, and below, volunteer…

In the workshops of our engineering contractors Jack Thompson Engineering in Hastings, the frames for the first engine unit have undergone a trial assembly (above), and are now in the process of being assembled with fitted bolts, machined to be a tight (drive) fit in each hole. In the photo below, the 3″ thick Gauge…

With Wheel Centres and Cranks fitted to new, extended axles, the wheelsets for NG/G16 129 have returned from Ballarat to Puffing Billy. The cranks have still to be keyed to the axles, before they are sent out for quartering. This is done by machining the crank pin holes until they are at 90° to each…

A recent shipment arriving at the Belgrave workshop contained brand new castings for NG/G16 129, including the chimney (above) and the top feed and check valve castings (below). These parts were supplied by the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway in the UK, and herald what we hope will be the start of a mutually beneficial…

After a lengthy design process, and a complicated pattern making exercise, the first new Na locomotive cylinder castings have been delivered. Cast in South Australia, they will be used to replace the exisiting cylinders on all the locomotives, as they become life expired. Still in use after over 100 years, the current cylinders are beginning…

Climax 1694 steaming out the Belgrave workshops during testing. The engine has performed well on test so far, hauling D21 to Menzies Creek last week, and lifting a 70 ton train from a stand on Emerald Bank with consummate ease! Aside from one bearing running a little warm, which has been attended to, the loco…