Skills Transfer
The rail heritage community has a history of informal, sharing of skills and knowledge. Building on this the Office of Rail Heritage has a formal program engaging with apprentices.
RailCorp Apprentice involvement in restoration projects
The Office of Rail Heritage continues to partner with RailCorp Training to support Heritage Restoration projects. Groups of RailCorp apprentices are engaged in restoring significant heritage items consistent with their learning objectives.
The first heritage project was the complete overhaul of a Double-Deck Trolley Bus, the second in 1992 was the restoration of a World War II tank and the third was the restoration of Railmotor CPH 18 in 2006. The restoration of Pay Bus FP1 is the fourth heritage project to be undertaken with the assistance of railway apprentices since 1985.
Skilled volunteers from rail heritage groups are involved and contribute to the skills transfer.
Current Projects
Torque Converter:
RailCorp apprentice fitters, with guidance from an experienced volunteer, worked on the Torque Converter project at the Annex.
They are capturing the process and prepared a video record and a written/photographic step by step guide which should assist heritage operators to restore there own units when required.
The team disassembled the converter and cleaned and assessed all the components. They manufactured tools to remove bearings and begun replacing bearings, gaskets, seals and a chain drive. The oxy torch was used to cut a new set of legs as the original cast ones had to be cut off.
The converter units need to be bench tested before being installed in a 90 year old Rail Motor. The team have therefore built the first section of their test bench which is a welded seat (designed by the apprentices) to house a vintage air motor. They have tested the torque of the air motor which is very strong and should serve to turn the torque converter in test mode. Unfortunately, the first pressure test on the fluid part of the converter resulted in a number of leaks.
The team are learning a lot about torque converters. They are using the Twin Disc manual and have downloaded an Allison Torque Converter Animation to assist in understanding the fluid part of their operation. View here.
Status- On hold, Our new overhead crane is expected to be delivered in the next 3 weeks and will allow us to commence work on the next Torque Converter.
Mail Barrow Status - Complete
The mail barrow has been at the Annex for years and is a heritage item used on stations up until the 1970s. When not working on the torque converter the apprentices restored the barrow. The team have prepared the surface for repainting and sand blasted the axles and wheels and repainted them.
Volunteer Greg Sayer and Ray Bull completed the signwriting and the barrow is completed. We are arranging for a representative from Wagga Wagga heritage group will be able to come up to Sydney and take receipt of the barrow.
View video here:
Powder Van Status 18% complete
Skills Transfer - RailCorp Apprentice involvement in restoration projects - Powder Van - update June 2010
The team went to Broadmeadow in early September to check the Powder van axle boxes and handbrake were still operable. The van was transported to the Annex by road. The Plan Room provided detailed plans of the Powder Van which will helped in ordering timber and restoring the brakes.
The frame strengthening has continued to the point we are ready to take the body off the subframe. Apprentices Matt Geary and Rob Leeson took ownership of this job and did great work to get the restored framework back together. John Papathanasiou and Steve (Number 3) Popcheff made sure all our pillars and tenons were restored. Volunteers Graham Ball and Greg Sayers again proved their value to heritage projects by casting their experienced eyes over the shape of the frame. Greg noticed the whole frame was leaning back along the tracks and we arranged for John Holland's bob cat operator to push the top of the frame towards the country and leave it in tension over night. The following day our car building specialist John O'Connor dropped in and showed us how the tie rods can be used to shape the roof ribs. Both of these issues with the frame were causing concern and the team are extremely grateful to Graham, Greg and John for their help. Daniel Farrugia and Paul Easten have installed all the bolts and tie rods and tightened them to hold the framework in its desired position.
- Pillar tops have been completed including filling the cracks in the old wood and squaring them off
- Both cant rails have been erected/installed using a block and tackle.
- 9 roof ribs ribs have been installedand tensioned
- 6 new tie rods have been cut and threaded on the lathe and installed to pull the frame together.
- Several smaller sections of rotten timber have been replaced on the lower rails
- All steel corner brackets, and triangle sections have been restored and reinstalled
- 10 of 16 door hinges have been restored. This involves sandblasting, bogging, sanding back and painting.
View video here:
Section Car Status 95% complete
The Section Car is a rail quadricycle vehicle. The car has a VW engine and will provide a good mechanical contrast to the body work on the Powder Van. The team started by mapping and tagging the cars components and planning its restoration. A trike/rail car restoration volunteer expert visited the team in October to guide the restoration planning.
The addition of a starter motor has extended the planned April 2010 completion date of the quadricycle into June 2010. The addition required careful measurement, design, machining and fabrication of a barrel attachment cut and welded into the clutch housing.
- The starter motor mount is completed and installed along with a modification to the clutch housing.
- A reconditioned starter motor has been installed
- The engine has been installed in the quad and is running well ( since the attached video Steve S has tuned the engine and it sounds great)
Still to complete are- reinstall side boards and controls and test drive the vehicle
Pay Bus
On 16 May the PayBus and its associated display equipment were successfully removed from Central Station with apprentices Steve Stanford, Rob Leeson & Steve Jones assisting the Breakdown Crew. Teams from Signals, Track and Structures, Transit Officers, CountryLink Train Crewing, Track Works, Safety and Network Operations and volunteers all played a part to remove the bus and a thankyou email has been forwarded to all.
The Pay Bus was picked up from the Large Erecting Shop by Australian Train Movers on the following 18/5/2010 and taken to the Rail Museum Ipswich, Queensland for a loan. The Flat Wagon is now on its way back to Chullora.
View video here:
Special Jobs
- Xplorer Bogie suspension components machined by Rob Leeson
View video here:
- Demonstration stop board stand completed for MTO by Ray Bull. (Ray Bull has now returned to Hornsby Maintenance Centre to commence trade training-Great effort Ray, thanks)
Cleaning the red dust off the pay bus: keeping that high gloss paint job gleaming.
