SteamRanger's 520 in August 2024

[@williamwelbourn7932]

I followed 520 on a trip from Mt. Barker to Victor Harbour on a cold, wet winter's day in 1993. Despite the weather it was magnificent seeing her up close.

[@railmediaproductions3677]

@@williamwelbourn7932 Great memories. It’s an impressive locomotive, SteamRangers volunteers are doing a great job restoring the loco for future generations to enjoy.

[@russellharding3371]

Wow ! That sure is a whole lot of work to do ! Well done team 👍

[@railmediaproductions3677]

@@russellharding3371 The team at Mount Barker are doing a great job restoring 520 👍

[@rsinclair6560]

Volunteer overhauls can take betwee ten to twenty years. Ratio of repair to running is about 10 hours to 1 hour but increases between exams and age. Increase maintenance on boilers, tubes and super heater elements corrosion, fatigue, erosion if the don't stay warm for months as they were design to do. Once a month or weekend or occasional steaming increases maintenace and shell plate fatigue. If only society workshops had modern high rail with raised track on metre high supports to work under them, instead of crawling along dirty old pits. Modern 5 tonne bridge (gantry) cranes in the sheds so the the old blokes wouldn't burst their own boiler lifting heavy parts. Also interesting reading: The Steam Locomotive, ItS Theory, Operation and Economics, By Ralph P. Johnson , Chief Engineer, The Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1945.

[@adambrinkworth]

Do you have any idea when they put the boiler back on the locomotive and repainted

[@railmediaproductions3677]

@@adambrinkworth I haven’t heard any updates on this recently. I think there is a still some more work to do on the boiler before it is put back on the frames.

[@Cullerin112]

It looks radically different without the boiler

[@railmediaproductions3677]

They are doing a great job overhauling the loco at Mount Barker.

[@Cullerin112]

@railmediaproductions3677 certainly, I live in the act but would definitely make a trip over there just to see it when it returns to service!

[@railmediaproductions3677]

@@Cullerin112 It will definitely be worth the trip to see the 520 when it returns to steam 👍

[@kingsleypurvis8707]

It will be a magnificent day when it again rolls out of the shed under steam!

[@railmediaproductions3677]

@@kingsleypurvis8707 I can’t wait to see its first run of out Mount Barker. I will definitely be there to film it.