Uncategorised or Interesting stuff

Now this is a wide open field...  This can be anything, from train spotting trips, to weird and wonderful train related scenes in South Africa.
 

	This is a photo of a bunch of the train fans from the Pretoria Model Train club on a trip to the Koedoespoort work shop in October 2002.  The shine coach behind us, is the class 10M3 metro coaches used in Cape Town.  At the time of the photo only 2 coaches have been delivered to the Metro service, and a large number was ready and waiting to be delivered.
	The day was scorching, and we took a breather inside one of the new 10M3 METRO coaches.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002
	The whole coach is taped and masked, before the nice striping is painted onto the side of a 10M3 coach.  The whole coach needs to be masked, because they nice stainless surface must not get spoilt by over spray.  The people from METRO prefer to give all those budding graffiti artists a nice clean canvas to paint on... Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002
	This is a old steam crane used by the SAR/SAS of old.  It was built by Sheldon & co of England.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002
	Another view of the crane.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	This is what I suppose is the manufacturer's plate and operating instructions.  As can be seen from this plate, the crane was built in England in 1937. Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	Not all 5M Metro wagons are in a good enough condition to be rebuilt or reconditioned.  If a coach is too badly damaged, the top is sold as scrap.  What is left can be seen here.  This will eventually be upgraded and become a 10M3 with shiny stainless steel sides.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	This photo gives one an idea of just how big the wheels of our current locos are.  The wheel at the bottom left, is a diesel loco wheel.  Center is a class 11E wheel, and the set on the right hand side, belongs to a metro motor unit.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	Unlike the case is with railroad modeling, real train wheels are not supplied in sets ready to be fitted.  Here a row of brand new wheels, cast on solid steel can be seen.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	The wheels are shaped (profiled) and marked.  They are then lined up to be fitted to an axle.  Photo Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	The axles are also turned to have the exact diameter where the wheels are to be fitted.  The axle is turned to fit only one specific wheel.  Both the wheels and the axle is marked to be identified as a set by the fitting team.  Here the axle to match the 2 wheels in the previous photo, it selected.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	Now the center point of the axle is determined to ensure that no one wheel is pushed on too much or too little.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	The wheels are now loosely fitted to the axle, before a machine will press fit the wheels over the axle to exactly the right position.  by the way, the hole in the wheel has a circumference of approx. 1mm less than that of the outer diameter of the axle.  This results in a pretty tight fit.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	When both wheels are fitted to the axle, the wheels are rolled into this nice queue to be fitted to the METRO units.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	Not all train wheels are constructed from only wheels and axles.  Some wheels use a 'rim' and a 'tyre'.  The basic shape of the tyre is cast from steel.  Now the tyre has to be machined to get the right inside and outside profiles.  This lathe is turning the inside profile of the tyre.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	This is just a little closer look at the same turning process.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	As can be imagined, cutting steel at any rate generates a lot of heat.  Turning the basic inside profile took only a couple of minutes. The amount of heat generated can be seen here as clouds of smoke and steam from the coolant (the jet of white liquid).  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	This is a closer look at the Gibson ring (Thanx to Les Kenward for that reminder). The ring is used to keep the tyre on the wheel.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	Here 2 wheels can be seen stacked on top of each other.  Right at the top a groove is visible.  The spring loaded Gibson ring is fitted in the groove after a rim is put inside the wheel.  The little edge above the ring is then pressed down to effectively lock the ring in place, and keep the wheel and rim from coming apart.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	Once the ring is in place, a little spacer (seen lying on the work surface inside the wheels) is fitted in the gap in the ring and welded in place.  Photo taken at Koedoespoort, Oct. 2002.
	This is a rail inspection car.  I have no information about it.  The photo was taken at the Klerksdorp station, Dec. 2002.