Work has continued on box wagon K 610. The corner post adjacent to the one previously mentioned has been resecured, now that a broken bracket has been repaired. Work is focusing on the framing on the western side of the wagon. An additional tie rod has been replaced, and a recycled door post is being prepared for use as a replacement for the damaged one. This is proving challenging as little survives of the original.

Cattle wagon T 175 is also progressing well. The next section of wall cladding has been installed, vastly improving the appearance of this project. The assistance received from the webmaster on his rare visit to the site is gratefully acknowledged. The first drop door has been test fitted and now is in the process of being painted, as are a number of other components for the wagon. The next instalment of flooring timber is now drying and it will be a few months before work recommences on this aspect of the project.

TR 81 is receiving some attention to the braking system as it isn’t in as good a condition as originally anticipated. A couple of components required refastening to the frame and some contamination in a valve had caused a few problems. A cow catcher, similar to the one the locomotive carried when it was new, is being fabricated. With both these tasks being virtually complete, we look forward to seeing a lot more of this locomotive in action.

Despite challenging weather, the charter on the 24th of August was enjoyed by the participants; a special needs group from Southland.

An old shed has recently migrated on to the EA wagon. It is being refurbished with considerable enthusiasm and has already received extensive framing and weatherboard repairs. It will become a coal shed in our platform precinct redevelopment and will be repainted to fit in with the new colour scheme.

The society plans to hold a “Friends of Thomas the Tank Engine” weekend on the 2nd and 3rd of November between 11:00am and 5:00pm. This event promises to be entertaining for the next generation of enthusiasts. Hopefully, it will see both steam and diesel hauled trains operating simultaneously, creating a few interesting photographic opportunities.

The new framing for the northern wall of Katiki Station is now in place. The teams thoughts are now turning to the roof, not a huge surprise given the recent weather. A large quantity of timber has been obtained for use in the ceiling and for machining into weatherboards. This is currently drying.