The last couple of months has seen steady progress made on a number of fronts...

The installation of the headlights is complete on A67. Old style knife switches and resistors are mounted on the cab ceiling and the conduit has been painted so that it is virtually unnoticeable. The new tubes have been fitted, the boiler inspected, and the locomotive operated for an important charter. The re-tubing process went smoothly apart from the complication of discovering a significant crack in the main steam delivery T in the smoke box. Fortunately, the funds required to have a replacement fabricated and fitted have been donated (in excess of $2000) by a party that at this stage is keeping a low profile. The leaking regulator has also been addressed.

Further sleepers have been replaced adjacent to the former netball courts and fun park. Ballast has also been transported further down the line to resolve the slumping problem.

The Kerr Stuart steam locomotive regulator is having the valve faces machined and a grant application has be prepared, which if successful, will provide the funds necessary to return this locomotive to service.

Work on the former Katiki Station has centred around replacing the waiting room floor with recycled material.

The third door for T175 is complete now that the reassembly and painting is finished and it has now been refitted to the wagon. The south end kickboard has been repaired using a variety of techniques because of its originally severely decayed state.

Box wagon K610's A side door restoration has been completed and looks very respectable in its fresh coat of railway red. Work is now focusing on repairing the severely damaged interior lining, and refitting the door track.

Trolley WW7079 has had the timber repairs noted in the previous report completed and has been used on several occasions.

Also completed was the refurbishment of the first class saloon on carriage A193. Despite the difficulties posed by oil saturated timber, poor lighting, smelly polyurethane and extreme cold, the overall finish is excellent. The carriage was used for a wedding charter and ran with only the corner seats fitted as the rest of the carriage was set up for dining and socialising. The balance of the seats have since been refitted.

Significant progress has been made on the refurbishment of our tamper (MTM 401). Originally it was envisaged that some $2000 worth of professional services would be required to dismantle and reassemble the machine to allow the throttle bush to be replaced. However, some lateral thinking, perseverance and $21 have achieved the desired result. A reconditioned radiator has also been installed.

A track repair with a difference was undertaken recently when our track team replaced two corroded rail sections on a boat slipway the society built in the early 1980's. Unfortunately, bad weather meant that working conditions were poor and three visits had to be made to complete the job. However, the prospect of extra funds is always enticing during the early spring when there is normally virtually no revenue from other sources.

Our online book store has been expanded with a number of additional titles, including some not commonly available elsewhere, and all competitively priced.