ST KILDA (Museum Notes and News - November 2005)
from Colin Seymour
Road 9 Concreted
A recent bequest to the Museum together with members donations has enabled Road 9 in the Northern Depot (and the aisle between Roads 9 & 10) to be concreted enabling the whole of the Northern Depot to be open to the public.
The trams on Road 9 were moved out on several different days to accommodate the delivery of fill and concrete by the contractor.
The appearance of the depot has been improved considerably and visitors can now inspect the trams on Road 9 as well as those on Road 10. The only major outstanding task to complete the Northern Depot now is the erection of overhead.
Car 1013
Michael Crabb has installed 2 handrails inside W7 1013, our disabled access car, where one longitudinal seat in the dropcentre has been removed as recommended by Paraquad SA. Masonite has replaced the hole left following removal of the seat back and has been painted chocolate to match the existing colour inside, and the chocolate colour touched up on all interior surfaces.
The door engine cylinders have been replaced with new ones manufactured by Ian Seymour from new hydraulic pipe. The original ones had rust patches on the bores from long term settling of moisture.
The car roof has had its second paint coat applied by John Pennack and Chris Summers.
Car 15
Good progress continues to be made with the reconstruction of car 15 as part of our Bib & Bub set cars 14 & 15. MTT etched glass has been delivered and fitted to the saloon doors. The original design has been reproduced on 6mm laminated safety glass.
Wheel Press
Hercus, a local machine tool and general engineering company has been involved with overhauling bogies for TransAdelaide's H car fleet. Three axles required new gears to made, but to install them, one wheel had to come off. Tony Mathews from TransAdelaide notified Hercus that the Museum had a wheel press which formerly belonged to the MTT and STA.
Upon the Museum agreeing to undertake the work, Ian Seymour recommenced overhauling the wheel press. The spare SEC pony axle and wheels which had come with our two Ballarat cars, 21 and 34 in 1971, and was the first item turned on our wheel lathe, was loaded up onto the press to test the machine out. After pressing off one wheel, later in the day the axle was rotated, swapping over to the other wheel which entertained the audience which had gathered following the afternoon tea brew.
Following the successful trial, Hercus then delivered 3 axles to the front of Road 2 (the press is located at the front of Road 1 at an angle due to its length). The Friday gang then proceeded to set up the machine - one axle per Friday. All three axles varied in pressing off pressure, from 140 tons up to the machine limit of 200 tons. The higher the pressure, the louder the bang when the wheel finally gives (Brown trousers recommended!).
The press came to the Museum in the late 1980s and was placed at the back of Road 2 in the Workshop in 1999 where work commenced as a spare time job in replacing worn and deteriorated items. A concrete slab for the machine was poured on the last day of 1999 by Ian and Barry Fox - avoiding the millennium bug (remember that ?). The press was then transferred by travelling crane from the back of Road 2 and bolted down in position at the front of Road 1. A galvanised rubbish bin was cast into the foundation to make a pit to allow a counterweight on a cable to retract the piston upon releasing pressure.
Other News
The Salisbury Council recently commissioned a consultant to develop a detailed Marketing Review and Proposal for St Kilda Tramway Museum. The draft report suggested short and longer term marketing opportunities where Council can assist Museum. Both Council and the Museum are working on the implementation of some of the ideas.