Re: 520 or 621

[telljb@ozemail.com.au (< Tell >)]

ranger@camtech.net.au (bob green) wrote:
>
>The various colours of the 520s are described in the book "520" by
>Doug Colquhoun, Ron Stewein and Adrian Thomas.
>
>520, 521 and 522 were originally all painted hawthorn green with cream
>lining whilst the others were black with silver.
>
>The SAR and SteamRanger returned 520 to service in May 72 painted
>black and silver, but when subsequently repainted, most recently in 78
>following an extensive rebuild of the tender, the colour was returned
>to the "as built" hawthorn green.  Stewein believes the present colour
>is trhe same as originally used, but I was not around then so others
>might like to comment.


Yes, I was around then, BUT ...they were so dirty it
was hard to tell.  :-(

The book you refer to, is the most authoritative work
available.  I dug my old copy out and I am still
puzzled as to why David said they were ready for
standard gauge because they had "dished" wheels, the
pilot wheels were dished, but the drivers were spoked.!

The authors made no mention anywhere about the 520
class being convertible to SG.  On page 47 there are
drawings from Islington with four proposed standard
gauge 520 class.  The first three were for the
conversion of the broad gauge to standard gauge of the
SAR, (even the old SAR knew that standard gauge was
inevitable.!) and the fourth drawing was the "super"
520 for the Commonwealth Railways with a massive tender
sitting on eight wheel bogies, yes 8 WHEEL BOGIES,
carrying 17 tons of coal and 18,000 gallons of water.
 
----Terry Burton
Alice Springs NT