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Puffing Billy Railway
Station Sign, whitfeild Station sign
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Historic - Victorian Railways Station sign used at Whitfield Station Whitfield Station The terminus of the line. Whitfield was the most distant narrow gauge station from Melbourne Opened 1899 Closed 1953 Whitfield was the small terminus for the Whitfield railway line The station had a moderately long passenger platform, small goods yard, goods shed, ticket office and locomotive shed. Platforms 1 Tracks 3 Historic - Victorian Railways Station sign used at Whitfield StationStation Sign - Whitfield large black wooden backing board with white letteringWhitfieldpuffing billy, victorian railways, station sign, whitfield -
Puffing Billy Railway
1 NH, Powder & General Goods Van, June 1910
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...V.R. Powder & General Goods Van NH1 Gauge 2'6" The NH Powder and Goods van was built in 1910. Its purpose was to carry explosives and general goods, Originally classed as NPH. There were two compartments: a 10ft 8¾ inch (3,270 mm) section for explosives and a 13 ft 7 in (4,140 mm) section for general goods. The sides, ends and doors were covered in sheet metal. With the closing of the mines at Walhalla the need to carry explosives ended and both compartments were used for general goods. The doors were replaced with NU type louvre doors for ventilation. NH1 Covered Truck Service History : NPH NPH 1 was built and issued to traffic June 1910. It was a bogie boxvan set up for general goods and the transportation of explosives. It could carry 6 tons of goods and 4 tons of explosives. No doubt the van was stationed on the Moe - Walhalla line. Walhalla was a gold mining town and the rail line had been built from Moe to provide a faster means of transportation than bullock teams from the sailing boats from Melbourne to Port Albert/Sale via Heyfield. In 1911 the van was converted to all goods transport and recoded to NH. NH The van was fitted with autocouplers in 1928. It was scrapped in 1954. By 1968, the vehicle body had been found and was placed into the Museum at Menzies Creek. Body donated to the Puffing Billy Preservation Society. Vehicle Length 25 feet 2 inches ( 7671 mm) Coupled Length 27 feet 4 inches (8330 mm) Width 6 feet 3 inches (1905 mm) Weight 7 tons Capacity 10 tons Built 1910 Number Built 1 In use - Static displayHistoric - Victorian Railways - narrow gauge rolling stock - Powder & General Goods Van Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H2187 Puffing Billy Locomotives and Rolling Stock Collection1 NH - Powder & General Goods Van Made of Timber - wood, wrought iron and metal sheet There were two compartments: a 10ft 8¾ inch (3,270 mm) section for explosives and a 13 ft 7 in (4,140 mm) section for general goods. The sides, ends covered in sheet metal with NU type louvre doors for ventilation. NH1 To carry 10 tonspuffing billy, powder & general goods van nh1, nh1, powder & general goods van, victorian railways, narrow gauge rolling stock -
Puffing Billy Railway
Portable Compound Steam Engine, Marshall & Son's - Builders Number 48317, circa 1908 / 1909
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Portable Compound Engine - Marshall & Son's. Builders Number 48317 Built by Marshall Sons & Co., Ltd., Gainsborough, England (Builder’s Number 48317 of approximately 1908/1909), to the order of Robison Brothers, Engineers, South Melbourne. It was used for operating a pump to supply irrigation water at Robinvale in Northern Victoria. Robison Bros & Co. P/L was founded by James McFarlane Robison and his brothers in 1854, initially as plumbers and coppersmiths, the firm expanded into general engineering, boiler-making and brass, iron and steel founders and became one of Melbourne's most important engineering firms. They constructed railway bridges, gold mining equipment, railway locomotives, pumping stations, brewing vessels, abattoir machinery, amongst much else and including the first turnstiles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A portable engine is either a steam engine or an internal combustion engine, that remains in one place while operating (providing power to machinery), and can be easily moved from one work site to another. Mounted on wheels or sometimes skids, it is required to be towed between work sites.Historic - Industrial Portable Compound Engine - steam engine - Marshall & Son's. Marshall & Son's Portable Compound Engine - Builders Number 48317 made of steel Marshall & Son's. Builders Number 48317puffing billy, state rivers and water supply commission of victoria, portable compound engine - marshall & son's., portable compound engine, marshall sons & co., ltd., robison bros & co. p/l -
Puffing Billy Railway
Malcolm Moore No. 1013 - Four Wheel Diesel Rail Tractor Gauge 2'0", circa Nov 1943
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Malcolm Moore No. 1013 Four wheel Diesel Rail Tractor Gauge 2'0" Malcolm Moore rail tractor (Builder’s Number 1013) It was built for the Australian Army in 1943. It was sold to the Inkerman Sugar Mill in Queensland around 1948 for hauling cane and shunting at the works. This rail tractor was originally powered by a Ford side valve V8 petrol engine. It was purchased from the Inkerman Mill of Pioneer Sugar Mills in 1982. Historic - Industrial narrow gauge Railway - Diesel Rail Tractor - used by the Australian Army and Inkerman Sugar Mill in QueenslandDiesel Rail Tractor made of iron and wrought irondiesel rail tractor, puffing billy, inkerman mill, industrial narrow gauge railway, gauge 2’0”, inkerman sugar mill, australian army -
Puffing Billy Railway
Former Puffing Billy Locomotive Boiler 6A
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Former Puffing Billy Locomotive Boiler 6A - front tube plate missing Historic - Former Puffing Billy Locomotive Boiler 6A - front tube plate missing Former Puffing Billy Locomotive Boiler 6A - front tube plate missing Made of iron , wrought iron , metal;puffing billy, 6a boiler -
Puffing Billy Railway
NKS Type Trolly - Victorian Railways 2'6" gauge trolly, NKS 8
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...NKS Type Gangers Trolly - Victorian Railways 2'6" gauge trolly - a KS series Section Car oftern called the Kasey Jones The narrow gauge version of the broad gauge KS series cars. They were classed NKS with two stroke motors. These cars were built by the Spotswood Workshops, with castings coming from the Newport Workshops. KS is lighter car capable of carrying 4 men or sevenhundredweight Historic - Victorian Railways Narrow Gauge - Track Patrol Vehicle used by Puffing Billy Preservation SocietyMotorised small rectangular trolly made of wood and wrought iron Engine Type: 1 Cyl. reversible Fuel: 2 stroke Transmission: Belt driveNKS 8puffing billy, victorian railways, trolley, narrow gauge, 2'6" gauge, kasey, trolly -
Puffing Billy Railway
Climax - Geared Steam Locomotive No. 1694, 1928
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Climax geared locomotive No. 1694 in active service on special occasions - stored at Emerald Station A Miraculous Survivor Climax locomotive No.1694 is a miraculous survivor of a rare breed of steam locomotive. For about 100 years from the mid-1850s sawn timber was carted from Victorian sawmills to the nearest railway station by timber tramway. These tramways were generally very rough, steeply graded, sharply curved, and of narrow gauge. Many had wooden rails, and horses provided haulage. The better ones used steam locomotives. In all about fifty steam locomotives are known to have worked on Victorian timber tramways. These locomotives were usually somewhat peculiar - made to cope with arduous, rough conditions, rather than speed. Climax locomotive No.1694 is the only one of these locomotives to survive intact. It was built in 1928 by the Climax Manufacturing Company, Corry, Pennsylvania, USA, for the Forests Commission of Victoria. The distinctive feature of the Climax locomotive is that the cylinders do not directly connect to the driving wheels. Instead they drive a cross shaft near the centre of the locomotive. From there the drive is transmitted to the small driving wheels through rotating shafts, universal joints, and bevel gears. The driving wheels are mounted in two four-wheel bogies so that they can easily follow sharp curves in the track. None of these features are found in normal steam locomotives. The result is a locomotive that is extremely powerful for its size, and that will cope with sharp curves and steep grades with ease. But this is at the cost of speed, Climax locomotive No.1694 is just about flat-out at 13 km/h (8 mph). Climax Locomotive Built in 1928 for the Forests Commission of Victoria and painted all-over black with the name CLIMAX painted on the sides of the cab in white block letters, this locomotive was issued to the Tyers Valley tramway which branched off the Moe to Walhalla line at Collins Siding. This locomotive was withdrawn from service in 1949 following the closure of the tramway and in 1950 it travelled from Tyers Junction to Collins Siding to Erica where it remained stored until 1965. Loaned to the Puffing Billy Preservation Society for its Steam Museum, it was taken to Menzies Creek in 1965 where it remained until 1982 when the Emerald Tourist Railway Board bought it and transferred it to Belgrave for restoration. It was returned to service for special use on the Belgrave to Gembrook line in 1988 painted in its original all-over black livery, except that the word “Climax” on the sides of the cab was now painted in the style of the Climax Manufacturing Co., a style that this locomotive had never carried.Historical - Industrial railway - Forests Commission of Victoria, Timber Logging Climax Locomotive Climax geared Steam locomotive made of steel and wrought iron Climax 1694climax locomotive works, climax, geared steam locomotive, puffing billy, climax locomotive no. 1694, steam locomotive -
Puffing Billy Railway
861 - John Rees - Decauville Steam Locomotive - formerly John Benn, 1886
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...861 John Benn Locomotive - in active service - Emerald Station Built in 1886 by Société Anonyme Usines Métallurgiques du Hainaut - Locomotives Couillet for the West Melbourne site of the Metropolitan Gas Company, as a four-wheel tank locomotive similar to 986 and named “John Benn”. The West Melbourne gas works sourced its coal from Maitland, New South Wales, and the coal was brought by ship to a wharf adjacent to the West Melbourne gas plant. John Benn and Carbon were used to haul the coal over a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge railway from the wharf to the gasworks, a distance of about 450 metres (500 yards). It was withdrawn from service in the 1930s and stored until sold privately in 1962. It was rebuilt by its new owners in the style of an American locomotive of the 1880s and was used for some years at Walhalla. It currently has the name “J.C. Rees” and is used in active service for the 861 Footplate Experience. Wheels: 2-4-2ST Builder: Couillet Build Date: 1886 Construction No.: 861 Empty Weight: Unknown Weight on Drivers: Unknown Driver Diameter: Unknown Tractive Effort: Unknown Boiler Pressure: Unknown Cylinders: Unknown Fuel: Coal Gauge: 30 inchesHistoric - Industrial railways - Metropolitan Gas Company Ltd, Melbourne Steam LocomotiveDecauville Steam Locomotive 861 John Reespuffing billy, narrow gauge, industrial narrow gauge railway, metropolitan gas company, decauville 43, steam locomotive, john rees, john benn, 861 locomotive, couillet, 861 -
Puffing Billy Railway
Station Sign - Yea
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Station Sign - Yea Yea Station Opened 16 November 1883 Closed 8 November 1978 Yea is a former railway station in Yea, Victoria, Australia. The tracks have been removed and the reserve has been turned into The Yea Railway Park consisting of the historic railway station and eleven acres of parkland. It has a picnic shelter, barbecue, toilets, playground, skatepark, walking track, community reserve and includes Rotary Park. The station building houses Blackthorn Textiles (a privately run craft shop). Also on the site are the former goods sheds which are available for hire for varied functions. The Yea Country Market is held in the park on the first Saturday of each month and local artists hold an exhibition and sale in the goods sheds each Easter. The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yea_railway_station photo at http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/078/092.jpg Historic - Victorian Railways Station sign used at Yea StationStation Sign - Yea Metal rectangle Station Name Sign with white enamel back ground and black lettersYeapuffing billy, station sign, yea station -
Puffing Billy Railway
Tecoma Station Sign
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Station Sign - Tecoma Tecoma railway station is located on the Belgrave line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the eastern Melbourne suburb of Tecoma opening on 1st December 1924. The station was originally on the Upper Ferntree Gully - Gembrook narrow gauge line. It along with the rest of the line closed on 30 April 1954, reopening on 19 February 1962 when the line as far as Belgrave was converted to broad gauge. ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecoma_railway_stationHistoric - Victorian Railways Station sign used at Tecoma StationStation Sign - Tecoma wooden rectangle Station name sign pained yellow background with black letters Tecomapuffing billy, station sign, tecoma station, narrow gauge, puffing billy museum -
Puffing Billy Railway
Station Sign - Upwey
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Upwey Station Sign; Upwey Railway Station is located on the Belgrave line in Victoria, Australia. This railway serves the Eastern region of Melbourne. Upwey Railway Station opened on the 3rd of June 1901. Upwey Railway Station has a crossing loop in the middle of a six kilometre section of single railway track between Ferntree Gully Railway Station and Belgrave Railway Station. The station was originally on the Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook narrow gauge line. The Upper Ferntree Gully to Gembrook Narrow Gauge railway line officially closed on the 30th of April 1954. It saw further use between 1955 and early 1958, when trains were operated by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in co-operation with the Victorian Railways. The Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave section was converted to Broad Guage and re-opened on the 19th of February 1962. This station sign shown here was one of a number used on the Upwey Railway Station while it was Narrow Gauge. Historic - Victorian Railways Station sign used at Upwey StationUpwey wooden rectangle Station name sign pained yellow background with black font.Upweypuffing billy, station sign, upwey station, victorian railways -
Puffing Billy Railway
Station Toilet Gentlemen sign
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Station Sign - Toilet Gentlemen An obvious sign for a convenience. The use of the term Gentlemen was shortened to Men at a later time. Historic - Victorian Railways Station Sign - Toilet GentlemenStation Sign - Toilet Gentlemen sign wooden rectangle Station name sign pained white background with black lettersGentlemenpuffing billy, victorian railways, station sign, toilet gentlemen sign -
Puffing Billy Railway
Station Toilet Ladies sign
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Station Sign - Toilet Ladies An obvious sign for a convenience. The use of the term Ladies was altered to Women at a later time.Historic - Victorian Railways Station Sign - Toilet LadiesStation Sign - Toilet Ladies sign wooden rectangle Station name sign painted white background with black lettersLadiespuffing billy, victorian railways, station sign, toilet ladies sign -
Puffing Billy Railway
Railway Sign - Victorian Railways - Terminal stop Board - End of electrification
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Victorian Railways - Terminal stop Board - End of electrification sign This ‘star’ sign signified that beyond this object there was no further powered overhead to operate on the Melbourne suburban rail network.Historic - Victorian Railways - Terminal stop Board - End of electrification signRailway Sign - Victorian Railways - Terminal stop Board - End of electrification sign metal star shaped enamel sign with Black dot in centreBlack Dotpuffing billy, victorian railways, terminal stop board, end of electrification sign -
Puffing Billy Railway
Sign - Advertising - Griffiths Tea Sign - 30 Miles, between 1879 - 1930's
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...In 1879, James Griffiths established one of Australia’s first tea and coffee distribution companies at 30 Flinders St, Melbourne, which is now, occupied by the boutique Lindrum Hotel. Established with his brother John, recent immigrants from England, Griffiths occupied the highest position in the commercial world during their many years as distributors of tea, coffee, cocoa and other products throughout Victoria and Australia. The Griffiths brand was a guarantee for quality of product and service as it still is today. This extensive service was provided to customers via horse drawn carts serviced by rail from Melbourne. As a spirited entrepreneur, Griffiths made his company a household name through his pioneering use of outdoor advertising by installing the infamous blue and white enamel “Griffiths Tea” promotional signs affixed to the railway boundary fences highlighting to travellers the distance to or from Melbourne, indicating so many “— miles to Griffiths Tea”. These signs, much sought after today, were well known through out the eastern states. Photographs have been published of a sign erected by a Digger in France during the First World War with the words “1100 miles to Griffiths Bros”. Tragically, James and his wife Emily with friends died in a level rail crossing accident at Bayswater in 1925. Despite this unfortunate accident, Griffiths and its culture of innovation has survived as one of the few 100% Australian owned coffee roasters, with only three owners in 128 years. http://www.griffithscoffee.com.au/about-us/back-to-1879/ Sign - Advertising - Griffiths Tea Sign - 30 MilesHistoric - Sign - Advertising - Griffiths Tea Sign - used along side of Victorian Railway lines and at StationsSign - Advertising - Griffiths Tea Sign - 30 Miles Griffiths Tea sign made of Enamel paint on metal sign30 Miles to Griffiths Tea Sign puffing billy, sign - advertising - griffiths tea sign - 30 miles -
Puffing Billy Railway
Sign - Advertising - Coxhead Tools Pullers
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Coxhead Tools Pullers Historic - Industrial - Advertising Sign - Coxhead toolsSign - Advertising - Coxhead Tools Pullers made of paint on sheet metalTools Coxhead Pullers The Head of Qualitycoxhead tools pullers, puffing billy, sign - advertising - coxhead tools pullers -
Puffing Billy Railway
Plaque Sign - Station Clock - Ballarat Station, 1998
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Station Clock plaque - Ballarat Station This plaque is dedicated to the late Eric Quinlan who rescued the nearby clock (Item 000180) from the Parcels Office at the Victorian Railways Ballarat railway station. Historic - plaque for Station Clock - Ballarat Station - which was used in the Parcels Office at the Victorian Railways Ballarat railway stationStation Clock plaque - Ballarat Station small wooden Plaque Sign with engraved lettersThis historic railway clock , originally installed in the Parcels Office at Ballarat Station is from the estate of the late Eric Quinlan an enthusiastic supporter of railway preservation and long- time member of Puffing Billy Preservation Society Donated by his close friend , Peter Ralph , 1998 puffing billy, station clock, plaque, ballarat station -
Puffing Billy Railway
Ballarat Station Parcels Office Clock
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...This historic railway clock , originally installed in the Parcels Office at Ballarat Station Station Clock - Ballarat Station A Victorian Railways Station clock that was located in the Parcels Office at Ballarat. In the 19th Century, time was not seen as an urgent requirement to be somewhere or do something. There was sun up and sun down. A number of towns in Victoria operated on different times to other towns in the state. With the coming of the railways in Victoria from 1854, time became more important not only from the public side, but from a railway operational safety side. Clocks started appearing at railway stations, sometimes showing a different (standard) time to that of the local town. Eventually all of Victoria was bought into the same time zone, which matched the railway standard. Historic - Station Clock - Ballarat Station - which was used in the Parcels Office at the Victorian Railways Ballarat railway stationStation Clock - Ballarat Station Parcels Office Clock Antique timber cased railway clock. Circular face with Roman numerals. By Foster of London, with numbered brass plaque '631'. Single barrel fusee movement. Foster London 631 puffing billy, ballarat station, station clock -
Puffing Billy Railway
Timber Mill - Packet of Round Saw Blades
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Historic - Industrial - Timber Mill Saw BladesHistoric - Industrial - Timber Mill Saw BladesTimber Mill - Packet of Round Saw Blades made of steelHandle with Care A MSS Product 551 771 MI Melbourne Saw Manufacturing Co. PTY 107 Northern Rd West Heidelberg Vic. Ph 45-4133 puffing billy, timber mill saw blades, melbourne saw manufacturing co. -
Puffing Billy Railway
Garden Scythe
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Historic - Farming - Track tool - Garden ScytheHistoric - Farming - Track tool - Garden ScytheGarden Scythe made of wrought Iron with wooden handle puffing billy, garden scythe -
Puffing Billy Railway
single cylinder Blackham stationary engine, circa 1900
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Engine (power producing equipment) A single cylinder Blackham stationary engine. This engine required steam from a separate boiler to operate. Maker : W.H Blackham King Street, Melbourne, Victoria c. 1900 Historic - Industrial - Single cylinder Stationary engine - W. H. Blackham - Kings St. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia A single cylinder Blackham stationary engine. - Made from Iron, wrought Iron & brassW.H Blackham King st. Melbournepuffing billy, blackham, single cylinder stationary engine -
Puffing Billy Railway
bucket, with spout
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Hand made metal bucket with spout leade soldered Bucket marked “ 10 - Not for Mineraleol” Metal bucket with spout 10 - Not for Mineraleolpuffing billy, metal bucket with funnel, tinsmith -
Puffing Billy Railway
red box, DETS 7A
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Detonator (DET) An explosive device (not shown) is placed on the rail line and triggered by wheel pressure—used to warn of hazards aheadHistoric - Victorian Railways - Detonator (DET) Boxred box - DETS 7A Made of metal sheetDETS 7Apuffing billy, detonator (det) box -
Puffing Billy Railway
Large Electric Staff Instrument, Webb-Thompson
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Electric staff - Electric staff instruments The staff and ticket system was still too inflexible for busy lines, as it did not allow for the situation where the train intended to carry the actual token was cancelled or running very late. To provide for this, the electric train token system was developed. Each single-line section is provided with a pair of token instruments, one at the signal box at each end. A supply of identical tokens is stored in the instruments, which are connected by telegraph lines. A Staff can be removed from one instrument only if both signalmen co-operate in agreeing to the release. Once a Staff has been removed, another cannot be removed until the token which is "out" is replaced in either instrument. (There are variations on this sequence of events.) By this means, it can be ensured that at any one time, only one token is available to be issued to a driver. Staff belonging to adjacent sections have different configurations to prevent them being inserted into the wrong instrument. Nevertheless, in the Abermule train collision in 1921 and lax working procedures allowed the safeguards provided by the electric Staff system to be circumvented; a driver was handed a Staff for the wrong section, and without reading the information listed on the staff, proceeded on the mistaken belief that the Staff was correct. To prevent this, it became a requirement in the UK for the signals controlling entry to the single line section (starting or section signals) to be locked at danger unless a token has been released from the relevant Staff instrument. Historic - Victorian Railways Electric Staff Instrument Electric Staff Instrument made of Iron , Brass and Glasspuffing billy, electric staff instrument, victorian railways -
Puffing Billy Railway
Porters, Luggage Trolley - large red one, 1900s
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Porters Luggage Trolley - large red one Used for transporting luggage and other items on a railway platforms by porters and other station staff.Historic - Victorian Railways - Station Porters platform Luggage Trolley Large Porters Trolley - made of wood and steelpuffing billy, victorian railways, porter, luggage, hand trolley -
Puffing Billy Railway
Platform Luggage Trolley, Station Porters - two smaller unpainted ones
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Station Porters platform Luggage Trolley - two smaller unpainted ones Historic - Victorian Railways - Station Porters platform Luggage TrolleyStation Porters platform Luggage Trolley - two smaller unpainted ones - made of wood and wrought ironstation porters platform luggage trolley, puffing billy, victorian railways -
Puffing Billy Railway
Equipment - Victorian Railways Carriage Foot Warmer
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...During prestige, long distance train journeys some carriages had air-conditioning, and the majority of passengers had to brave unheated carriages. To offer some comfort during the winter months, the non-air-conditioned carriages were provided with footwarmers. These were metal containers roughly 100 mm thick and 300 mm wide, and about 750 mm long, which were filled with salt crystals (concentrated crystalline hydrated sodium acetate). The footwarmers were covered by sleeves of thick canvas, and two footwarmers were usually placed in each compartment of non-air-conditioned carriages. To activate the chemicals, the footwarmers were heated almost to boiling point. This was done by removing the canvas sleeves and placing the footwarmers in a large bath of very hot water. After they had been heated, they were removed from the bath and the sleeves refitted. They were then ready to be placed in the carriages. The McLaren patent foot warmer was used on railways in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia as well as South Africa and New Zealand. It was during the 1901 royal visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall that these foot warmers were first used in New Zealand in the royal carriage. Before railway carriage heating was introduced, McLaren patent foot warmers were placed on the floor of New South Wales government railway carriages from 1891 to provide a little passenger comfort. The rectangular steel container worked a bit like a hot water bottle but instead of water contained six and a half kilograms of loosely-packed salt crystals, (concentrated crystalline hydrated sodium acetate). This was permanently sealed inside the container with a soldered cap. After the foot warmer was heated in vat of boiling water for about one and a quarter hours the crystals became a hot liquid. (The melting point for sodium acetate is 58 degrees). There was a whole infrastructure of special furnaces set up at stations for the daily heating of foot warmers. By 1914 the Victorian railways had 4,000 foot warmers in service and by 1935 there were 33 furnaces at principal stations to heat them. After about 10 hours the container was picked up by the handle and given a good vertical shake which helped the cooled liquid reform into a solid mass of hot crystals. Staff or sometimes passengers shook them en route when the foot warmers began to get cold. However, as they were heavy this was only possible by fit and agile passengers. At the end of the journey the containers were boiled again for reuse on the next trip. Sodium acetate railway foot warmers were introduced in Victoria in 1889, Adelaide to Melbourne express in 1899. "Shaking up" on this service took place at Murray Bridge and Stawell on the tip to Melbourne and at Ballarat and Serviceton on the trip to Adelaide. The use of foot warmers began to decline in New South Wales from the 1930s with the first trial of carriage air-conditioning in 1936, steam heating from 1948 ad LP gas heating from 1961. By the early 1960s the main services using foot warmers were the overnight mail trains. info from : http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=67564#ixzz4UBNzVf6t Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial There was a whole infrastructure set up at stations for the daily heating of foot warmers in special furnaces. In Victoria alone in 1935 there were 33 heating works.Historic - Victorian Railways - Carriage Heater - Foot warmerA rectangular-shaped stainless steel casing with a welded seam down the back and welded ends. There is a handle at one end for carrying and shaking. Inside the foot warmer are two baffle plates and three trays to contain the sodium acetate. There was a cast-iron ball in each internal compartment. puffing billy, victorian railways, carriage haeter, foot warmer, passenger comfort, station furnace, railway ephemera, early heating methods -
Puffing Billy Railway
grinding wheel, Blacksmith
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Blacksmith grinding wheel - stone is original but stand has been made by Puffing Billy Museum volunteers stand scrapped - damaged - Feb 2018Historic -Industrial Tool - Grinding wheel Blacksmith grinding wheel - stone is original but stand has been made by Puffing Billy Museum volunteers Wheel made of stone and wrought ironblacksmith grinding wheel, puffing billy -
Puffing Billy Railway
Ganger's, Trolly Turntable
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Ganger's Trolly Turntable When a railway gangers trolly was working between railway stations, occasionally it was required for the line to be clear for trains to operate. Many trollys were too heavy to physically lift off the track, so a turntable was needed. These were provided at designated locations, and in some cases the trolly had a turntable on board. The turntable would be placed on the rails and the trolley driven onto it. The turntable would then be rotated 90 degrees by human power and the trolley pushed off on to a prepared set of rails on the side of the line. The turntable would then be removed from the track allowing trains to run through that section. The gang could then get on with the work required near that location. Historic - Railway Permanent Way and Works - track equipment - Ganger's Trolly TurntableGanger's Trolly Turntable made of wood with wrought iron fittings puffing billy, ganger's trolley turntable, trolley, trolly -
Puffing Billy Railway
Machine - Conveyor / Loader, Munro Engineers Pty Ltd, 1955
... Puffing Billy Railway 1 old monbulk road Belgrave yarra ...Munro Engineers Pty Ltd, Handilift Stacker & Loader' The Land on which the Menzies Creek railway station and Museum are built on was once apart of James Hermon's & his son William Hermon's property on which this Munro Handilift Stacker & Loader was used. Historic -Industrial Tool - Handilift Stacker & Loader - used on Jame's Hermon's property on which the Menzies Creek Railway is built on Munro Engineers Pty Ltd, Handilift Stacker & Loader made of steel and wood and wrought ironMunro Engineers Pty ( symbol map of Australia ) Ltd, Ballarat Vic. On side - No. 3147 On wheel - no, 2052puffing billy, munro engineers, handilift stacker & loader, hermon, menzies creek