Canterbury Railway Society Inc

News

General News - April 2000

25/4/00

New steps have at long last been fitted to the Moorhouse Signalbox. It is still hoped that funds and labour may be found to carry out the other work needed on the exterior of the signalbox. The crossing keepers hut is progressing well although work will soon close down for the winter.

The Railway has been the subject of several graffiti attacks recently. Both railcars, the EA locos, some wagons and the piecart were targeted on two separate occasions. We were able to call on the services of the Christchurch City Council's new graffiti removal team to get one of the railcars cleaned up while our own workers sorted out the other, but unfortunately the removal chemical damaged the paintwork.

The site cleanup continues. We are currently awaiting Mainline Steam's crane wagon to rearrange our new rail stack. Most of this month's work has been in collecting up scrap for the scrap bins, and gathering track fittings from around the workshop area to be taken to the way & works depot. The crane wagon arrived just before Easter but we have not yet done any work with it.

Coal has been donated from a school that converted to oil fired heating. It has been transported to Ferrymead.

Three storage buildings have been donated to the Society by Fulton Hogan.

A planer has been donated by an engineering firm for our workshop.

The workshop is being tidied and reorganised. The hydraulic ram and pump in the drop pit is being removed. In the future, a portable ram will be used when locos need a wheelset dropped.

Overhead wiring extension is continuing with the crossarms being placed on the poles. Poles have been put in most of the way to Ferrymead Station. The electric locomotives will be running on Easter Monday.

The Ferrymead Trust has received a grant of $100,000 towards the Park's General Store. The General Store will be a replica building constructed on the site of the current drapery. It is a significant step towards completing the Historic Village. The Park has also received $1000 from the Historic Places Trust toward the relocation of Washbourne House from Brockworth Place. Fundraising has now passed $29,000, two thirds of the way to completion.