See http://blog.project6029.com/

Which states the front engine is basically complete. There is a work week from
October 29th with on-site accommodation available to progress the boiler cradle
section (smoke box and cab fit out plus fitting of the power reverser)

In addition this news:

"the Society has been approached with a view to providing 2 steam hauled trains
in connection with the 200th anniversary of the crossing of Blue Mountains - to
be celebrated 20-21 May 2013. 1878- built Beyer Peacock 4-4-0 might be used to
haul the official train for dignitaries while 6029 would haul a train for the
general public, with around 500 passengers."

All still provisional but clearly the group now has firm dates it is working towards.

TH

Thanks for passing that news along. Besides an impressive project, they have a very well-done website.

Trevor -

Is the Garratt a 4-8-2+2-8-4? I tried to find a good photo showing the running gear, but couldn't find one.

Thanks.


Les

*Found out that the engine is a 4-8-4+4-8-4. Also that the 6029 is one of the four locomotives of this class that have been preserved, although the 6029 is the only one being restored to service.

Les

Les -- AD60.

4-8-4+4-8-4.

Like so. From Gavin Hamilton's Web site, The Garratt Locomotive. Photo by A. J. Hurst.

A "Double Northern"! That is impressive! The only Garratt I've seen personally is the 30" gauge version at Puffing Billy near Melbourne, and it was still a work in progress when I was there in 2001. Between the Melbourne tramways, this rare beast, and all the other neat things "down under", a 15-hour plane ride is well worth it.

Want your own?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhVymzLjYpk

http://www.asterhobbyusa.com/AD60Garratttarget.htm

I haven't found any price; suffice it to say if you have to ask.....

How times have changed! I sent a contribution to the 6029 restoration group, and the PayPal report showed that US$1.00 now is worth about A$0.94. Back when I visited Melbourne in 2001 I think is was US$0.75 for A$1.00. The Aussies must be doing something right.

And regarding the live-steam model Garratt--way out of my league, but if somebody brought one of these to the Big Train Show, it would give an SP Daylight Northern or UP "Big Boy" model a run for its money in the crowd-gathering department.

Les and Overmod's notes about this being a 4-8-4+4-8-4 and being in class AD60 gave me the search terms I needed to do a little looking too.

Of particular interest in this clip, besides the Garratts themselves, is how much this coal-hauling line reminds me of Blue Ridge on the N&W. And check out what look to be offset-sided hopper cars in the train! Where did that road get those? Plenty of other hard-working power, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6gEjZYFs0M

Spectacular smoke and confirmation of the offset-sided hoppers, in two-bay and three-bay forms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgijJgqX ... creen&NR=1

Working doubleheaded again with those hoppers, which appear to be (maybe) lower than our own, without the vertical end sheet at the very end of the car. Interesting. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&featu ... 22dS7JbAHQ

Other stuff that turned up--lots of track, steam under catenary (some of it with Belpaire fireboxes), and red passenger cars--does this remind you of the Pennsy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... GG9f78lAbs

Lots and lots of other vintage Australian film on that addictive YouTube. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WpwSOGA ... re=related

!@!!@#$%#@!!! Something like this is what we should be seeing as part of a television series or movie franchise with a railroading background, but it's something we never got, and likely never will. How come we've managed to be so stupid? In fairness, I think part of the answer was that the Australians making this film noted the stuff we and others maybe didn't do, and thought it should be included, with such bits as the engine crew making breakfast on the shovel and the handing of a token at a block station. Still, we fall short, I'm afraid. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OInd_WCd ... re=related

Out-takes from the above film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&featu ... e130b45sHo

Looks like the 3801 is still around, and still inspiring film-makers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbGiQ6wa ... re=related

[quote="Trevor Heath"]See http://blog.project6029.com/

Which states the front engine is basically complete. There is a work week from
October 29th with on-site accommodation available to progress the boiler cradle
section (smoke box and cab fit out plus fitting of the power reverser)

In addition this news:

"the Society has been approached with a view to providing 2 steam hauled trains
in connection with the 200th anniversary of the crossing of Blue Mountains - to
be celebrated 20-21 May 2013. 1878- built Beyer Peacock 4-4-0 might be used to
haul the official train for dignitaries while 6029 would haul a train for the
general public, with around 500 passengers."

All still provisional but clearly the group now has firm dates it is working towards.

TH[/quote]
Bloody big lump's parked right next to my Pullman car in the shed!
Now there's a contrast: a Garratt hauling a wooden Pullman sleeper. No problem with the drawgear limit.......
Seriously, the gang are doing a great job putting 6029 back together, especially when you consider there have been no grant moneys made available.
Two great "oily rag" restorations side-by-side.
Cheers, Bob

This is the other loco discussed in the original message. From the same builder 75 years before....

6029 was taken out of the shed this week, into the beautiful Canberra sunshine.
The rear tender tank is on the ground.
Cheers, Bob

Another big update on the blog showing progress on multiple fronts at the end of the spring resoration "superweek". There are four sets of new images.

http://blog.project6029.com/

The loco, which was retired from daily service in 1972, last ran in 1981.

It was sidelined with a bad firebox and sat in the yard at Canberra for 25 years....in increasingly derelict condition until the present team was formed 5 years ago to bring her back to operating condition.

A replacement boiler was found at a lumber mill in Victoria and this was the catalyst for the restoration.

TH