Category: Progress Reports

When Pete’s Hobby Railway was officially opened in February last year as part of my 75th Birthday celebrations, the only infrastructure (apart from the initial section of track itself) was a very basic station or platform. What is the difference between a platform and a station? I don’t know… is it the lack of supporting …

For the second year running, Pete’s Hobby Railway participated in Junee’s annual Rhythm n Rail Festival, this year held over the weekend of March 9-11, 2018. Preliminaries so far as PHR were concerned have already been covered in Progress Report No. 39. On this occasion, PHR also accepted an invitation to be included in the …

This is another Progress Report which cover a couple of “little things” that have occurred during recent months that cannot make up a single Report on each topic. Covering a weed-killing special, constructing a mini interim inspection pit and how not to fire a steam locomotive!       A site was selected and on …

Commencing last year, I arranged a public operating weekend for Pete’s Hobby Railway in conjunction with Junee’s annual Rhythm n Rail Festival, held over the second weekend in March. This operation is promoted as “train spotting at Pete’s Hobby Railway”, since the public can only view from outside the front fence. For the 2018 RnR, …

Short Cut: Watch video footage coverage of the Hunslet undergoing trials after the recent boiler inspection! As covered in Progress Report No. 36, in mid-October last, Pete’s Hobby Railway Hunslet 0-4-2T B/n 1187 of 1915 was prepared in anticipation of its annual boiler inspection shortly afterwards. At the time of the issue of the first …

Preliminary works to allow for the construction of the 1914 era NSWGR Unattended Platform Waiting Shed commenced on Thursday 9th November. As has been covered previously in various Progress Reports, Junee Shire Council gave its Development Consent some months ago for the construction of this simple structure – a replica of what existed (at least …

It is hard to believe that it is almost twelve months since PHR’s steam locomotive “Torpedo” (Hunslet 1187/1915) received its initial boiler ticket following its major overhaul during 2015/2016. With the visit from the Boiler Inspector slotted in for next week, it was necessary for “Torpedo” to be prepared internally, and this meant a really …

Obtaining a coal supply Until now, the Hunslet “Torpedo” had been steamed using cut firewood obtained locally, split as required to be more manageable for the firebox. A very small amount of coal had been obtained last year from the Illawarra Light Railway at Albion Park on the South Coast, followed subsequently by a slight …

While the primary plan for the week following the return of my Hunslet steam locomotive from Ainsworth Engineering at Goulburn on Friday 7th July was the track extension works, there was obviously a strong desire to steam the locomotive for further trials. Tuesday 11th July was set down for the initial steaming. Meanwhile, as detailed …

Heavy and physical construction work on Pete’s Hobby Railway is limited to brief and intervals when Mario (with his heavy machinery – bulldozer, crane, road roller and truck) is available to assist. When this does happen, it is a case of calling in all volunteers available to help out. With Mario available for a week …