[SEL] Does the New Year crankup still happen? ... and its bloody HOT here!

[Paul Pavlinovich]

I'll be on Fire Patrol duty at Puffing Billy Railway driving behind a 
special New Year's train tonight so I won't be cranking up any of my own 
engines but I will be cranking up one of our Fire Patrol trolleys - NK2.

http://www2.steamengine.com.au/NK2.jpg

This is powered by a 20hp Kohler two cylinder engine and drives the 
trolley through a gearbox (salvaged from a power boat). Final drive to 
the axles is by chain and sprocket. Of our collection, this little 
trolley is probably the most fun to drive and certainly the best in 
really hot weather. Today is expected to be 43C (approx 110F) and at 
11.25 is already at 37C (approx 99F) here in Emerald Victoria so the 43C 
does seem plausible.

Tonights train will also be a crankup - because it is has been declared 
Extreme Fire Danger a Total Fire Ban is in force here today so the 
railway is running diesels instead of the usual steam hauled services. 
Tonight's train is likely to be hauled by DH31 an ex Queensland Railways 
diesel locomotive.

In this sort of weather I'm torn between attending my rostered volunteer 
job and staying home to look after the house in case of bushfire. Sigh. 
What a choice... I've activated my fire plan and put out all the water 
drums and the mops and brought the garden hose inside and hooked it up 
to the washing machine tap. I haven't put the bung plugs into the rain 
gutters and filled them up yet - I usually only do that if there is a 
burn going locally - big waste of water otherwise.

More info:
Puffing Billy http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/
Watch a video of DH31 in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpAHUSTxmp0#
What is a Total Fire Ban? http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/restrictions/index.htm

Regards
Paul