The Steamtug Blog

This time the t-rusty Triumph and I are off to the Lake Goldsmith steam rally. As the bike thundered up the country roads a little quicker than I should, the bike sounded like a B-52 bomber coming in to land to the point the sheep were all running from the road side fence and I thought to myself, he he he… they know the FOX is coming!

My mate Warren (we call him Rabbit) greeted me on my arrival and ararnged my accomodation for the weekend, the penthouse suite in the top of the boiler house above the steam generating set. Most of the crazy crew were already there, Richard, Philip, Jamie, Laura, and Tom was still on his way from Geelong with the beer for the weekend. Luckily Rabbit had a cold can waiting for me, and even cooked me the world’s best steak sandwich. It would be my job to fire the 100 hp underfired boiler which powers the electrical system for the shed.

Years ago, I was the custodian of the steam shovel which is within the confines of the rally ground opposite Rabbit’s shed. I got involved because as an apprentice steam engineer, my mentor George Donovan who taught me everything about steam, and helped get me through my exams, had been a steam shovel driver years ago for the company where we worked “Australian Portland Cement” who had donated the steam shovel to the Lake Goldsmith club. George and I went to the steam rally in abut 1981 to see the shovel in action and he said to me, “They don’t really know how to drive it, do they”. So he introduced himself to the club secretary Mat Sheedy and the next rally he drove the shovel and I fired for him as he extended my apprenticeship, teaching me how to drive a steam shovel. After only a couple of rallies, he left me to it as the official steam shovel driver. Later when I landed my first job abroad, I taught my mate Ross to drive, who also got a job abroad and so taught Phillip, who is the son of Rabbit’s shed partner and present custodian of the steam shovel.

Phillip has done a fantastic job of fixing up many problems the shovel had. He has even lifted down the rack engine from half way up the sticks with his Dad’s crane, took it home and comletely rebuilt it. The old shovel is working like new, and Phillip has learned all the tricks to be able to drive it beautifully! But what about George? Well I had not heard from him for more than 20 years. That was until he rang me up the other day and asked if I would be at the steam rally. He had found a packet of photos he had printed for me all those years ago. He finally gave them to me on the Sunday of the rally. It was good to catch up with him, and the photos were of me in the powerstation as a young apprentice, then others taken on the steam shovel. Very funny to see after all these years!

See Phillip driving the steam shovel here…

But the biggest news at Goldsmith, is the arrival of another steam shovel from the same quarrie. (I actually worked at the quarrie for a short time after the powerstation closed down, so was very familiar with this new toy) It is a Bucyrus-Erie built, rail mounted steam shovel. Rumour has it, that this shovel was one that worked on the famous Panama canal. Others say the manufacture date puts it later than this project, but I have heard that after the canal was finished, all the shovels went back to the Bucyrus factory and were re-furbished and sold on as new machines, so I am sticking to this story and believe it to be true! Quite amazing when you think about how unique this shovel is. Even if it wasn’t on the Panama canal, it can already claim the title as the only “rail monted” steam shovel in exsistance in the world. Rabbit is leading the team to restore and get this shovel going in time for the 100th Lake Goldsmith steam rally in 2012. I feel I will be collared as part of the restoration team when he needs a hand.

This years rally featured a theme around vintage caravans, and there were lots of interesting old cars towing old plywood caravans. There were the old teardrop type, and I even saw an interesting pre-cursor to the “pop up” caravan, but this one featured 2 halves that rolled down front and back to pack down low for driving. (see photo)

And of course there was all the usual steam rally stuff. If you have never been, there are 2 rallies per year, on the first weekend in May and November. I hope to get to the next one too if I am not working. Will I see you there?

For more information check the official website. It’s a bit crappy, but here it is. Maybe they could use Mitch to give them an upgrade?   http://www.lakegoldsmithsteamrally.org.au/  Thanks Chris Quirk for the following photos…

And what about that young bloke in the powerstation? Well here he is syncronising the generator onto our state electricity grid. Don’t laugh now!!

And boy how the fashions change in the work place, no helmet, no glasses, and bare arms! My my…