December 2013

The work on the L180 no. 1361 continues unabated. In connection with the mounting of the axles and the jackshaft all bearings have been replaced, which involves considerable complexity. Of course, the oil grooves were milled again into the cups. Also the exhaust box has returned to its place in the locomotive frame. Next, the rods follow.

November 2013

Now the small M00A no. 126 has repaired hood parts and a newly built rear panel. The repair of the hood by a locksmith certainly needed more work than a new construction, because it was so battered and partly cutted. But so the original substance could be almost completely preserved. And a few small bumps are usual at a Decauville loco. Now even the frame and chassis must be repaired. Engine and transmission are already in process in parallel.

October 2013

The Norwegian handcar unfortunately had the lack, that its third wheel was missing, because it wasn't to find in the scrap heap at Notodden station. With to the help of Thor Bjerke of the Norwegian Railway Museum in Hamar a matching wheel found its way to Germany. It has been restored, completed with two new steel rings - coloured "Norway brown" - and mounted on the handcar. The vehicle is likely the only one known on 600mm gauge. The slopes in Glossen provide quite a sporting challenge for the " rider".

September 2013

The reconstruction of the Montania L180 is going on slowly but steadily. In March, both axes were electro-surfaced and reprofiled by the MaLoWa in Benndorf . The bad condition of the first axle - caused by eroding mine water - made it necessary. As part of this work also all bearing surfaces have been repaired, the crankshaft journals too. Because of the new bearing measurements , all bearing shells had to be re-manufactured, the jackshaft included. Additional the metal panels, subsequently welded in to the buffers, have been removed and hardwood chunks were fitted. This buffer construction was used only until the twenties.



The axes of the mining RL1c had to be reconstructed because the transformed to double flenged wheels during its last use in a clay pit. See also the photo of a year ago. During the the dismounting it was evident that the bush bearing had been converted to roller bearings added with new housings. But both of them were useable bacause of the intensive waste and had to be replaced. Now it was time to lift the locomotive from its flat car and to set it on its own " feet ", of course with new springs.

May 2013

Sometimes unbelievable things happen. For example, that in the year 2013 a Jung loco still stands in a private garden since almost 50 years. Once, in it's second life, it was used as a drive of a circular saw. But not long until an engine failure finished this service. The rest of the time until today it remains in a kind of twilight sleep without gear. It wasn't necessary for the saw use. But a replacement gearbox from a decades ago scrapped loco is waiting for duty in the store. The recovery of the EL105 No. 8002 was not easy to do because it had been brought down to its place with the help of a long steel cable from a mountainside. Now it was to bring back up this slope without a rope but with a wheel loader. Despite other expectations there was no problem. The dismounted spring buffer of the back of the loco was found buried in the soil next to a nearby tree and in the open tank filler neck funnel-shaped mushrooms had taken root, reminiscent of a "Yes" album cover. Inspite of the extended length of outdoor time the locomotive is in a surprisingly good overall condition.

February 2013

After remaining the M00A in the locomotive shed for some time, it would make sense to repair the metal sheets as a first step on the way to further reconstruction. So an inventory and the dismantling of the remaining remnants of the bonnet happened. The motor-gear block looks a little bit like the construction of O&K type M, the exterior like the MD series with their weight hangings on the frame. The origin of the construction of the Montania locos is apparently. The M00A rightly has its unique name, it is obviously the little sister of the MD1 or MV0. May be there was no market in Germany for such a lightweight loco. For smaller companies in Spain it was apparently sufficient, that also shows the number of surviving machines.

January 2013

For fitting again the chassis of the L180 in spring, all other frame connected parts have to be refurbished. Axle boxes and springs have been sand-blasted and repainted. The springs are in good condition, only the upper layer of one of them needs to be replaced because it's broken and "Feldbahn like" repaired with a rail joint. A special detection after the sand-blasting were stamps of the manufacturer "D & N" (a today unknown company), as well as of the year 1920. So it can be sure considered, that the 1361 really was built and delivered to Norway in this year and there was no delay because of the First World War.