A56734 - Restoration and Maintenance

Russell Wiseman bought A56734 and AL56043 in the mid 1990's and began to overhaul these Ex Auckland subbies in the old Feilding Freezing Works yard. This work mainly consisted of sandblasing the underframes and dent and rust repairs to panels.
For more information about A56734, visit the information page.

21st May 2005
Keith fitting the electrical circuit board to run the heaters to keep the carriage warm.

23rd April 2005
Keith refitting the doors that have been overhauled. Also note the new aluminium sheeting fitted to this car. The handrails have been removed and re-chromed.

2rd April 2005
Keith can be seen here fitting new rounded panels, on the carpeted car. These panels are made from fibreglass.

12th Febuary 2005
Bob Judd continues with work inside the carriage. All the interior timbers have been stripped and revarnished.

8th January 2005
The test head sends a ultrasonic sound wave down the axle. This wave is bounced off the end of the axle or crack and the length of the axle or location of the crack can be found.

14th August 2004
Reconditioned seats installed.

8th May 2004
Painted seat frames

27th March 2004
Merv painting the seat frames.

25th February 2004
We have laid carpet in one carriage so far. This type of carpet is designed to be used in high wear installations. This will be a very pleasant carriage to ride in.

21st February 2004
Rod removing the old paint from the seat frames.

7th February 2004
Mike pulling in the wiring for the sound system and heaters.

24th January 2004
Keith fitting the new panel work.

29th November 2003
More of these light fittings are wanted to replace broken ones.

29th November 2003
One of the light fitting from the carriage.

22nd November 2003
We are removing the lights so we can clean and revarnish the electrical wiring capping. Most of the work at this time centres around this carriage.

2nd August 2003
We have a few members that are electricans. This is Bevan installing wiring for power points and heaters that are being fitted to every carriage.

26th July 2003
These corners were orginally badly rusted. But the hard work from the team has restored them back to new condition.

26th July 2003
The carriages are being fitted with insulation to help make the ride quieter and warmer.

19th July 2003
Tony is welding in cross braces that will make the carriages stronger than they have ever been.

19th July 2003
Orginally the curved vestibule cladding was made from steel. We have made all the replacement sheets from fibreglass.

Work Week - March 2003
Members cleaning up underneath the floor after it had been repaired. Some steel had been replaced but the old rust steel had been left and not originally removed. We removed this rusted steel as it would encourage rust onto the replaced steel work underneath.

15th February 2003
Much of the corner ends wood and metal work have been replaced. We intend to replace the external skin with fibreglass instead of steel.

30th October 2002
These brackets which link the walls and floor have been made and fitted by members of the Society.

20th July 2002
These very important brackets (body knees) that hold the carriage together have rusted badly. One side of this carriage needed total replacement of the brackets. In this photo we are removing the rusted bracket.

Photos taken by Stan Jenkins

Back to Carriage Restoration page

	21st May 2005 Keith fitting the electrical circuit board to run the heaters to keep the carriage warm.
	23rd April 2005 Keith refitting the doors that have been overhauled. Also note the new aluminium sheeting fitted to this car. The handrails have been removed and re-chromed.
	2rd April 2005 Keith can be seen here fitting new rounded panels, on the carpeted car. These panels are made from fibreglass.
	12th Febuary 2005 Bob Judd continues with work inside the carriage. All the interior timbers have been stripped and revarnished.
	8th January 2005 The test head sends a ultrasonic sound wave down the axle. This wave is bounced off the end of the axle or crack and the length of the axle or location of the crack can be found.
	14th August 2004 Reconditioned seats installed.
	8th May 2004 Painted seat frames
	27th March 2004 Merv painting the seat frames.
	25th February 2004 We have laid carpet in one carriage so far. This type of carpet is designed to be used in high wear installations. This will be a very pleasant carriage to ride in.
	21st February 2004 Rod removing the old paint from the seat frames.
	7th February 2004 Mike pulling in the wiring for the sound system and heaters.
	24th January 2004 Keith fitting the new panel work.
	29th November 2003 More of these light fittings are wanted to replace broken ones.
	29th November 2003 One of the light fitting from the carriage.
	22nd November 2003 We are removing the lights so we can clean and revarnish the electrical wiring capping. Most of the work at this time centres around this carriage.
	2nd August 2003 We have a few members that are electricans. This is Bevan installing wiring for power points and heaters that are being fitted to every carriage.
	26th July 2003 These corners were orginally badly rusted. But the hard work from the team has restored them back to new condition.
	26th July 2003 The carriages are being fitted with insulation to help make the ride quieter and warmer.
	19th July 2003 Tony is welding in cross braces that will make the carriages stronger than they have ever been.
	19th July 2003 Orginally the curved vestibule cladding was made from steel. We have made all the replacement sheets from fibreglass.
	Work Week - March 2003 Members cleaning up underneath the floor after it had been repaired. Some steel had been replaced but the old rust steel had been left and not originally removed. We removed this rusted steel as it would encourage rust onto the replaced steel work underneath.
	15th February 2003 Much of the corner ends wood and metal work have been replaced. We intend to replace the external skin with fibreglass instead of steel.
	30th October 2002 These brackets which link the walls and floor have been made and fitted by members of the Society.
	20th July 2002 These very important brackets (body knees) that hold the carriage together have rusted badly. One side of this carriage needed total replacement of the brackets. In this photo we are removing the rusted bracket.