PS Ruby [Wentworth, NSW, Australia]

[Roderick Smith]

Surprisingly, this elegant restored vessel has never had its own thread, but there are 37 references by searching on 'Ruby'.

See www.psruby.com

On Fri.9.4.10 it steamed through lock 11 (Mildura) for the first time in decades, for slipping at Buronga for caulking work.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The Millewa region is a grain-belt in far north-west Victoria: large-scale grazing properties were converted into soldier-settlement agricultural blocks in the 1920s.  Irrigation from the Murray (Millewa A pump, at lock 9 Kulnine) allowed for the development of mixed farming.
After the closure of the Morkalla railway, the site of Meringur station was turned into a pioneer park, celebrating local history.
In October, the park will be celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The plans are for PS Ruby to voyage to lock 9, and for the preserved steam pump there to be operating.  I guess that buses will connect from the boat via Lake Cullulleraine and Werrimull (with a very nice 1920s pub) to Meringur, then back to Wentworth.  On Sunday, the reverse.
Or people will drive out, and the the boat will be making short cruises.
Or the positioning will be Friday and Monday, with the option of being aboard for the whole weekend.
So far, there is no mention on the website.

See:
www.millewapioneerpark.org.au
www.psruby.com

While checking the site, I found a report on the slipping at Buronga to check the hull after a scrape at lock 9, and replace a plank.
It also covers the upgrading of the reversing mechanism, which gave trouble during the Renmark voyage.  Here is a condensed version:
On 10.6, Ruby was slipped at Buronga.  The hull was checked, and a small piece of redgum was crafted to replace a scuffed up
part in one of the planks towards the bow on the port side. Upgrading of the Stephenson Reversing Link on
the Robey & Co steam engine had already begun before slipping. It was found to be wearing fairly quickly, so the upgrade is to give the system a
longer life.  Ruby has passed the survey inspection and was river promptly, ensuring that the redgum
planks don't didn't dry out too much. It is important that they remain swollen against the caulking.  The meticulous work on the portable twin-cylinder
Robey steam engine would be completed promptly, in time to allow Ruby to return to Wentworth in time for Great Wentworth Tractor Rally weekend, Sat.23 & Sun.24.7.  It would be running 1 h cruises that weekend.

The site now contains a useful deckplan, showing the accommodation layout.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Wentworth - Mildura Homestead & return, Sat.26 & Sun.27.4.14.
$170 per person (twin share).
Half and full day cruises available from $40 per person.
For bookings and more details contact  Wentworth Visitor Information Centre (AVIC): 03 5027 5080
As at 7.4, only six cabins were left.  New chef Anton has cooked for some vips in his time, including the queen, some USA presidents and a few prime ministers.
<www.psruby.com.au>

I have too many multiple clashes already to be there myself.  Michael will be engineer, and I know the captain too.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria

[Roderick Smith]

In what looks to be magnificent autumn weather, PS Ruby came under Abbotsford bridge at 11.00 today (Sat.26.4), paused for pumpout at Coomealla Golf Club, left at 13.00, and pulled into Old Mildura Homestead at 16.30.  Everything is right with the world, river voyaging at its best.
The opportunity was taken for this stunning 'then & now' pair: today in colour, aligned to match the 1920s b&w.
Tomorrow, the boat heads off at to go up through lock 11 at 8.30, down again at 10.00, which puts it on the right timing for a ~15.00-15.30 passing under Abbotsford bridge.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[the bombus]

strange that the grasses grow the same in the 1920s as they do now (100%)
can't help that details always jump into my eyes
 gr from The Bombus

[Roderick Smith]

Alas, alack, for I am undone.
Response A: The organisers were so trying for maximum effect that a volunteer gardener spent 6 months pruning and planting.
Response B: Yes, my normal photoshop skills when preparing magazine input: tones, scanning blemishes, and graffititi removal, transferred to anything obviously post 1920.
This was just so close to a 'blast from the past', that I just had to give it a go.  A magic weekend for passengers and crew.
AFAIK the removed paddleboat was Settler, but could be Sundowner: both would moor there.

Today, Ruby came down under the bridge at 13.55, and was into Wentworth at 15.30.  This was an utterly magic April autumn day in Victoria.  I was at an Anzac celebration in Wattle Park, followed by the final monthly recital for the season by Melbourne Tramways Band.

On those running times, I don't know if you should listen to 'Cruising down the river, on a Sunday afternoon':
<www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8xVFJF7F1c&list=PL0C9C46AF6442E121>  (matches the weather, and the vessel)
or 'Steamboat Bill': <www.youtube.com/watch?v=InZVbcPrawA> (matches Ruby being a river greyhound).
Michael didn't have coal: could he throw billets of wood fast enough?
I have published before an Australian version, 'Down the Murrumbidgee steamed the...You've just to beat the record of the Pevensey'.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I listed the fleet moves for the Chowilla Homestead 150th anniversary in the PS Marion thread, and noted there that PS Ruby was stuck in mud, and didn't arrive.  Details are at <www.slimpage.com.au/pdf/September2014PBN.pdf>.  The water level had dropped; Ruby was stuck three times in the Warrakoo reach, just below lock 7.  The third couldn't be retrieved; the weir released a flow of water, sufficient to get Ruby off (helped by its new high-power tinnie), then back up through the lock to tie up.  Lock 7 does have public access from the north bank, and buses to the crew and passengers to the Saturday night bush dance, then to the Sunday main festivities and fleet parade.  As the return to Wentworth was then running early, Ruby continued to Mildura to give the passengers the planned voyaging duration.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor