Reclaiming Scrap Materials.

The photographs on this page show two interesting uses to which scrap boiler tubes have been put by the Workshop Foreman, Mr. Pullen, at our Invercargill workshops. The bins so constructed provide a good and orderly method of utilising this scrap, which otherwise has an extremely low scrap value.

Before tubes arrive at this stage, however, they go through a series of processes, all designed to obtain from them the maximum use as boiler tubes.

When new, at their original length, they serve their first period.

When removed from the boilers in which they have been first placed they are reclaimed—sometimes by cutting down—so as to fit shorter boilers. More often, however, it is only a few inches of the tube (at each end) that require renewal. Tubes that are in this condition are reclaimed by welding on a new end section in the tube reclaim shop now established. By this process tubes are brought up to their original length, or longer, as required.

Finally of course, the tubes become pitted and thin and are unfit for further service in steam boilers. The best of these make good poles for tennis court netting supports, and also, when two are put together, they make good aerial masts for the radio enthusiasts. In fact so good a business has developed in these two directions that difficulty has sometimes been experienced in finding sufficient second-hand tubes to meet the demand.

The field of material reclamation is one of the greatest possibilities we have in the Railway. In the new workshops a special shop has been set aside at each centre especially for the purpose of sorting scrap and repairing, converting and reclaiming disused material into serviceable articles.