G'day speedy,
Given this machine's history, now is the time to check the points cam for surface rust, if you haven't already done so. The heel of the points arm will wear extremely quickly with any rust, and a new set may take some finding.
Norm, I guess it was the fact that Ballarat was one of the earliest centres of hard rock mining in Australia, that made them a heavy machinery manufacturing centre in the 19th Century. Big local demand for boilers, large steam engines, rock crushers, shaft cage winders etc. It's said that there were 40 foundries there in the 1880's - so says an EA doco
HERE.
They also had a local railway locomotive works [Phoenix Foundry] from the 1870's until 1905, when Victorian Railways decided to give their own Newport works exclusivity.
Some of the legacy Ballarat farm machinery makers and foundries survived into the 1980's at least - Jas Smith, C.C. Harding are examples.
PS: As you may gather, Victorian mining history is a particular interest of mine.
