New Page

The Society for the Preservation of Steam Engines
Bird's-eye view of the restoration of "De Meent"
	May 1995 Road Construction Museum at Ede. We are going to look what kind of engine it is. Big and impressive ! The left-hand man at the picture is Henk van de Meent. Unfortunately he died the same year. To us he was a great inspirer and that is why the portable was named after him.
	August 1996 Mini-steam day at the steam pumping-station "Hertog Reijnout" in Nijkerk. We started the restoration already, but it is hardly visible yet.
	October 1996 The fire tubes were removed and we are about to mount the new ones. Hereby we have had invaluable help of boiler-builder Standard Fasel and their certified welder Henk Docter.
	May 1997 On the way back. The portable was sand blasted and sprayed with primer by Tankbouwer van Rootselaar.
	June 1997 The portable is partly painted again and we are working hard to finish the upper construction.
	August 1997 Mini-steam day at the steam pumping-station " Hertog Reijnout" in Nijkerk. Wout van 't Hof will pull us to the road with "De Gebroeders", because the little tractor cannot handle it.
	February 1998 We have been under steam-pressure and we have an official inspection certificate. The boiler lagging is placed. The layer of wood underneath is regular deal.
	April 1998 Finally ! With about 50 invitees attending the portable is solemnly named "De Meent" by Mrs. van de Meent.
	May 1998 Our first public appearance on Boerenmaandag (Farmers Monday) in Nijkerk.
	August 1998 Mini-steam day at the "Hertog Reijnout" in Nijkerk. We are under steam and driving the stone-crusher from the Hoogenbirk firm.
	June 1999 After the restoration of the of "De Meent" we started working on the low loader. This picture shows the first time that "De Meent" is pulled upon the low loader. In the front the Samofa engine is visible and the hydraulics with the two winches. The left-hand winch has been moved below, straight under the right-hand winch. One winch is fast, the other slow but very strong.
	April 2000 The low loader has had a upper construction at the front side. The roof can be lowered for transportation. There is a small kitchen aboard so that coffee can be made during events and with bad weather we can sit dry.
	Hellevoetsluis, August 2000 Pieter, Ron, Paul en Jaap pose with some pride, because they just won the cup for the most beautiful engine of the event !

Bird's-eye view of the restoration of "De Meent"