Steam Baling

28th September 2009

Over the weekend a gang of us tried out Michael Davison's mechanical baler, powered by his 1889 Marshall - the first time this has worked on a belt since its restoration was completed this time last year.

We set up in the field adjacent to the Pockerley tram stop for the Sunday, but first a Saturday evening trail was made to check everything was in order, and which gave the opportunity for some autumnal sunshine photography.

Baling is hard and dusty work, and even running the machinery as slowly as possible didn't seem to allow time to do all necassary to feed the baler and insert the iron wires that hold the bales together. It is hoped to carry out some further baling like this again - watch these pages for potential dates...

Living Van Restoration Progress

25th September 2009

Progress on the living van is proceeding at a rapid pace.

Below: Davy Sheen has overhauled and repainted the stove, black-leaded it and polished the tarnished brass. A collar to fit the chimney to the base is now being designed before the assembly is tested before refitting into the van.

Below: Meanwhile, Shaun has completed reboarding the roof and is now tackling the ends and sides. The rate of progress is quite something and the quality of his woodwork is excellent. Some repairs have been carried out to the framework whilst the panelling has been removed. This is in excellent condition and shows how robust the design of the van actually is.

Coffee Pot News

25th September 2009

On Thursday Coffee Pot's new boiler was inspected by our boiler inspector as part of its entry into use at the museum. Vince Allen has been busy producing parts and notable in the views below is the elegant firehole door deflector plate just fitted.

Below: The blastpipe has also been made and machined, seen here with a selection of photographs and drawings for the project.

Steam features at Beamish Agricultural Show

25th September 2009

The Beamish Agricultural Show took place last weekend, and saw an injection of steam to the mechanical power on display. As well as tractors (including them powering the thresher and baler), Dave Antell's Robey Portable was belted to the corn mill which crushed the oats brought up from the threshing field. Michael Davison's Marshall is back, resplendent in more new paint and fresh from its star turn at the Great Dorset Steam Fair. Michael brought along a thresher and baler to enable a touring contractor's threshing set to be paraded around the museum site.

Below: Dave Antell's Robey Portable at Home Farm, belted to a corn crusher which produced the winter food for the museum's pigs. All home grown, threshed and crushed.

Below: The Marshall is overtaken by Gateshead 10 on the descent to Foulbridge tram stop.

Below: A contractor's threshing set passes through the town... A timeless scene with little to date it!

Below: If there was ever any doubt that steam was a popular attraction...!!!

Below: Autumnal sun sets of the Marshall's improved paintwork and glorious condition.

Below: Two views of our new (!) 1874 Clayton & Shuttleworth Portable engine, still to be unloaded - the third Portable on Dave Antell's trailer in as many weeks!

Below: On the main line railway steam fans always enjoyed the climbs over Shap, Beattock, the Lickey Incline, Dainton, Rattery, Hemerdon, Stainmore etc. At Beamish we have Pockerley Bank, a quarter of mile of 1 in 16 and a trial for all traffic up (or down!) it. Mostly confined to tramcars, it makes an interesting challenge for road steam, as seen in the short clip below as Michael's 1889 Marshall effortlessly strides up the gradient...

Tanfield Gala report

17th September 2009

Last weekend saw the Tanfield Railway gala, which appeared to be a very successful event. Star guests were the Port of Par Bagnalls from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall. There were passenger trains, mixed trains and a coal train. The event also saw Beamish's NER bogie carriage enter service.

Below: Renishaw No.6 in the engine shed on the Friday night photographic session/

Below: The vintage workshop, featuring a vertical boiler driving a vertical single cylinder stationary steam engine.

Below: The outlines of Twizell and Burrell road engine 'President'.

Below: The two Bagnalls, Alfred and Judy, outside the five road shed at Marley Hill.

Below: The Sentinel Steam Bus operated a service between Andrews House and East Tanfield.

Below: Two views of Twizell, now only weeks away from re-entering traffic.

Below: The two Bagnall's at Andrews House.

Below: The two Bagnalls again, this time preparing to depart from the bay platform at East Tanfield.

Below: Renishaw No.6 on the train which included Beamish's bogie carriage as well as the two four wheelers that came to Beamish last year.

Below: A selection of views of the coach (numbered, incorrectly, 818 - it is in fact 3071) at Andrews House station. One side has faired better - the exposed south side at Beamish being faded and in need of attention. The other side (against the platform in the scene below) is in much condition.

Coffee Pot on the move!

17th September 2009

Firstly two views of the living van restoration underway in the museum's own workshops and being undertaken by Shaun, who we have met in these pages before when he built a new underframe for the water cart.

Below: However, the main job was moving, in two loads, Coffee Pot (No.1) to Vincent Allen's workshops for completion of its restoration. Seen here is the smokebox ring being HIAB'd onto the lorry in company with the new boiler.

Below: The engine and a large set of restored components installed in Vincent's works. I won't talk timescales to complete the work, but it is likely to proceed apace to enable testing this winter...!!!

Long Shop Museum

17th September 2009

I was in Suffolk yesterday and visited the Long Shop Museum in Leiston (near Sizewell). This is a collection of buildings which formed part of the former Garrett works and has now been set up as a museum of both the company and the local area.

Below: The Suffolk Punch direct ploughing steam tractor, one of the star exhibits.

Below: An interesting wheeled saw bench.

Below: A series of scenes inside the 'long shop', which forms the main exhibition hall at the museum.

Beamish Agricultural Show

17th September 2009

Today was the first day of a four day agricultural show at Beamish - so if you are reading this there are still three days to go!!!

Below: The newly restored threshing machine was at work, threshing this year's harvest and driven by the Case tractor.

Below: There is also a line up of vintage tractors, including our own Fergie.

Below: Fiddler was also in steam and worked all over the museum site. It is seen in a sequence of views at the waggonway.

Below: Colin Watson hoses out the mud from the front rolls after a spell of 'squashing'!