Steam Mule Update

29th January 2010

A quick update on the Steam Mule...

Below: David has refurbished and modified the reversing lever and is currently manufacturing a new quadrant for it. This is an amazingly satisfying lever to handle!

Below: Meanwhile, the crankshaft is machined and the crankpin has been fitted. It is seen here on Davids lathe, for which he offers the following comment:

The lathe is a Smart and Brown toolroom machine which cost as much as my house did when both were new back in 1964! It was supplied to Parsons Mirror Works where observatory telescopes were made, although I obtained it in 1990 as a scrapper...

Below: This angle shows the view between the crank discs and hopefulle explains the method of production that I rather clumsily put on teh blog previously. THe crankpin is nearest the camera and now that it is secure, teh main shaft (necked in the photo) can be cut free between the discs in order to produce the completed crank.

Below: A view from the other side, showing where the ecentrics locate on the crankshaft. David plans to replace these also as they are extremely poor castings and are full of blow holes.

Below: Meanwhile Shaun has made a start on reparing the deck boards for the gallopers. This entails removing rotten boards and repairing others. There are twelve deck boards in total so Shaun is going to be very busy! Meanwhile we hear that the centre engine has been fully dismantled and a replacement boiler is required. The cylinders are also to be rebored whilst the block is free of the barrel.

News Roundup

27th January 2010

Lots happening around the place, so pictures with captions should explain it all...

Below: The gallopers Gavioli organ has been removed for restoration, the empty carriage being seen below. The centre truck and engine have moved to Alton Engineering in Derbyshire for restoration, including a new boiler. This is anticipated to return before the high summer season.

Below: Shaun has reunited the living van with its forecarriage, having replaced the cross members under the turntable. He has also re-floored the coal box and carried out a number of other detail jobs. Completion looms...

Below: The Friends have restored the Carterway Heads AA box, which languished in very derelict condition for many years. The result is striking!

Below: Dave Knapton, a lead consultant from the University of Sunderland, called in yesterday. He has been working on a scanning process by which reverse engineering can be carried out. The objective is to produce new injectors for Lewin and Dave will contribute a fuller explanation to the blog soon...

Below: An original Peckett injector in the foreground and a printed model behind (yes - printed in 3D!). The scan is made of the original, then converted and improved in a CAD (Computer Aided Design) programme before a full size model is created using a printing and layering process. Dave will no doubt reveal more so watch this space!

Below: Six lengths of Ri60 rail have arrived for the track renewal programme at Foulbridge. New pointwork can be seen in the distance.

Below: The area of track for renewal, including pointwork. This work will commence very shortly.

Below: On the Steam Mule front, David Young is progressing apace and has made this very stylish crank guard out of phosphor bronze.

Below: Meanwhile the rest of the engine is being painted and assembled, with the crankshaft nearly complete only the flywheel is the major outstanding component.

Below: On Sunday we took the MArshall and Fowler rollers out - the view below shows Mary Margaret climbing Pockerley Bank, being overtaken by Oporto 196. I include this view as it was the last day of the old road surface! This has now, after many years delay, had the top coating applied in a major effort over two days and we now have a billiard table run all the way from the entrance to the town via Pockerley as well as the run to Foulbridge. This leaves the Foulbridge to Town section conspicuously rough - to be attended to in due course!

Below: The engines at lunch...

Coffee Pot should also have its boiler in place as I write and is due back in the next fortnight, along with the snowplough and steam mule trolley. I am also awaiting the Model Ts which should be with us very soon...

15th January 2010

A couple of things from today - notable for the rain finally setting in!

Below: Shaun is finishing and painting the windows for the living van.

Below: And he has dismantled, overhauled and refitted the brake hear, with new blocks and a better alignment with the wheels - i.e. they now touch them!

Below: Meanwhile in the garage... Chris Scott, Keeper of Industry at Beamish, is installing a Blackstone stationary engine at the rear of the garage to drive the line shafting as a working display. As part of this, some reshuffling has taken place in the main display, and the opportunity has been taken to group the remains of an Amanco (Associated Manufacturing Company - the primary American manufacturer of cheap stationary engines pre and indeed post WW1) stationary engine together. It is seen here with the cylinder/water hopper casting suspended above the base. It is readily appreciated when handling these parts why they could be so much cheaper than the UK manufacturers could manage - the castings are rough, of less mass and the engine is altogether cruder. But they were effective and perhaps pointed the way to manufacturing more attuned with the needs of the machinery, its durability and affordability rather than the creation of engineering masterpieces at great cost in labour.

Below: Chris has has had the concrete foundation for the engine cast, and this can be seen to the right of this view, the Blackstone oil engine being to the left. This engine is still in its original paintwork and I for one am very much looking forward to seeing the display up and running - a significant step to bringing the garage to life. The garage display is beyond the doors to the right of this picture.

Stone Crusher Restoration Update

14th January 2010

Davy Sheen has been working away in his snowy outpost of the Regional Museum Store workshop, principally on the stone crusher. The chassis is more or less complete and the crusher itself has been stripped, freed off and is being repainted. Work should be completed in the coming weeks. We will probably test the crusher using Michael Davison's big Marshall, in readiness for its introduction to service at the museum at the April (15 - 18th) Power From The Past Event - which has the subtitle 'Corporations and Contractors' and will specifically focus on the construction and maintenance of roads and tramways - a full feature on this event to appear soon...

Below: Two pictures of the crusher and trolley this morning.

13th January 2010

I called in at Stanegate Restorations and Replicas Ltd in Haltwhistle today to see progress on our bread and chip van restorations. The company is moving into new premises at present and has a number of interesting projects in hand.

Below: Our two vehicles - the chip van (in green) work will commence shortly and will see this iconic ex Spennymoor vehicle fully restored (but not to operating condition!) as part of the development of a coal fired chip shop at Beamish. In the foreground is the bread van.

Below: Also in the works, and very nearly completed, is the Bowes Railway's Watts Hardy two-plank open wagon - one of those badly damaged in the arson attacks reported on this blog some time ago. The work is superb and the wagon should be back at Bowes in coming weeks.

Below: The forecarriage from the bread van.

Below: The interior of the bread van, with floor removed (itself requiring replacement). This revealed some substantial rot in the frame, despite appearing outwardly sound. New wood has been let in and a seamless joint created. The new floor will be treated, painted and fitted, further adding strength to the vehicle.

Below: Another view of the van. Once the structural work is complete it will be fully repainted to a very high specification. Readers may recall that the intention is to build a bakery at Beamish, for which the bread van will be a roving shop window. Livery will be a deep cream (GW carriage cream!) for the upper half of the body, wheels and underframe, with a deep crimson shade for the lower waist sides. Black edging will complete the livery.

Below: Samples of wood removed showing very localised effects of woodworm - the only section found and now replaced.

Below: A selection of timber samples removed - the outward faces are sound, but this picture shows the hidden surfaces were far from good! The result of water being trapped and the wood being unable to dry out. Again, these sections have been replaced as can be seen in the interior shot earlier.

Below: Meanwhile back at Beamish... Shaun has removed and overhauled the forecarriage from the Tarmac living van. The oak for new cross members on the underside of the chassis is on order so in the meantime he has dismantled the brake gear for needle gunning and relocation (the shoes did not touch the wheels!).

Below: Shaun's next job will be to overhaul the timber deck from the gallopers - seen here stacked and awaiting his attention - no easy feat as each takes four men to lift!

11th January 2010

A couple of shots today of the Steam Mule...

Below: The water tank, John Moore having welded on the rivet heads. This makes a marked improvement in the appearance of the tank, which is, after all, supposed to look old! The welded tank does ensure that it is watertight however!

Below: The fixed axle end, showing the cast brackets in place.

Below: An overall view, with the tank loosely placed and the pump resting on top of the tank bottom (!).

Below: Meanwhile, in David Young's workshop... The new crankshaft is tested in place, the connecting rod is fitted and the first coats of undercoat are applied.

More Steam Mule Progress

6th January 2010

Whilst precious little else is happening on account of the relentless cold and snowy weather, I thought this afternoon's latest progress on the steam mule might be of interest...

Below: John Moore has completed the basic water tank - seen here with the lid on the right. This will be slung underneath the chassis and is still awaiting 'fake' rivets to be fitted.

Below: The chassis is also being assembled and is seen here after welding and bolting. The snowplough is also now complete and ready for collection and final weatherproofing treatment. Ironically the snow is rather hampering this!

Below: Meanwhile! David Young is working on the crankshaft. This view shows the completed big end on the connecting rod, complete with oil pot.

Below: The connecting rod laid over the circular cranks. These will be mounted on a single crank axle, then a second axle will be fitted to create the crank throw. The centre of the axle is then cut away to leave the connecting rod free to swing. I'll try and post pictures of the process to explain it rather better!

Below: The assembled cylinder, slide bar, crosshead and piston. Note also the cross shaft for the reversing gear protruding from the baseplate sides.

David's Christmas workshop!

6th January 2010

David Young has been diligently working away in his workshop on the steam mule project. He sent through these images of progress on the coupling rod - a superb piece of engineering and made my hard work, sweat and toil!

Below: Blog followers may remember this previously seen image of the coupling rod being chain drilled by David. I have posted it again as a logical start to the sequence of images below.

Below: Joining the holes together...

Below: Jumping ahead a few steps (and many many hours of work) here is the machined rod, now with circular section rod and squared bearing housings. Also shown here are the bearings, in two parts, plus wedge and locating bolt which enables their adjustment and securing. This is the 'little end', made up to a design in Lowe & Bevis.

Below: Drilling the big end bolt holes on the milling machine.

Below: The completed connecting rod plus reference.

Below: Work in progress on the new crankshaft has halted due to a lathe motor fault - does anyone have a spare 1.5hp three phase motor spare? This image shows the old crankshaft and the state of the eccentrics - note the numerous and varied holes in the castings. David is making a new crankshaft for the engine. I haven't heard his prognosis on the eccentrics yet and whether these ones will be reusable in the project!

New Year Update

4th January 2010

I called in at the Bowes Railway earlier today to deliver the wheels for the Steam Mule chassis. It was an opportunity to inspect the 99.9% completed snowplough replica, and in fact wheel it out in to the snow! That it wasn't on rails is rather well hidden! Derek Young only has two items to fit before the plough is considered complete. It will then return to Beamish for an application of wood preservative and painting of the ironwork.

Below: A low view emphasises the bulk of this wagon/plough. And also shows it really does plough!

Below: A reminder of the original - only the blade of which survived and was copied for the replica by blacksmith Roger Lees in Derbyshire.

Below: A view of the rear end, the distinctive notch still to be made in the top boarding but otherwise complete.

Below: A view more similar to the archive picture.

The Steam Mule chassis is also underway at Bowes and will be completed in the coming weeks. It will then return to Beamish for detail painting and sign-writing.

Below: The water tank plates are spot welded in position. Dummy rivets will be attached to create a more traditional appearance, but welding will ensure that it is watertight!

Below: John Moore setting up the side plates for attaching.

Below: The chassis components laid out. Axles are still to be made. The tank will be slung beneath the frames and is removable for cleaning.