Lewin progress

31st January 2011

David Young has been very busy. Work on patterns for Lewin has taken much of his time, though he is now involved with assisting Davy Sheen with a new bearing for the potato peeler (for the chips shop) and also the Beamish Tram Group, who are overhauling a trolley base for Sunderland 101. I'll post some information on this next week...

Below: The patterns for Lewin's sandbox (well, two sandboxes). On the wall, from left to right are the three patterns for the lid, flange which is mounted on the top of the lid and the main components of the sandbox itself. Various patterns create moulds that are then joined together for the casting itself. On the ground, left to right, is the core box to make the mould to ensure the sandbox is hollow, the base and the lid. The latter has the oval shape for the rim and lid to locate on.

Below: Dave sent this photo of him milling (out of plywood) the pattern to make the lip on the sandbox lid. As the photos show, even creating a relatively simple 'box' is not as straightforward as might be thought!

Time lapse film

27th January 2010

Here is a bit of fun - click on the link below for a time-lapse film showing one of the Christmas evenings, with a lot of tramway action and an amusing steam gallopers 'spin cycle'!

http://www.vimeo.com/17986237

News roundup

26th January 2011

A quick foray around the site with what's been happening over this week and late last week...

Below: The contractors are all but finished on the structure of the new store. The concrete floor is to be fitted next and then the rest of the move can take place. It looks big now, but I can guarantee that by the end of March we will wonder how we ever managed without it! And it will be full. Very full!!!

Below: The railway section of the RMS has received the concrete floor and shelving to enable further storage in this underutilised space. Of course we now have to house a Y7, Dunrobin and coach plus the FRT's coach so it will be juggling act until the new engine shed is built behind the town.

Below: The Friends continue to work on various projects, here the side tipper bearing pedestals are liberated. The wheels will require a lot of work and this will be contracted out this spring.

Below:In this view the street sweeper can be seen (probably better now than when it was made!) and also a cycle rack (to the right) which will be used for staff cycles of various periods to discourage use of modern vehicles on site.

Below: One of two trolleys for the engine works, being rebuilt. These are incredibly useful vehicles and show the value of the Friend's work in that they can produce items that support other projects at the Museum.

Below: Coffee Pot in steam - steam chest cover off, regulator blowing slightly and Stuart setting the valves.

Below: Attending to the driver's side valve - this is the only effective way to accurately set the valves, allowing for the expansion caused by the engine being hot. The new chimney damper (thanks Dave!) seemed to work pretty well, though has yet to be tried in regular operating conditions.

Below: A quick chuff up the yard in gorgeous afternoon sunshine.

Slide valves refitted

20th January 2011

Below: Following on from the earlier report on Coffee Pot, here is a shot of one of the new slide valves in position. Stuart will carry out the final adjustments and setting with the engine in steam (tomorrow). Dave Young is completing the damper as I write this, as well as ploughing on in impressive style with the patterns for Lewin - the substantial sandbox castings pattern being the latest product from his workshop.

An unusual delivery...

20th January 2011

This afternoon Phil and James from the Lancastrian Transport Trust arrived with a trolleypole for 703/101. Due to its length, they devised a cunning means of getting it here - by ex London Transport Routemaster! Here are some photographs of the bus while at Beamish, the chance being taken to display it for an hour in the town street... I should express our grateful thanks for them taking the time to deliver the pole to us.

Below: Gateshead 10, Leeds 6 and the Routemaster - three vehicles from three major preservation centres/groups! Almost a mini-event...

Around and about the site

19th January 2011

Here are some views taken in the Colliery Engine Works earlier today...

Below: Two views of the flat-chaldron, complete with wheeled chassis and cross members.

Below: Stuart plus assistant reassembling Coffee Pot ready for its annual steam test next week. It now features new slide valves and a completed chimney damper - we are all interested to see if/how well this works!

Below: Slide valves everywhere! Dave Young has once again pulled out the stops and produced a terrific job in a short space of time. He is now back on the Lewin job, with a sandbox pattern emerging in his workshop.

Sheffield Tram 513 to move to East Anglia Transport Museum

19th January 2011

We have recently entered into an agreement with the East Anglian Transport Museum to loan them Sheffield 'Roberts' tram No.513. Built in 1950, the car saw 10 years service in Yorkshire and was one of a pair of specially decorated 'last trams' in Sheffield. It was purchased by the organist at York Minster who stored it at the Middleton Railway, Leeds. Numerous trams were stored here, but those not removed were eventually destroyed by vandals including the famous Swansea and Mumbles tram, a Leeds Horsfield (parts of the truck survive under our Sunderland 16) and a Leeds, ex London, Feltham car.

513 was subsequently moved to a goods shed at Cullingworth (near Halifax) before moving in 1973 to Oxenhope, on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The owner had presented it to the York Castle Museum, but there was no place to store it in the city centre and so it remained in storage.

In 1976 it appeared at Beamish, and a subsequent overhaul enabled a debut into service in 1983.

In 1985 the tram visited Blackpool to participate in the centenary celebrations, before returning to Beamish for a further spell of operation in February 2001.

Its use at Blackpool had declined in recent years, though trips in 2010 on the newly laid reserved tracks were describes as 'vigorous'! As a result of the changes to the operations at Blackpool, and the forthcoming move to the new depot at Starr Gate, 513 was once again in need of a new base. It was considered for a return to Beamish, however its very long fixed wheelbase (longer even than Sunderland 16's) was always a track punisher, particularly on the town curves (which were relaid and rebuilt last year). Until a diversionary route is built in the town (on the 'one day' list!) then 513 was not favoured for an early return.

We are therefore very pleased that it will enjoy a lengthy operating spell with the EATM and look forward to developing a relationship with them over the years.

The move will take place in February, with 513 beginning operation at Carlton Colville (near Lowestoft in Suffolk) around Easter.

Below: Kindly supplied by Jason Cross, this photo shows 513 in Blackpool last summer.

Y7 in steam!

18th January 2011

Yesterday Stuart and I were in Norfolk to see the final steam test, and first test runs, of the Y7. This LNER built NER design will be joining us for at least three years, to be the regular locomotive at Rowley Station. Being so small, it has long struggled to find a meaningful role in preservation, having had a number of bases in its heritage life. It has been a superb attraction however, and the Boston Docks photo charter is one particularly memorable event in this part of its life. Hopefully it will now demonstrate its value at Beamish, being light, economical and pretty (in an engine type of way!).

Below: Here is a selection of views taken during the test around Weybourne station on the North Norfolk Railway, from whom we are hiring the engine. It will shortly be finished in LNER livery (with NE on the tanks and carrying the number 8088) and is expected at Beamish in February...

114 Repaint and overhaul - Part 1

13th January 2011

Following on from the highly successful mid-life refresh of Blackpool 31 last winter, we are now undertaking a similar job on Newcastle 114. This has entailed removal of the truck in order to have the wheelsets reprofiled and the motors serviced as necessary. Also, Phil Anderson is repainting the tram to the same high standard as 31. The livery is of a slightly different style to that previously carried. There has been some discussion by various authors regarding early Newcastle livery. This centred on two pieces of evidence. One, that the Hurst Nelson built trams (which 114 is) were ordered to be painted 'as per Glasgow livery' (supported by Newcastle's then manager being an ex Glasgow manager) and secondly that the film stocks used to capture early images can differ wildly in their representation of yellow shades - some, when printed, appear very dark and with the Newcastle livery being as it is, this led to an assumption that the waist panels were dark (the crimson/brown shade) when they were in fact the cadmium yellow/orange shade. of course, we can never know for certain, but this repaint seems a good opportunity to see what it might very well have looked like. I have prepared a paper on this and will endevour to place it in the downloads section (top right of your screen) for those who wish to read more of the rationale behind the decision. It will leave 114 looking really quite different however, and presenting an argument for not always believing what you see in a photograph!

The target is to have the car ready for April's GNSF, to be seen as a classic late Victorian and Edwardian tram alongside Manchester 765...

Below: A close up of one of the motors, showing the simple, almost model railway like, direct drive from motor to axle.

Below: Two views of the truck as removed earlier.

Below: When ribbed back, paints often reveal their ingredient shades, and the brown here shows the red tones rather well. Of course, it isn't actually brown, rather a deep crimson, but its all in the eye of the beholder to be honest - the debates that take place over paint shades will never reach a conclusion!

Below: A view of 114, rubbed down and sans truck.

Around the site

11th January 2011

Below: A haul of vending machines arrived, cleaned, from our off-site store. A selection will be moving to a new home, whilst the rest will adorn the soon-to-open stores at the Regional Resource Centre...

Below: Meanwhile... The new storage building is being erected and progress, now the contractors can see the ground, has been rapid. Here are two views of the building which will house many items currently in the Regional Museum Store including a large number of transport items.

Below: Back in the Colliery, Alan is seen working on the flat waggon - he reckons it only has a couple more weeks to go until completion now. All good stuff!

Removing Coffee Pot's Slide Valves

11th January 2011

In a sort of Haynes Manual style, here is a sequence of photos showing Dave Young and I removing Coffee Pot's slide valves - taking a side each rather like a very slow pit stop!

The valves are to be replaced with slightly longer versions, these having been made as copies of those that were fitted (but worn). As neither Dave or I had seen the engine steam before this restoration, we weren't too know that it was somewhat off beat. Stuart Hines identified a 'short valve' so Dave has modified his patterns and had new ones cast. In order to take some measurements we removed the valve chest covers, then kept going, as you can see here...

Below: Cover removed and looking into the valve chest. The valves can be adjusted on the valve rod, using the lock nuts, enabling Stuart to get Coffee Pot to sound rather better in one direction - going the other was rather off-beat to say the least!

Below: Remember this? The right hand valve, as seen two years ago on this blog when it was put in!

Below: A view of the empty chest - all sort of explains itself from these photos doesn't it?!

Below: The crazy tangle of motion as a result of dismantling to drop the valve rod - we think we can remember how to put it back together! Joking aside, photos appeared when it was assembled and the link rods were discovered to be different lengths - see the blog archive for March 2010 and photos of Vince Allen correcting them...

Something in the woodshed...

10th January 2011

At Bowes, the final assembly of the woodshed for the colliery railway is progressing, with the frame now erected and awaiting cladding. This will be located alongside the engine works and will enable lighting-up wood to be kept dry. This will also assist events etc. as we can centralise the large amounts of wood needed for such, and keep dry the lorry loads of offcuts that are regularly delivered to Beamish. These arrive in handy cut off sizes - ideal for our purposes!

Below: Two views of the traditional style shed, which recycles materials from the site at Beamish as well as incorporating new angle sections.

Into the New Year...

10th January 2011

Happy New Year to all blog readers!

The Christmas period, whilst frozen and icy has seen progress on a number of projects, including various books, the 'thinking' phases of other work and, of course, Dave Young's unstoppable effort in his own workshop!

Below: New patterns, made by Dave Young, for Lewin. At the back is the oil box (one of four the engine will have) with the core in front and the lid to the right. To the left is the pattern for the handrail stanchions and in the foreground a pattern for the boiler band crinolins. These will be at the foundry this week and Dave will machine and assemble the components once cast.

Dave and I also spent a chilly Thursday morning fitting the chimney damper to Coffee Pot. Here is Dave marking the holes that carry the damper axle.

Below: A view into the chimney of the damper in the closed position - note the holes, to let some gases escape and reduce the blow-back effect.

Below: And the damper partly closed. This better shows the construction of it.

Below: Externally here is the crank that enables the flap to be adjusted. A rod is fitted from this to enable its operation, and was trial fitted. Some mods are required though. Also note the need to repaint the chimney! This modification will hopefully ease the driver/fireman's job of controlling Coffee Pot's fire. One of those quiet moments in a meeting saw me make the sketches, then e-mailed to Dave who had the parts made within a week!