14th July 2010

Here is a quick roundup of what is currently happening with the Transport & Industry around Beamish…

Below: The Friends are making excellent progress on the reconstruction of the SOS bus. The beading is now being fitted and the end is now in site for this lengthy and extensive project. I hear that there are hopes it might make its debut around the 2011 PftP event – one to watch out for!

Below: The interior of the SOS is very nearly complete, with the addition of period adverts and much of the seating.

Below: Down in the steam workshop, Davy has been building up and straightening buffer block straps for the chaldrons, one in particular having been badly twisted.

Below: The Steam Mule has its tool bx, courtesy of Shaun Kay. It will be de-mountable. Fire iron brackets and a tarpaulin are also planned, once Dave Young has completed the lagging and the pattern making for the crankshaft driven pump – to train on use of bypass valves as commonly found on traction engines and steam rollers.

Below: I’ve featured this engraving before, but it is a useful reminder of what the Ruston will look like when restored – the aim being for completion by June 2011! Ours has the longer colonial firebox (for a larger surface area when burning wood) but is otherwise very similar, including the brake.

Below: The Ruston and its stillage – a palletable crate into which all the parts can be safely loaded for storage.

Below: This morning Stuart removed the crankshaft and flywheel.

Below: This crack is on the flywheel boss. We have, fortunately, a spare, which can be modified to fit this engine.

Below: The smokebox, showing the door reinforced with the top of a 40 gallon oil drum!

Below: Looking onto the top of the firebox (which is to be replaced). The crown stays are prominent (vertical rods) and the two longitudinal stays are also clear (running horizontally away from the camera).

Below: Again this has featured before, but this general view through the firehole door reveals the poor condition of the box and the quilting on the right hand side, complete with some very crude repairs!