Hello and Happy New Year!

/ January 8, 2013 / 11 Comments / News

Well, here we are entering another new year and one which promises to be just as busy, if not busier than the one we have just left.  So, what can we look forward to in 2013?  Here are a justa few highlights:

  • Completion of the RHEC workshops and the commencement of a number of new projects.
  • completion of the overhaul of the Forcett Coach
  • Completion of the overhaul/conservation of the Duke of Sutherland’s carriage
  • Entry into regular service of No.18
  • A start on some smaller restoration projects including the Barford & Perkins D4 motor roller, a Newsham fire engine from the 18th century and an RAC call box
  • A start on a brand new steam locomotive…
  • The Great North Festival of Transport – 12 days of vintage and veteran land transport in all shapes and sizes, on road and on rail
  • Commencement of the reconstruction of Sheffield tram No.264
  • Completion of the watering/coaling facilities at Rowley Station
  • Arrival at Beamish of Gateshead tram 52 and maybe one or two other surprises in the near and not so near future…

Meanwhile, the team are busy dismantling Christmas, starting on the heavy winter maintenance programme and continuing the workshop development, where Michael has fitted the first of the lights while Tony is assembling racks, benches, bolt storage, ladders and a whole host of other jobs.  We will have a look at the RHEC at a later date.

In the background, a number of major overhauls are commencing or building up to starting, including:

  • All of our steam locomotive/steam boiler annual cold examinations and steam tests – David Grindley is busily preparing each boiler for the inspector, after which it is reassembled for a steam test upon which a new boiler certificate is issued.  We now have 10 such boilers to attend to so David is working flat-out on this at the moment. (the ten?  Steam Elephant, Puffing Billy, Locomotion, Steam Winder, Steam Mule, No.1 – Coffee Pot, No.18, Rambler, Centre engine and the Y7).
  • The much used replica B-Type bus is in for a heavy overhaul and repaint which will include extensive mechanical work, some refinements for the crews, a canvassed and sealed roof (as it has always leaked, and this year that has meant nearly every day!) and a full repaint – livery to be announced…
  • Sunderland 16 and Gateshead 10 will both require re-tyring this year so this will be programmed in, as well as both trams receiving attention to their cosmetic appearance as well, a re-varnish for the former and repaint, probably early summer now, for the latter.
  • The Gallopers – there is a substantial amount of work on the ride to carry out – working an 1893 ride nearly every day of the year takes its toll, especially when you think such rides were used in fits and starts and spent a lot of time on the road so not erected.  The decks, steps, rounding boards, centre truck and paintwork will all receive attention as well as the statutory checks and tests also required.
  • The site – there is so much to do it is hard to list it all, but the team have a great deal of work to carry out and are already well advanced on some projects.

So, we start the year as we left the last one – flat-out and ‘full of busy’!  Below, a couple of shots showing the RHEC erecting shop work progressing…  In coming weeks we hope to attach a large number of enamel signs to the rear wall, both to display these items but also to ensure that the workshop’s heritage focus is always readily apparent!  Funny how it looks so much smaller now there are things in it!

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