RHEC News - the 1950s caravan progresses...

RHEC News – the 1950s caravan progresses…

The project to restore (or heavily ‘tart up’!) the Harry Vickers built 1950s caravan that we purchased earlier in the year is in its closing stages with the caravan due to make a public debut this weekend.

Below: Here Phil Anderson applies the undercoat to the caravan, after the surface preparation was completed.

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Below: Brian at work on the wiring and new light fittings (we want to be able to safely tow the caravan to events away from the Museum).  Brian has also done some mechanical work and re-tyred the caravan.

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Below: Glistening in top coats of paint, and with the wheels removed for cleaning, repainting and new tyres.

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Below: All of the windows were fitted with lead beading, which had perished over time and had to be removed.  Sarah Jarman, who when not acting as Volunteer Officer, volunteers herself in the workshops and has traced the old lead, the tracings being hung inside the window to act as a guide for the new lead to be applied.  Suddenly the windows seem very big as each has approximately 20 feet of strip to apply!

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Below: More a couple of shots to remind me to bring the snowplough based on the Rookhope example up to the workshops for re-wheeling.  The tub was made at the Bowes Railway, with the blade made by Roger Lees in Derbyshire.  Unfortunately the wheels supplied were ‘swapped’ and the snowplough came to us out of gauge! This will be remedied as who knows what opportunities next winter might bring for some ploughing?!

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Below: A personal project – restoring a Lucas ‘King of the Road’ Type 722 oil lamp.  This may well find its way on to Samson, but in the meantime it has been laboriously stripped, straightened and polished.  The original finish was optional – Japan or black paint.  This will be the latter.  The burner has been cleaned and is in good condition but the glass requires replacing as a previous owner tried to brighten the bezel around the glass with a wire brush, scratching both in the process.  The brass will polish, but it is easier to replace the glass to achieve the required finish.  Beamish has a number of similar lamps on display in the garage as part of the Lucas display there.

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