This week has been particularly busy, with no end of occurrences (and breakdowns) to deal with as well as a break in the recent wet weather enabling some progress outdoors too.

Below: Following removal of its lifeguards and trays plus disconnection of electrical wiring and breaking system, Sunderland 16 was moved from the pit road onto Road 1 pending lifting and extraction of its truck.  It is seen here during that shunt.

Below: Frustratingly, joining the ‘red card’ fleet, 196 failed with a defective motor bearing on Wednesday.  The motors were only recently overhauled and discussions with the contractor regarding the required remedial work have begun.  They are currently running behind schedule with the overhaul of Gateshead 10’s motor so a meeting has been held to ensure our time critical needs are clearly understood – the winter season is looming and we are without tow key covered trams for this at the moment.

Below: With somewhat weary practice, Brian, Hughie and Tom removed the defective motor within an hour, this being collected for contract repair.  The cause is still unknown and is subject to investigation and discussion with the contractor.

Below: The offending item!  The bearing carrying the pinion, seen on the left hand side, is where the problems have arisen.

Below: Two unhappy trams – 10 and 196 sit in the shed whilst their motors receive attention.  This is a frustrating situation as the work is out of our hands and so we can only concentrate on other jobs in the meantime, ready to refit both motors as soon as they arrive back, then a process of commissioning and testing must follow before the trams re-enter service.

Below: Onto another topic.  Earlier this year the Friends volunteers overhauled  a ‘hook-a-duck’ stall for the Fairground.  This has now been erected by the Fairground to serve a supporting function during evening events such as Bonfire Night etc.

Below: With so much rain, the track lads have found mud to be a constant problem.  The aged and uncharted 1970s drainage system in this part of the Colliery would appear not to function particularly well any more, and the breach of what was essentially a damn, that this cutting has created, has enabled water to rush to this part of the yard and flow (you can watch it actually flowing!) through the gap.  We are therefore going to cut a deeper cutting with drains and a cess, back fill with hard core then lay the track on this.  A later phase will deal with catching the water from the base of the pit heap (which originates from the main car park and Entrance run off), to further dry out this very wet area.

Below: One hole, one pool!  Cross drains are being dug to clear the trackbed of water to enable work to progress.

Below: With the sun out, a contractor arrived to shot blast the two V-Skips, engine shed and sundry items, plus paint them, as part of some general improvements in this area.

Below: Up in the Timber Shop, Tony was trialling various methods of assembling the box chaldron waggon – with nothing to copy except for some indistinct photographs, this has proved to be the best method of achieving a clear idea of how the waggon body will fit together.

Below: By mid afternoon the waggons and shed had turned red…  In the foreground is a lamp post for a three headed lamp that will be installed at the Entrance to improve the lighting there.  It originates from the passenger terminal at Liverpool and is probably the last thing many emigrants saw when departing the City on the Mersey.

Below: In the late afternoon yesterday the roadside chadlron was placed on its plinth ready for final finishing and another coat of bitumen paint.

Below: Again in the setting sunlight, the narrow gauge track has been drained and the beginning of the new siding laid in place.

Below: Green skips…

Below: … and a nearly black shed complete this posting.  The shed was finished by dusk and looks a lot better and less intrusive in the Colliery pitscape.

As this post was being written, the organ engine on the Gallopers failed with a loose piston head.  Dave Young has taken the rod away to make a new one, with a modification to try and prevent a re-occurrence of this problem.  More on this next week…  It is a feature of this point of a season where the long summer of daily hard work really takes its toll on the collections, and with a short turnaround until the intensive Christmas season most of the maintenance team are focussed on ensuring we can get through the next three months before the 10 week window in the New Year to get everything ready for another year ahead.