The winter season brings with it the benefit (from a maintenance point of view) of the Museum being closed on Monday’s and Fridays. This enables us to carry out some of those jobs that aren’t always possible when open to the public.  Here is a glimpse at some of the activities the RHEC team have been carrying out…

Below: For some time the regulator valve on the 1855 winding engine in the Colliery has had a leak on one of the gaskets.  Whilst the engine works at a relatively low pressure of 30psi, the leak has caused inconvenience to the operator below.  The valve itself had to be removed to enable replacement of the gasket (and repacking of the regulator whilst it is accessible), no easy task in a narrow building with no internal lifting gear.  However, a solution was found and Tony, David and Matt spent the afternoon extracting the very heavy regulator valve using a block and tackle.

Below: With straps in place to steady the valve, it is seen being lowered from its position between the steam inlet pipe and the valve chest.

Below: The regulator valve following removal – a considerable lump of metal!

Below: In gathering gloom, Danny re-lays some of the stone paving outside the chapel – not glamorous but certainly essential.  The paving here is raised to provide level access into the chapel gardens.

Below: The concrete has been poured for the new engine shed in the Colliery and is currently setting.  Once cured, Darren and Mark will dig out the centre to enable a level base to be made, upon which the track will be laid.

Below: Work has also continued on the narrow gauge, with the drainage pipes being buried in ballast and then a sub-base of crushed brick laid and rolled.  This should provide a good foundation for the trackbed and track to be laid on top.

Below: We continue, breathlessly, with work to create a narrow gauge locomotive facility and display area adjacent to the boiler house in the Colliery.  A pit will feature, in small engine shed based on that at Chadwick Nick on the Stephenson engineered narrow gauge railway at Crich in Derbyshire.  Another project for the future is building a traditional chimney to enclose the modern flue see here – a vital but unattractive part of the boiler house.

Below: Up in the workshops Brian has converted the Commer van from 6volt to 12 volt, with successful tests being carried out today. Anyone who has driven this in the dark will appreciate the extra power to the lights – illumination was poor to say the least!

Below: Some early steps along the road of restoring horse tram No.49/8 have been taken, with a small volunteer team being formed from the group who restored the SOS bus.  With the research notes already gathered available for study, Clive began clearing the inside of the tram to see what we have and what we are missing, in the process revealing just how much work was carried out during the restoration at Tyseley in the 1980s.  We hope to secure final transfer of ownership of the remains of No.8 soon, enabling restoration to begin in earnest.