Transport & Industry News update...

Transport & Industry News update…

The Christmas season is now in full swing, whilst various capital and maintenance projects are also under way, with the team contributing to a number of these.  For example, Shaun and Daniel are completing various sunburst gates for Home Farm and its cottages, which are being reconstructed this winter to create a new WW2 theme at Beamish.  It will be the first time the cottages have been open to the public too, so there is a great deal of work underway on this front.  Meanwhile, here is a glimpse at some of the transport related projects we have in hand…

Below: Tony has completed the construction of the box chaldron, which has also been painted.  It is seen awaiting final lettering and numbers (taking place as I write this tonight), which is being applied by Sarah Jarman.  The waggon has not been fitted with a door, to enable access for interior painting and also to allow the wind to whistle through it and keep it dry, but one could be fitted if required.P1140208 P1140209

Below: This view shows the modified chaldron waggon brake handle – per drawing and photographs.  It is a clever bit of bending and shaping, using a brake handle recovered from Preston Hall, who had two Londonderry chaldrons at one point (having arrived in company with ex Seaham Head Wrightson No.16), these later being broken up and the parts made available to us as spares.P1140210 Below: With the chaldron complete, Tony and Matt are now dismantling Sheffield 264 – seen here removing the windows to assist with the separation of the decks and movement into the workshops.P1140212 Below: The Beamish Tramway Group are also involved, and Les is seen disconnecting the main traction cable.  Note the seats have been removed and cross braces fitted, using the seat mountings to fasten them.P1140216 Below: News from Bridgnorth – Duncan and his team have riveted the new boiler barrel for Dunrobin, seen here, which marks a step towards removal of the original and the fitting of this substantial new component.  Further work through the winter is anticipated on the boiler, likewise a start in earnest on the work required on the frames.  We also have prices for the new cylinder block and subject to a few tweaks, hope to order this before Christmas.

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Below: David has been busy in the workshop, the crankshaft for Samson occupying much of his time.  He has rough shaped the steel section that was supplied for the purpose and also ground the crank knuckles to shape, finishing these by hand to give the appearance of forgings.

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Below: Once the basic shape had been created, the shaft was re-set in the lathe and balanced with weights to enable the journal for the big end to be machined, seen here.P1140213

Below: Following a minor derailment during a shunting move last week, we undertook some tests with Gateshead 10 to understand the potential cause and also prove a hypothesis.  It is seen here successfully negotiating the point on which it derailed, and following several runs, and then a trial to test our theory, it was pronounced fit for traffic and the tram returned to service.  An internal report has been prepared.P1140196