There has been lots to report this week already, with Jonathan giving an update on the telecom and mining matters in other posts – here are my own jottings from the last five days or so, looking at the activities within the RHEC and around the T&I team.

Below: Some re-arrangement of the Erecting Shop has taken place to create more space and tidy up some of the projects inside, including moving Sunderland 16’s truck frame.  This is now being cleaned (and will be painted) by volunteers Terry and Bill, whilst Peter Barlow is looking at the suspension with a keen and critical engineering eye to see if some of the known unevenness in the primary and secondary suspension can be cured.  This view also shows the invaluable gantry cranes and also that we have a clock in this and the Timber Shop too!

Below: The B&P motor roller’s axles and front rolls have returned from Dyer Engineering, a local firm with a superb workshop and large (and fairly youthful) skilled engineering workforce.  The rolls were subject to welding-up to eliminate wear and then machining to suit. The rear axle is seen to the left, the front axle behind with quite substantial amounts of build-up evident on the journals.

Below: The front rolls centre bushes had worn oval, so these were bored out to a true circle and the corresponding journals on the front axle built up accordingly (seen above).  This should be work this roller will never ever need again, eliminating many years of work and abuse which we should be able to prevent through careful care and maintenance in the future.  Not cheap to do, but it ensures the quality of the finished restoration will be consistent throughout.

Below: Chris and John, R025s restoration team, hit it hard on Saturday, refitting rolls onto axles and then re-wheeling the chassis.  Chris is seen here adding the underkeep to the rear axleboxes.

Below: A close up view of the right hand side of the rear rolls – fitted with a differential as well as the drive gear (seen to the right).

Below: The wheeled chassis – looking very impressive already and not bad progress given that work didn’t start until April this year.  The engine, gearbox and radiator, plus a new canopy and rear bench will, however, ensure that there is plenty of work ahead on this project.

Below: Barrows and barrow wheels – the site has an inexhaustible appetite for wheelbarrows and we discourage the use of modern ones wherever we find them (and hide them if need be!).  As a result the Friends joinery team usually have a number of rebuilds or new builds on the go.  Having run out of wheels, new ones have been cast and are seen here following boring and fitting with axles.  To the right is a new barrow awaiting its wheels to be fitted.

Below: The team working on N&G Horse Tram No.49 has now grown to two!  They have completed assessing what we have and started removing some parts from the tram for inspection.  This has revealed some wood in need of replacement (it wasn’t all done during the previous aborted restoration), so this is being attended to at the moment, likewise removal of corner plates etc. for blast cleaning and painting.

Below: Matt is seen in his new residence – Sheffield 264, where the stripping continues (the tram, not Matt!).  The next photograph shows panels removed on the upper deck bulkhead to enable the various bits and pieces which join the two to be separated ready for a lift either late this week or early next.

Below: Oporto 196’s motor was returned and has been fitted.  Since these photographs were taken the tram has escaped from the depot on a number of test sorties.  It will require running in and then careful monitoring – Tom now has a digital thermometer that is pointed at potential faulty bearings and so enables an early indication of faults or tightness to be identified.  It has also been tested on various members of the team!

Below: Sarah Jarman, the Volunteer Officer (and my wife!) is carrying out some volunteering of her own, adding the numbers and letters to the box chaldron waggon.  It will carry the number 2485 – for no better reason than we know this to have been the number carried by a box waggon at Seaham.

Below: The Branch Line Society spent three days with us for their AGM and tour, with Coffee Pot being utilised in the Colliery.  On Saturday night, whilst Sarah was painting, I prepped the engine and carried out its FTR ready for Sunday.  The shed is an atmospheric place after dark, but very pleasant with the company of a simmering engine and the single bulb lamps hanging from the roof trusses.  This was the engine’s last steaming before its winter strip down so it was nice to have a day on it, away from the office!

Below: Chris has been making adapters to enable a number of lamp tops we have fit a collection of original posts.  These will be painted and then installed at the Entrance, above the tram stop, to improve the lighting in this area – important given the greater number of evening events we are running.  Three discreet floodlights have also been installed in this area and we are developing some ideas for period lighting from Foulbridge down to the Colliery and Pit Village – a precursor to a later project which would see period lighting installed to replace the current temporary arrangements we have in place at this time of year.

Below: As well as developments, there are repairs in hand.  The most frustrating at the moment is remedial work to the water pump on the gallopers, which was badly damaged last week due to operator error.  The casting has been repaired by Dyers Engineering and the mounting studs replaced.  Chris has also straightened out the very bent drive rod and eccentric straps.  The engine should be on test tomorrow and Friday as the gallopers are an important part of our Christmas festival.  this view shows the pump resting on its pipework, its mounting bracket (not seen here) smashed and torn from the bracket on the boiler (seen upper middle left).  Fortunately the casting and its studs gave way, thus saving the boiler mounting bracket from damage.  The boiler inspector has asked us to conduct a pressure test and this will be carried out as part of the testing before re-entry into service.