Its been a particularly busy week, with lots happening right across the Transport & Industry operation.  Separate posts cover some of the activities in the Colliery and on the narrow gauge, so here is a sweep up of some of the other areas of progress in the last five days…

RHEC

Below: The interior of the living van, largely complete and with the fire being tested (it was very VERY hot in there!).  Fire bricks have been added to reduce the outside temperature of stove, which has made the interior cosy and inviting once again.  Tony is seen checking the roof temperature in the vicinity of the new roof and chimney cowl.

Below: And here is what it looks like in the daylight – rather nice isn’t it?!

Below: Sunderland 16 gazing upon its truck, now at least in the same room as the tram it is from!   The motors await refitting when this photo was taken.  It is also another reminder of 16’s stunning appearance with refreshed paintwork and new adverts – we can’t wait to get it outside!

Below: John Howe is seen here following its boiler washout – the tank of water being used to provide sufficient volume for the pressure washer to do the job more thoroughly than can be managed using the limited mains supply in this area.  There is also an ‘arty’ shot to enjoy too!

Duke of Sutherland 58A

Below: The laborious stripping of the DoS coach continues, which is taking place in parallel to numerous repairs to the exterior and interior.  Some care has been taken to sample the original areas of green paintwork that have remained – revealing the coach to have been a very dark shade of green, almost as dark as that we propose to use on Samson.

Below: Tony has been busy on the interior – seen here in rather grainy conditions and not looking its best! Cracked beach panels have been removed for repair, and the framing strengthened with additional pieces to enable the heavier external beading to be securely fixed to this framing to remove so pronounced areas of distortion and warping that were evident.  The aim is to get the panels and their corresponding beading as flat as possible, but even after all of this work there will be some slight distortion, particularly in the large side panels that have developed a slightly sinuous ‘S’ shape across their waist.  But then again, this is all part of the coach’s history.

Sheffield 264

Below: Completing a very busy week for the team (see other posts, plus the largely unreported efforts of the Site Support members of the team in preparing for, operating through and packing away three Halloween evenings and two Bonfire nights – all involving extensive temporary lighting and power distribution), the move of Sheffield 264’s top deck and truck took place on Friday morning.  The body is temporarily mounted on the truck to save space, but not inhibit the restoration work.  Once the Gallopers steps are complete, the truck will be liberated for removal of the wheelsets.

Below: A depot shunt around has now placed 26 (Gateshead 10) to the rear of Road 4.

Samson

Below: Dave has pressed the bush into the second shaft gear (seen here) and then drilled the centre (boss) for a grease lubricator.

Below: Samson continues to progress, with numerous little jobs underway.  The rear footplate assembly is now complete and is receiving its final coats of paint.  After this I will paint the bunkers, line them and then varnish them before fitting them to the footplate, completing this first section.  It can then be bolted to the frames when these return and are painted, creating a rolling chassis which will only need the final assembly of the brake gear (already made) to complete it.

Below: The machined steam fountain is seen test held in place, and sans whistle (this and its valve sit on top of the fountain).  The refurbished pressure gauge with bespoke face has been received back and is also seen here on its column.  The various nuts and unions are still to be tightened up, but as a test fit it gives a good idea of where things are located.  The valve at the front is the steam valve for the injector, which will be mounted on the footplate in the space between the bunkers.

Below: Matt is fitting the ‘bull bars’ to the organ – these being to protect the precious organ and fingers from passing arms and hands which seem inextricably drawn to trying to grab the figures and which has resulted in quite a bit of damage in the past.  Hopefully these uprights will spare the organ further damage…

And finally…

Below: More mystery components – don’t those look like axles for something?!!!

Below: Alan and Brian have completed the reassembly of the Mercury truck and have been seen (and certainly heard!) at large around the Museum testing its capabilities.