A slightly shorter post this week – mortgaging the available space we have available at present for storage of the blog and the rather large number of photographs that are stored here!  Plans are in hand to upgrade this however…

RHEC

Below: Rumours that the back stopped quicker than the front are not true!  Alan and Brian have split the Fordson N in order to carry out some work on the clutch and also attend to the brakes.  Access to the gearbox looks more dramatic than it is!

196’s new lifetray

Below: Work on the replacement lifetray for 196 has now been completed, with testing (loaded and unloaded) being completed and final adjustments taking place today (Monday).  Here are the support brackets for the trays, complete with their bearings (which we saw in the last post).

Below: A trial assembly of the mechanism for the lifeguard – this, when swung back, triggers the tray to fall.  The whole system can be re-set by a pedal on the driver’s platform.

Below: The means of joining the push rod from the lifeguard to the lifetray bracket.  This is a new component.

Below: A view of the lifeguard in its horizontal position (it is the two laths running left to right in this picture).

Below: The guard in its normal position.

Below: The new tray fitted and in running position.

Below: The tray after deployment.  Some final painting and hopefully this one will last longer than the previous one!  The other end is also to replace in due course to give a matched set of UK type trays.

Photos above courtesy of Chris Armstrong

Below: The team working on the horse tram have now installed the quaterlight glasses (orange and green) and prepared and fitted the ceiling boards and canopy brackets.

Samson

Below: With the boiler away, work is concentrating on assembling Samson’s frames – which includes painting, fitting work and final assembly.

Below: The wheelsets have been painted (except for the external faces which will be done later) and await fitting of their individual axle boxes then alignment underneath the frames.

Below: Numerous details are also being added – here the buffer beams have been completed, drawgear eye fitted and (just out of site) a water level indicator for the tank has appeared – largely a salvaged component which David has very carefully modified for its new purpose – the need to know what the water level in the tanks on Samson being a somewhat fundamental one, especially as the filler pipe is offset and therefore cannot be used for observation.  Hopefully we should have a rolling chassis complete with brakegear by the beginning of September.