The motoring theme started in the last post continues this week with news of developments within the collections here at Beamish.  This won’t be the last word on the subject and I hope to make a posting with some exciting news next week with regard to the same subject matter…

Meanwhile, we begin with news from the RHEC, including the focussed work on Sheffield 264 as it is reassembled towards test running in the coming weeks…  Apologies for the large number of views of ‘bits of transport’ rather than full vehicles in this post!

RHEC

Sheffield 264

Below: The recommissioning work continues unabated.  264 has spent much of the week over the pit having the brake gear fitted and tested.  This includes the track brakes, an essential requirement on the hills of Sheffield.  The life guards and trays have also been refitted and tested.  Assembly of the controllers back onto the platforms continues, with a test run but a week or so away now…

Below: As well as refitting the brake gear, which Russell and Matt worked on (whilst Hugh worked on the controllers above), Chris carried out some repairs – including this bush made for one of the brake handles.  It is first seen here as an embryonic bush, being machined from bronze bar.

Below: Once parted off, the bush can be seen middle left, whilst ‘one made earlier’ is seen pressed into the collar to the right.

Below: The re-bushed collar, fitted to the brake handle shaft – not the hand wheel below (above when fitted to the tram).

Below: The completed assembly – the single spoke is the wheel brakes, the hand wheel applying the track brakes.  Much polishing and time has been put into the handles by the tramway staff as these had tarnished in the decade+ of inaction.

Below: The final thrust brasses have also been completed.  Chris photographed them at various stages…  These two views are the ‘before’ photos.

Below: ‘During’ – with the brasses built up into an encrusted and rough shape.

Below: Set up on the lathe for facing…

Below: Faced, and looking much more promising now!

Below: Following profiling (on the miller) and dressing, the finished shoe is fitted into the axlebox, as seen here.  Multiply by four for the full job.

Rambler

Below: Rambler has had the front end stripped to enable the removal of the smokebox/headstock.  The front tubeplate lower rivets, which have previously been acceptable, have been flagged up by our new boiler inspector as in need of attention, so a plan has been developed to replace this over the winter whilst the engine is otherwise dormant.  Dave G, Matt and I thus spent a fairly pleasant morning with the tele-handler and some timber blocks carrying out this work – ever so grateful that Vince Allen had bolted rather than riveted the smokebox wrapper in place when it was replaced two years ago!

RHEC Tech jobs

We have a wide variety of November jobs tackled by Chris this week…

Below: This ‘bullet’ (old on the left, new on the right) is part of the steering box for the B-Type (blue) bus.  The bullet follows the worm on the steering column to impart the movement to the steering arm etc. and is high-wear component.

Below: Re-lining brake shoes for the Fergie tractor.  Note the copper rivets which hold these in place.

Below: We saw the chip range flue in a previous post.  Here is the replacement component, showing how it has been fabricated to match the original casting.

Below: The completed assembly ready for re-fitting.  I suspect we’ll see the other flue in the workshop at some point…

Below: ‘Freddie’ the Mercury (get it?!) truck has had an alternator fitted to improve its daily usability.  Chris machined up a new pulley to replace the fanbelt pulley to allow this to be fitted.

Below: The Rotherham Daimler, 220, needed an additional cover plate – seen here in original paint whilst a clone is made in stages from sheet steel.

Below: The fan housing for the D4 motor roller required an aperture for the fan belt (!), so this was cut in and a bead applied to produce a very neat job.

SHEW Car

Below: With work on the D4 roller now waiting on materials for the replica canopy and repair of the radiator core, Chris has turned his attention to the SHEW car (see earlier posts) which we are looking into the possibility of recommissioning (rather than restoring).  The initial job is to extract the engine, look at access to the gearbox and decide what to do with the wheels (which need solid tyres and would appear to have been chopped about somewhat in its past).  Chris contemplates the work ahead…

Below: The underside of the car reveals its articulated origins – note the large centre boss around which both halves could pivot.  It is in remarkably sound condition and we do not propose a nut and bolt restoration, rather an overhaul with lost features being recreated as required.

Below: The Foreman 2-cylinder engine is quite a lump!

Below: The gearbox is as large as the engine!  Access to remove such is restricted and so some work may be done in situ.  One to continue to mull over…

Phelon & Moore motorcycle combination

We are very pleased to receive on loan this week, for an initial five year period, a 1917 P&M despatch motorcycle and sidecar.  Further research is needed into its history, but it is believed to have been supplied to the Royal Flying Corps (for taking pilots out to their aircraft) during WW1.  P&M were a regular supplier of motorcycles for the war effort.  The owner’s father restored this particular example, a 3.5hp machine, as one of a collection he assembled.  It will be examined by the volunteer veteran motorcycle experts with a view to re-commissioning it to take part in our WW1 event next April.  It will usually be found in the garage display in the Town otherwise.  Here it is, fresh from storage.

Read more on P&M here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phelon_%26_Moore