This month’s Workshop Diary is appearing a little earlier, as there are some posts earmarked for the festive period and I didn’t want to crowd the blog with new material!  I also need to find time to write it all!  This is quite a lengthy post as there is a great deal to report, so it makes a fitting end to the workshop posts for 2024, but rest assured that they will continue in 2025 and I am sure there will be just as much to report as there has been in 2024…

Dunrobin

The latest issue of Trackside – The Journal of Railway Preservation, contains several pages regarding Dunrobin.  I was able to contribute to this and also supply some of the images, so the content can be regarded as accurate and definitive!  It is issue 42 January 2025, but now available in newsagents…

Tramway

We now move on to some information on the tramway, as we enter the winter period of maintenance and renewal.  There are a number of jobs that are planned, consisting of:

• Tramway rail welding (restoring the profile of worn rails, embedded into the street, to be undertaken by contractor)
• Tramway rail renewal in the Town East area (in-house)
• Tramway sleeper renewal (in-house)
• Tramway Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) insulator and span wire renewal (in house)
• Tramcar maintenance and overhaul (in house)
• Lineside vegetation/tree management including removal of overhanging tree limbs in proximity of the OLE (in house)

As can be seen, there is rather a lot to do!  We are still in the process of recruiting into the team, to add capacity, and with so much to do, and much of it intrusive to the operation, we have decided to close the Tramway in January, February and March, in order to enable the work to be focussed and obviate the need to prepare the route and vehicles for service each week (which would be on a three-day opening basis in any case).

Below:  Sleepers are being stockpiled in readiness for winter renewals over the next few years – we had previously purchased the recycled plastic sleepers, but at over £200 each, this has proved to be unsustainable (ironically!) in terms of future renewal work at the museum.

Below:  Some of the rails for the Town East renewal programme – pre-curved and being readied for installation in January.  We are also hoping to facilitate some rail-welding of the tramway curves in the Town, with one of our contractors keen to test some new technology in this area.

We have also started some of this work in advance, with preparatory work having already started on the OLE, in particular the replacement of a particular type of BICC insulator, which fails in totality, rather than in part, when they do expire.  We have had two examples of this, so these are being removed either in favour of a different type of ear (the component to which the contact i.e. electrified wire is attached to), or a newer type used extensively on the Isle of Man tramways and which has mechanical redundancy in the event of it breaking (i.e. whilst the insulation might fail, the component itself does not break apart).

Inevitably, the components being substituted are a different length to the ones they replace, which entails replacing the adjacent span wires as well.  Many of these are on the list for replacement, so these are being tackled at the same time.  As a result, our pre-Christmas service on the Tramway is operating Entrance to Town via Foulbridge, with the section from the Entrance to Town via Pockerley.  If we can get ahead of this work now, it will ensure we can carry on after Christmas with the rest of the programme, Easter being our absolute target for completion and full reopening of the Tramway.

Meanwhile, a two-tram service is in operation, bolstered by the buses (with additional vehicles available to us at the present time, to support this activity).  In the workshops, the focus is on Gateshead 10, and making a start on repairing Newcastle 114’s damaged controller (which will be overhauled at the same time, along with the other controller).  It also has paintwork to be completed once the weather warms up – the target for completion of this is May.  Sunderland 16 will have the top-deck repaint in the new year (temperature allowing), with the signwriting to be applied in March when Gateshead 10’s paintwork is scheduled for completion as well.  We very much need a warm (or even not-freezing!) space in which we can do such work year-round.

Lisbon 730’s progress has halted whilst the volunteers focus on Newcastle 114, and it is likely that Sheffield 264 will be the next mechanical overhaul (and re-tyre) once Gateshead 10 is sat back on its wheels.  This all sounds quite straightforward, but the team working on all of this currently numbers four people, three of whom also have to carry out all of the winter work on steam locomotives and railway rolling stock too!  I mention all of this just to manage expectations – I do read some of the observations on social media, with some amusement – and hopefully those who feel we could achieve more, faster, might find their way to this sort of post, for something of an insight into what it takes to keep heritage transport running.

Gateshead 10

Below: The newly arrived spring hangers, of which there are eight on the tram, have now all received some final machining operations which will enable them to carry the separate spring pockets (which will also be made from scratch, though in-house this time).  Here the milling machine has been set up to cut the profile onto the bracket ends, in order to create a clearance for installation and to fit the pockets.  The workpiece will move vertically upwards, as it appears here, in order to make the cut.  Most of the machine tools have now been fitted with Digital Read Out (DRO) displays, which greatly improve efficiency and consistent accuracy in the work being produced, so whilst relatively expensive, these are proving to be a worthwhile investment.

Below: The photo below shows a hanger in situ.  The pads that bear them were previously built back up by welding, and re-finished, so that a uniformity was re-established for all eight hangers (which in turn had introduced disparities into all eight of the original hangers, coupled with the twist in the leaf springs that was imparted by the original arrangement of spring captivity – see earlier posts on how this is being cured).  The next step is the manufacture of the spring end pockets, that hold the ends of the leaf springs captive, and allow them to deflect up and down at the buckle (middle).

Below: A better view of No.10, emerging from its wrapper…  There is still some lining to apply and further detailing to be done, but the overall effect is now clearly visible.  The advertising boards have been started, similarly the new doors, so items such as these can be added over coming months, whilst the mechanical work continues across the shed.

Below: With all of the attention on Gateshead 10, this image is timely – it shows Gateshead 10 (as BR 26) arriving at Templetown, Consett in 1968, where it was to be restored to its Gateshead condition by members of the Northern Tramway Sponsors (later, the group would form the Beamish Tramway Group).  The support of George Cowell at Consett Ironworks enabled the museum to store a number of items on the extensive network of sidings there (including five NER coaches and two trams).  Gateshead 10 was eventually to operate at Templetown (which was the railway workshops for the Consett Iron Company system) on a short section of track equipped with overhead line.  This view emerged from the archive whilst looking for something else, but is a useful view in the timeline of No.10.  On the right is one of the large CIC diesel locomotives – these being very similar to Hunlset designs of the day.

Below: For the sake of completeness, here is Gateshead 10 and Sheffield 264 (then carrying a fictional number ‘1’ and having been convered to open top condition following dismantling of the top deck roof) at Templetown.  Note the overhead wire that enabled a limited amout of testing and operation of the two trams. In 1973 they were relocated to Beamish, to start the next chapter in their lives.  Both had been earmarked for preservation by the British Transport Commission, with No.264 (later numbered No.342) being displayed in the transport museum at Clapham, whilst No.10 was stored at Clay Cross.  Both were brought to Consett by the Northern Tramway Sponsores for restoration.  Ownership was eventually transferred to Beamish, where the trams now form the core of the current fleet.

Weardale Motor Services ‘909

Below: With WMS 909 (as it is to be known) being started last Friday, for the first time since the early 1990s (does anyone know exactly when?), today, 3rd December, saw it venture out of the workshop for the first time.  Whilst much commissioning work remains to be done, it was very encouraging to see it out on the roads at Beamish, and even nicer to hear it – as it sounds totally different to the familiar Gardner-engined Daimlers already in the museum collection.  There is a great deal of workshop staff enthusiasm for this bus, and a real desire to make it something really quite special for the visitors (and drivers!) to enjoy.  These views, taken at dusk, give a flavour of what visitors can look forward to next year, when 909 enters service.

Below: On the theme of buses at night, here is visiting Sunderland Corporation No.139 waiting outside the Coop for the bus/tram stop to clear so that it can draw forward.  It as been working alongside Scout Motor Services No.18, visiting Darlington No.7 and our own Darlington 4 and Rotherham 220 during the evening Christmas events.  The B-Type has provided the service on the Colliery route whilst J2007 and Crosville 716 have operated on-call as the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles.

Crosville 716

Below:  The clutch/gearbox overhaul on 716 has now been completed and the bus has returned to service, much improved on its pre-overhaul condition.  Here is the clutch, after returning from the specialist contractor who has overhauled it for us.

Below: The clutch in situ, awaiting the refitting of the gearbox…

Below: The overhauled gearbox (see earlier post), refitted.  The propshaft section, closing the gap, was yet to be fitted when this photo was taken.

Below: A view of the reinstalled clutch and gearbox, from inside the saloon.

Sunderland Corporation 2

Below: To make the work being undertaken on the saloon of SCT 2 easier, it has been moved into the RHEC facility, where it now sits adjacent to the joinery.  The United Bristol has been swapped with No.2, and is on display in the bus depot in unrestored condition in the short-term.  These views illustrate the current state of play for the two buses.  With regard to the United Bus (BL 011 – or is it…), the research into this vehicle continues, and items are being stored appropriately from it, but no restoration work is planned to start in the foreseeable future.  To achieve the standard that 716 is at will require extensive dismantling and, unfortunately, redoing much of the work previously carried ou ton the Bristol.

It does, however, remain as our next bus restoration priority – as and when funding can be identified.  Meanwhile, with No.2 in rather more suitable surroundings for work to progress, the saloon remains the priority and it is hoped the bus might make an appearance (not in passenger carrying condition as the seats will not have been tackled) for our transport event next May – on which, more will be announced soon.

Below: An interior view of No.2, showing the fullest extent now of removal of items.  The wiring has also been exposed, and the saloon will be rewired as part of this part of the programme of work.  Once the structural repairs and wiring are completed, the ceiling can be painted, the woodwork cleaned and the new side panels made, fitted and painted.  One this is complete, the new lino floor will be ordered.  Seating is being treated as a separate component of the overall project, given the scale of the work needed and the uncertainty of what exactly we are doing with it – very much TBC.

Matt sent through some photos of the detailed work that he’s undertaking on No.2, and these now follow:

Below: The wheel arches have been revealed to be in quite poor condition, with significant rote in the framework around each of them (perhaps as might be expected, given their proximity to the wheels and therefore spray etc.).

Below: Each inner face is supported by a section of timber shaped to a profile that clears the rear axle, and provides a mounting point for the main arch and an inner arch (that forms part of the saloon interior).  These are attached to the floor frame and as can be seen here, the fastenings and ends of these sections are in quite an advanced state of decay.

Below: This view gives some context with regard to the position of these items (the angle bracket shows where the arch attaches).

Below: Removal of some of the internal panels has also revealed what are presumed to be marks and notes made on the bus by those who constructed the body.

Below: Returning to one of the arch frames, here is the end section, showing that it really cannot be rescued and serve further purpose as an important structural member within the bus.

Below: This is an old repair, revealing that this problem has been experienced previously.  This too has been replaced by Matt, as the old repair had left the arch frame too short in length.

Below: The process of building up layers to match old components and then impart the correct shape back into them.  Again, with a frame section that is beyond repair, new material has had to be added (in this case, all of the original has had to be replaced with a replica component).

Below: Arch frames under repair, with the new material clearly visible, but a relatively substantial amount of the old also recovered for further use.  All of this will be hidden when the frame is reassembled, so it is worth recording it through the process of its repair – and perhaps Matt has written on these components, in the way that those who manufactured the body in 1929 did so…

Below: Repaired/renewed components, side by side with origianls for comparison.

Below:  Two views of the new structural components in situ – when compared with their predecessors, it can be seen that there were quite considerable structural weaknesses in these areas, so the replacement of them does bring a degree of comfort, and a good basis to progress with the projects prettier bits on.

Below: Though the original wiring will be replaced, and may well run into a new control box in the cab, the original control box will be restored as it is a rather lovely feature of the saloon.  It may be possible to re-purpose it, but that would be quite destructive to the internal components in order to accomodate the new equipment.  One to be pondered on and decided upon in due course…

Below: DHN 475 (or perhaps more correctly, EHN 539) has been relocated into the bus depot temporarily – a chance for it to be seen in public pending placing back into store next year and awaiting a future restoration programme on it to commence.

Still earning its keep…

Below: The Leyland Cub tipper is becoming quite widely travelled in our locality – see here being used to collect a press, for the workshop.  It seems to thrive on work, and with this in mind, there are other jobs on it that we might well look at completing in 2025.  I have been trying to locate an image that I have seen of it in service with Blackburn Corporation – it appeared in the background of a depot view of the tramway there, and featured (as a link) on this site some time ago.  The website, titled Olive, Green and Ivory now seems to be defunct, but I wonder if any readers know of what became of this or know of that archive of Blackburn tramway images, and whether it is accessible to researchers?

Below: These posts can take as much as a week to create, and since writing the notes above, the Cub’s head has been stripped in order to attend to some jobs on the engine and also replace the head gasket.  The old and new is shown in the second photograph.  Fortunately some new old-stock was obtained by one of the team, and this has provided us with some spares for stock – and occasions such as this!

Duke of Sutherland Saloon 58A

Below:  The meticulous preparation of the saloons roof continues.  The smoothed boards are being painted, whilst the canvas sheets are trial fitted to make sure everything is ready for application once the bonding material is applied.  The beading has also been offered up, so that the reassembly stage is quicker – being an integral part of securing the new canvas and keeping it taught.  It is hoped that the application will be carried out next week, if it is warm enough in the tent that has been created around the coach for this purpose.

Castle Eden Engine

Below: It’s been a while since this last appeared on the blog, but the base unit for the Castle Eden engine is progressing, manufactured by Peter, one of the weekday volunteers.  It shows the wheel ‘pit’ within the frame, which once complete will be clad so as to appear solid.  The engine can be set up onto this base quite effectively, and the whole unit will be mobile, until the final location has been determined.

And finally…

New lighting has been installed in the rear of the tram depot, where we carry out the heavier engineering work.  The novelty of light is one thing, whilst the sheer brightness of it – well that’s a whole new experience:

This, then concludes the workshop diary posts for 2024.  There are two more posts to come – next week there will be a history of the NER coaches that have been associated with Beamish, and the following week we’ll take a look back at 2024 and look ahead to 2025.

Photos by Matt Bedard, Phil Doran, Paul Jarman, Phil Smith, Ben Wilson and also the Beamish Archive