Welcome to the transport blog and the beginning of our 2025 content…  A slightly shorter post this time as I’m keeping some material for separate entries (it makes it easier to search back in the future that way!) and because of the large amount of photographs that the team are gathering with this in mind.  So we’ll still aim for a monthly update, but perhaps more frequent detailed posts on a particular subject.  There are also some video posts on Facebook that support this, and which readers can hopefully access and enjoy as a supplement to the information recorded here.

Permanent Way

Below: Work is proceeding on the tramway rail renewal at the east end of the Town street.  Haigh Rail have been trialling a robotic arm for rail-welding, that has been building up the check-rail side of the grooved track.  The machine is seen here.  It initially makes a scan of the rail before processing the information and then applying the weld using the robotic arm.

Below:  Like many new technologies, set up is slow and labour intensive, whilst the actual application of weld was pretty quick, and done to a very consistent standard and with minimal pre-heating of the rail required.  We are discussing with the company whether a further (and far longer) stretch of rail can be tackled at a cost that we can accommodate within our budget.

Below:  Meanwhile, around the corner a contractor exposed the rails and their foundation concrete beams.

Below:  The rails were then removed and the beams cleaned up and anchor points repaired and taped (to protect them).

Below:  This view shows new rails being installed, with final adjustments being made using the hydraulic rail bender to impart the correct radius into the grooved rail.

Coffee Pot No.1

Below: Coffee Pot No.1 was collected last week by contractor John Fowler, to be taken to their works in Cumbria for re-tubing.  It is due to return in a few months, and receive some mechanical attention – the aim being to have it back in operation for the May Festival of Transport.

Below: Joining Coffee Pot on its journey is our 1907 ex City of York Shand Mason steam fire engine, which will be assessed for restoration to working condition (for use by and at the cost of, a third party).  It is a project we have neither time nor funds to consider, and it may prove to be uneconomic to proceed with, but nevertheless, the opportunity is being explored to see what is feasible and at what cost.

Duke of Sutherland’s Saloon 58A

Below:  Contractor John continues with the detailed work to re-cover the saloon’s roof and ensure all of the beading and roof fittings are suitably bedded in.  Here the canvas is being coated with bonding compound before one of the bead strips is applied and screwed down to secure the edge of the sheet.

Below: This wider view shows the work in hand.  Since then, the beading has all be fitted, screw holes filled and rubbed down, and paint is being applied to the canvas.  Note the roof of the tent billowing upwards – showing that the space has been heated to try and improve the flow of the compound (which is very hard to spread when cold).

Steam Elephant

Below: Having been a resident of the tram depot since 2019 (when the locomotive was moved so as to be in closer proximity to the workshop) for an overhaul much-delayed by the effects of COVID-19. a start has been made on Steam Elephants mechanical overhaul, with several components being removed to allow them to be overhauled, largely to correct some extensive wear (and therefore lost-motion) within the valve gear.  One example is shown in the two photographs here – this being the trigger mechanism for the reversing lever (that operates vertically on this locomotive).  The first view shows the catch, and the extensive wear visible on the nearest edge.  Whilst the view below it shows the catch with lost-metal restored through welding, and then machining back to its correct profile.

Below: This is the reverser ‘quadrant’ (to use familiar terminology for what it does, but not strictly accurate for this component) – again with weld used to build up lost material, but before machining to accommodate the trigger position (in mid-gear).

Below: The volunteer team working on the Dodge bus have installed the engine, following its return from some contract repair work.  They are now progressing the build-up of the chassis such that a test run (sans body and in its most basic form) can be undertaken.

Operations

Below: With the track repairs underway in the Town, and quite extensive work to thin out and manage the tree growth adjacent to the Tramway, buses have been operating all passenger services around site on Fridays to Sundays.  The trams have been outside though – as seen here – in association with the re-wiring of the lighting within the tram depot (a long overdue job).  This has meant that closed days have seen a healthy collection of vehicles outside the depots, as the next few views show.

Below: As the bus route is truncated adjacent to the Bakery, the occasional diversion via Front Street is in force and enables a bit of variety to be enjoyed by passengers as the vehicles traverse the 1950s streets – as demonstrated by Rotherham 220.

2024 Tramcar Mileages

It’s been some time since I featured the tramcar mileages on the blog.  Figures for 2024 show that the mileages have crept back up (after the lows of 2020/21), though are a way short of the 24,000 high point we once experienced – no doubt due to the availability and flexibility of the buses.  Still a, very respectable total.

• Oporto 196 2646 (a creditable total given that the tram was withdrawn for a partial truck overhaul in 2024)
• Newcastle 114 1259 (and withdrawn from service during the year after the controller flashover)
• Sheffield 264 5931 (again, it saw some downtime during the season)
• Sunderland 16 6031 (no surprise that this ever-versatile and useful tram tops the league)
• Blackpool 31 4536
• Grand total: 20,403

Photos in this post by Phil Doran, Paul Jarman, Phil Smith and Ben Wilson