May is going to be another busy month!  The notable occurrences are the re-commencement of operation at Rowley Station (24th May), and the Festival of Transport (24th May to 1st June).  Coffee Pot will also return following its retube by John Fowler Limited in Cumbria.  I’ll therefore post on single-topics this month, as well as the usual workshop diaries.  So here is the first of those, this month (with a revised heading to better reflect the content).

Dunrobin

Below: As work continues on the restoration, a new ashpan has now been fabricated for Dunrobin, as seen here.  The original arrangement was removed in Canada and replaced with an ashpan that had side doors, so that the locomotive could be serviced without access to a pit.  So this one has been manufactured to the General Arrangement drawing, complete with doors fore and aft and the curved section that provides clearance over the brake cross-shaft.

Weardale 909

Below: The restoration of the paintwork on 909 is progressing at a rapid rate and we hope to see the bus out of the tent next week.  It can then receive the final gloss-coats and have the newly re-upholstered seating fitted.  An appearance at the Festival of Transport therefore seems a real possibility…

Rowley Station

As might be expected, Rowley has been the focal point for a great deal of attention as we prepare for passenger trains to recommence here on the 24th May.  Part of this is infrastructure, part is staff training/re-assessment (as nobody has operated here since February 2020).

Below: The water tower pipework has been installed and we await some repairs from the maintenance team in relation to the water supply for this structure.  Some further concreting is required, and the inspection platform is on order that will enable safe access from the ground to running plate height to the side and front/rear of locomotives.

Below: The running-in board has been installed and the supporting posts trimmed to length and painted.

Below: Reclaimed NER bollards have been prepared and the first two installed at the platform ends.  These will have a chain between them – this being more suitable than the taller barriers, through which children can run.

Below: The first stage of lineside clearance has been completed and a plan for next autumn/winter agreed.  This will open up the embankments further as well as establishing a new area from which to view trains in the area beside the ice cream kiosk.

Below: Fencing at the eastern end of the railway has been installed – this is to enable the railway to be securely separated from other operations that take place to the rear of the Masonic Hall, but still retain access for low-loaders etc. The white gates will be modified, to be lower and more in keeping with the fence line, but for now they provide a robust solution to fencing/access where required.

Below: The gateway into the enclosure has also been widened, to improve access for low-loaders and sludge tankers (the sewage plant being in this area too).  This area will remain a non-public area, but at least staff and contractor functions can continue whilst the railway is operating – previously the gates here had to be locked by a key attached to the token (and carried on the locomotive), which made access quite inconvenient.

Below: Sir Berkeley arrived on the 8th May, the low-loader trying out the widened gateway and improved access to the loading pad (which worked well).  It is staying with us until early June, with 12 steaming days booked (three for training and then nine for the Festival of Transport week and weekends at Whit).

Steam Elephant

Below: The exhibition of railway locomotive Pioneers at Hopetown, Darlington, is still open for another month – a chance to see the original Locomotion No.1 plus replicas Steam Elephant and Pen-y-Darren, that have been loaned for display.  The two replicas are seen here.

Below: My son Thomas, 3, points out what makes Steam Elephant so elephantine!

Below: Locomotion No.1 is the original (that term could be used in inverted commas, of course – depending at what point of history you wish to locate it in!), and has returned to Darlington (from the NRM Locomotion at Shildon) for the display.

The Railway Pioneers exhibition is open until the 22nd June.  After which, Steam Elephant will return to Beamish for commissioning and entry into service this summer.

Training and assessments

Below: With there having been no operations at Rowley since 2020, all operating staff are undergoing refresher, or induction training using Sir Berkeley over five days, in the build up to the passenger trains starting on the 24th May.  This has provided a chance for visitors (and staff in the wider museum) to become accustomed to the sight, sound and smell of the working railway in our Edwardian Town area once again.  Sir Berkeley is seen sat over the pit, making use of the refurbished locomotive servicing facilities.

Below: As much lineside clearance as was practicable has been carried out, and the views have opened up once again for trains departing from the station, which visitors and photographers will hopefully appreciate.

It is fair to say that everyone is very taken with this locomotive – if only we had our own Manning Wardle waiting in the wings…  oh!  Wait…

Photos in this post taken by: Duncan Ballard and Paul Jarman