T&I News 19 2017...

T&I News 19 2017…

Welcome back!  After a few weeks break, posts are now resumed…

Whilst I was enjoying a week in Wales, then at home and finally at the European Open Air Museums conference, the teams have been beavering away on all fronts…  So here are some of their photos, and some of mine, to sweep up the news since Jonathan’s last update…

Colliery Railway

Below: The allocation of an engager on one day per week (at the moment) to maintain the displays in the Colliery Engine Works is paying dividends, from both the engagement point of view and also the curatorial one.  Rob Kitching in particular has made this role his own, wielding his paint brush across the area and transforming faded timber and metal into shining black exhibits!  The chaldrons are being worked on in sequence, with the side tipper also receiving some attention to maintain it.

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Below: Externally the narrow gauge area has also been smartened up.  As time permits this area is gradually being prepared for increased public access.

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Below: Four chaldrons have now been repainted, with more to follow, some of which require some mechanical work.  Standard pins have also been designed for the couplings, removing some of the puzzle from trying to shunt the waggons which have acquired a variety of coupling and pin over the years.

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RHEC

Below: Tony and Matt B are waiting on the delivery of timber from which the Quilter’s cottage roof structure will be made.  The foundations for this have now been cast, as a prelude the official ground cutting ceremony for the Remaking Beamish project next week.  This makes the most of the time available before winter, this structure using lime mortar in its construction (which cannot be used in the cold).  Tony has made a jig, against which he can assemble the crucks,  which he will split from the cut tree trunks that are due to arrive imminently…

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Below: He is also preparing his tools…

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Below: The Morris Commercial had had the body fitted, and work is now concentrated on making the rear doors…

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Below: A view of the rear end of the Morris – note the step plus the Buffalo-board lining internally.

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Below: Whilst waiting on the delivery of the tree timbers, Tony has been cutting and preparing the wood for Gateshead 10’s new doors (x4) which will retain some of the original panelwork.

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Below: The Coop sign has also been rebuilt as Jonathan reported.  Here is the supporting structure…  We often joke about projects being like a ladder to the moon here – this is our closest attempt yet!

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Below: The new Handyman’s workshop is also nearing completion…

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Narrow Gauge

Below: With such a busy summer, progress on narrow gauge waggons has been limted, this also being hampered by Matt and I being on leave for a lot of it between us (these jobs being voluntary).  The FR granite side tipper is now assembled and is currently being finish-painted and having details parts worked upon.

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Below: Dave Young has embraced the challenge of building the brakevan chassis, and has made steady progress fitting the pedestals and wheelsets to the sub-chassis.  Also seen here is a start on the brake-hangers pivots.

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Dig for Victory

Below: Here is a selection of views from the Dig for Victory event, which saw an increased presence of WW2 army vehicles (See the Museum’s facebook page for many more photos and some impressive films of this event).  I show it here for those perhaps not on facebook…

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Rowley Station

Below: Another busy team, who have also been able to carry out an amount of practical work as part of their engagement.  Based in the newly established working area adjacent to the roadmender’s depot, several items are being prepared for display around the station.  First up we see the new fencing…

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Below: Benches are also being repainted.

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Below: The NER fire buckets are back – lettered by David Watchman from the Coms team.

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Below: Work continues to prepare the oil lamps for installation around the station…

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Below: And miscellaneous signs are being painted and fitted – the Limit of maintenance ones being apt for the sidings that lead into the Regional Museum Store building.

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Below: A milepost – seen here before and after…

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Below: And finally – the road with no name now has one!

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I’ll post again soon, with perhaps a little more detail and less brevity!