Welcome to another Workshop Diary – the last month has flown by, and so this report covers something of the end of the high-season, whilst looking ahead to the work that is underway now that winter is (very much!) upon us.  Readers will have seen that there are two other separate posts this month too, covering the arrival of our Weardale Motor Services Leyland Titan PD2/1 and the progress on restoring the roof of the Duke of Sutherland’s saloon, 58A.

We often receive the comments as we go into winter along the lines of “you’ll be entering your quiet period now” – though we get the same when we move into spring too!  The truth is, the pace of work doesn’t change at all, though the focus does.  The winter sees the statutory inspections on pressure systems (the loco boilers) take place, but it also sees the most challenging working conditions.  The steam fleet mileage drops to zero, but the trams and buses are as busy as ever, in particular with the Christmas festival season amongst our busiest periods.  It is also the time when a lot of salt can be put down on the roads – the enemy of vehicles and something we keep an eye on to ensure the road vehicles are washed thoroughly, more often.

In this post you will also read about other areas of the museum that the team contribute to, as well as the ongoing restoration work on the Duke of Sutherland’s saloon, 58A.  With the prospect of this operating with Dunrobin again in the next 12 months, the desire to achieve a very high standard with this coach is very much embedded in the current programme of restoration work on it.

Print Shop

Below: The team don’t just work on transport artefacts, and this recent example illustrates a machine guard, made for one of the printing presses in the Print Shop.  This an operational machine, and the staff who work with it felt that a suitable guard for the gear wheel would be a prudent control against the risk of entanglement in the gear when in operation.  Chris Armstrong drew up a solution for approval, which also gives the object file a useful record of change, and then manufactured this slender guard to fit onto existing components on the frame of the press – saving the need to modify original material and ensuring the change is entirely reversible if required.

Below: Observing the guard in situ explains its purpose far more adequately than words.  The tight clearances are also evident in these views.

Coffee Pot No.1

Below: As a treat to myself to celebrate twenty years in the job, I steamed Coffee Pot No.1 a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, one of the tubes ‘blew’ demonstrating a significant leak which eventually extinguished the fire.  Having a pump fitted, the loco was able to maintain a water level until the steam pressure had reduced and the water level was below the tube failure.  Once the pressure had dropped to zero, the loco was blown down and the firebox cleaned out.  It has since been washed out and awaits dispatch to a contractor for retubing.  Hopefully this work can be completed in time for it to play a role in the museum’s Railway 200 event in May next year…

Below: The effect of the leaking tube can be seen top-right of this photo, with water pouring through onto the fire.

Below: The culprit tube can be seen at the bottom, centre of this view.  There are 70 tubes in total, which will be removed to enable a full internal inspection of the boiler to take place.  It is our intention to re-start the boiler certificate with this work.  As Coffee Pot steams so infrequently, it will probably move to a calendar of steaming (being drained in between each), in order to make the use and management of this locomotive more predictable.

Sometimes, it’s the little things…

Below: One thing the Crewe Tractor has needed since it was created, is a means of the passenger holding on to the vehicle.  Up to now, it has been easiest to put the left arm around the back of the seat (behind the driver).  This can make it a bit cosy!  So a simple handle has been fabricated, which gives a grabbing point for the passenger to hold on with, and the overall experience for the passenger rather more pleasant!

Gateshead 10

Below: The new hanger brackets for Gateshead 10’s bogie suspension have been manufactured.  We’ve had ten made (the tram needs eight of them) so that we could ensure we could choose the most suitable examples (being individually made, they can have some variance between them) and also a couple of spares for stock.  Having these to hand unlocks a lot of work that can now be carried out on 10’s bogies, which alongside some improvements to lighting in the area where they are positioned at present.

Below: Gateshead 10 has also seen further progress on the paintwork, with a large percentage of the lining now in place, along with the very distinctive Front Exit signage.  The rest of the work should be completed in March, when Aaron returns to complete the lining and also the lining work on Sunderland 16. The white marks are the chalk, used by Aaron whilst applying the lining.

Leyland Cub gearbox reconstruction

Below:  With one Phil on leave, the other has been amusing himself by rebuilding the gearbox for Crosville 716.  Rebuilding is probably not quite the right word – as this gearbox is effectively an assembly of three units, taking the best bits of those, and adding new material to create something substantially better than what came out!

This first view shows the problem!  The gears, shafts and even the gearbox housing were all degraded and in poor condition.  Since the original restoration started, we had acquired a number of other gearboxes as spares, so these have given Phil the opportunity to incorporate the best bits of each, in this new assembly.

Below:  With the parts required identified, and overhauled where necessary, all of the components are seen laid out on the bench prior to assembly.  Very little of the gearbox previously fitted to 716 has been incorporated into this work, and whilst the components were dismantled, Chris created drawings of all of the gears to enable replacements to be manufactured – something that I think we will progress quite soon.

Below: A view into the gearbox…  Some of the gears are quite worn still, which is why we favour obtaining sets of new ones for future use.  But the overall unit is in far better condition than was the case previously and will hopefully be much more accommodating when being driven.

Below: An overall view of the completed gearbox unit.  The clutch is being overhauled by a contractor at the moment, but is due back with us shortly.  716 should therefore be back in service fairly soon.  The next Cub component project?  Well, we could do with a spare engine to transplant into 716 when its own becomes due an overhaul…

Below: I mentioned above that Chris had created some drawings for the gears, to make all-new internals for a Cub gearbox.  Just before I posted, he sent these drawings over, and I’ve included them for readers to enjoy!

Sunderland Corporation 2

Below: Matt has been continuing his conservation joinery on 58A and SCT 2.  On the latter, sections of the wheel arch frame have had to be replaced as part of the conservation work on the saloon interior.  Here is an example of the end of one of the hoop pieces, with new section on the left, and the original yet to be cut and dressed on the right.

Below: The repairs can clearly be seen here, with original material in the centre of the arch, and the new ends (and the bits they replaced) at the ends.  This particular component is now being painted prior to being fitted back into the bus.  Matt has been carrying out a lot of this sort of work on the bus, in order to try and retain as much of the original material as possible.  I must admit, that this is probably one of my favourite projects at the moment, simply because the vehicle is so original, and even small interventions as part of this work, have an order of magnitude in terms of of improving its condition.  The goal remains limited passenger operation with this bus, and a chance for visitor to ride in a vehicle that is quite different to our other buses.

***Stop Press*** The newly arrived Leyland Titan (now known to the team as 909) was started for the first time today, and also managed a few short moves within the workshop.  More on this in the next post.

Photos in this post by Chris Armstrong, Matt Bedard, Phil Doran, Paul Jarman and Phil Smith