This month the blog updates return to the two-part format, in order to accommodate everything that is taking place without creating an overly-long post.

Steam Elephant

Below: The test running of Steam Elephant, with overhauled valve gear and re-timed valve events didn’t quite give Phil and Phill, the museum’s engineers who have overhauled the locomotive, the improvements they were hoping for.  Further exploration revealed that the cranks were not at 90 degrees to each other – these being on lay-shafts positioned between the driving wheels.  It seems that, for reasons in the past, there had been some movement on one of the gears that is located between the frames, and that this had been resolved, but with the gear slightly out of alignment on its axle.  Quite how this occurred is something of a mystery, and it seems unlikely that the locomotive was built this way.  However, this way it was, and so the gear was dismantled (fortunately they are split in order to sandwich around the axle for practicality of assembly) and realigned.

Below:  the result is the two cranks at a true 90 degrees to each other – correctly quartered to obviate ‘dead spots’ (dead centre) where the locomotive would be difficult to start (this is why all such arrangements are set to 90 rather than 180 degrees – to avoid both pistons being at the end of their travel simultaneously).  Further trials were carried out at the beginning of September, alongside driver training, so that SE could return to regular operation at the Waggonway and a list of winter works be developed for some of the other tasks that we anticipate it needing before Easter 2027.

Dunrobin

Below: The old boiler barrel from Dunrobin arrived at Beamish earlier in the month.  We haven’t retained too much of the replaced material (for storage reasons and because it provides no technical reason for retention), but the boiler barrel is an impressive ‘lump’ and may find some new purpose, probably in the Colliery.

Below: The next few images are taken from the Severn Valley Railway video which features progress on 4085 and for which an embedded link is included further down this page.  The first view shows progress on assembling components onto the locomotive.  Of note are the doors for the bunker, now fitted, which hinge down to enclose the coal space – perhaps to reduce drafts onto the footplate, and maybe stop water washing coal dust through into the ducal environs of the cab.

Below: A similar view, this time showing the fireman’s side of the locomotive.  Note the three lunchbox lockers are now fitted – two to the sides beneath the bunker and one to the rear, beneath the drawgear.

Below: A front angle piece is being made and fitted in this view, locating the front of the smokebox onto the running plate (missing) in this area.  The smokebox front includes a section that sits across the front of each slasher, creating a neat finish – currently clamped in situ whilst the smokebox is secured.

Below: Work on the boiler continues, with the new J pipe being manufactured and machined (necessitating the removal of the dome).  The safety valves have been fitted and work on the cab backhead fittings is also well underway.

Below: A close-up view of the backhead – the two injectors have been fitted, as has the regulator quadrant and stuffing box.  The gauge glass fittings (all new) have been machined and fitted onto their respective pads on the firebox.

Below: The sandboxes have now been mounted behind the trailing coupled wheels – these spent many years on the rear of the bunker – fortunately for the locomotive, as this ensured their survival.

Below: An enlargement of the view above shows the driver’s side lunchbox locker beneath the bunker, the brass window frames within the cab waiting to be installed and another view of the sandbox.  Note too the presence of the brake gear – pull rods being prominent in this view.

Below: Dunrobin features in this report from the SVR Engineering team at Bridgnorth – 10 minutes 45 seconds in, if you want to find the precise reference.

Rowley

Below: Relaying of the coal drop siding is reaching its end, with the summit now in sight!  Darren, Callum and Shaun have been progressing this work in between routine track inspections, and visually it makes quite a big difference to the appearance of the yard.

Blackpool 31

Below:  Good progress has been made with Blackpool 31’s cosmetic refresh.  As can be seen below, the application of the woodgraining (scumbling) has restored the lustre and depth of finish to the tram, the previous effect having faded away quite dramatically over the 16 years in service.  Looking back at my photos of the last repaint, I was surprised to see how long ago it was, and therefore how well the tram’s paintwork has actually lasted.  This view was taken after the 2010 repaint.

Below:  The repainting of these panels has presented us with an opportunity to slightly adjust the style of livery carried on Blackpool 31.  It has operated, since restored in 1988, with the crest inset into the panel lining – as demonstrated by the photograph of sister ex Marton Car, No.30.  The last repaint in 2010 had given us the opportunity to present the fleet number on the decency panel (again, see below), in place of the adverts that were carried for a number of years whilst at Beamish.

Below: There is, however, another style – and this has the corporation crest sat between uninterrupted lines on the wood-grained panel – as Blackpool 30 demonstrates below.  As 30 and 31 were rebuilt at around the same time, it would seem logical that they would also have been outshopped at Rigby Road works with the same style of lining.  Blackpool 40 at Crich carries this version of the livery, but when consulting photographs, there seems to be no pattern to which was applied and why – there being plenty of evidence of both options, across the Blackpool Corporation fleet.  I quite like the idea of making small changes like this, and recording them appropriately, and having consulted with those with a far beater Blackpool knowledge than I, there is a consensus that without a photograph of Blackpool 31 itself at this time, either option would suit equally.  So which one will it be?

Below:The base colour for the woodgraining process consisted of two coats (left hand side of this image), the first coat of scumble has been applied on the right hand side – with the grain effect then applied.

Below: Aaron is applying the scumble using a broad brush, applying it in a fairly quick way.

Below: Next, he uses a cloth to dapple the surface.

Below: A coarse brush then imparts the grain of the wood into the scumble.

Below: To create the swirling grain effect a patterned ‘comb’ is drawn across the wet scumble and rocked to create the effect of the swirling grain as it moves right to left.

Below: The completed graining.  Additional details can be created using a brush or even the finger tip.

Below: With the scumble dry, Aaron marks out and begins to apply the lining.  The marking out is done using chalk, the paint being applied free-hand.  A pattern was made for the corner details, again using chalk to ensure a consistent repetition of the detail.

Below: One of the panels after the first coat of white (to be second coated) and the yellow pinstriping detail have been applied.  Further tidying up of the panel, cleaning and then varnishing to follow.

Below: With the surrounding paintwork touched up and cleaned, and the newly painted panels varnished, 31 was ready to re-enter service on the 11th September.  New crests are needed, and these are on my to-do list, but for now the tram is operational once again, looking all the smarter for the restoration of these panels to such a high standard.  The work also serves to keep the panels dry and prevent water ingress, which very rapidly causes damage to this area of the tramcar body once it enters it.

BTH B18 Tramcar Controller Segments

The controller flashover on Newcastle 114 some time ago resulted in its withdrawal for repairs, which were being undertaken by a contractor.  Unfortunately, lack of progress and accidental disposal of some key components by the contractor has resulted in a long delay in progress, with the contractor now limiting their work to the reproduction of original asbestos components, in a safer material.  The rest of the work will be undertaken at Beamish and to this end, drawings have been prepared and new contact components manufactured in our own workshops.

Below: The Chromium Zirconium Copper bar has been annealed and the first step is to impart the 90 degree bend at the correct point.

Below: 12 contact fingers with the first 90 degree bends created.  One has had the second bend added too.  They are sat on the drawing for this component that has been created for this work.

Below:  A bending jig/fixture, with a section of bar with the first bend, ready for the second stage of forming the shape.

Below: A marking at 15 degrees (obstructed by the workpiece here) enables the copper to be encouraged around the centre former using a mallet and drift.

Below: Twelve contactors, ready for attachment of the Phosphor Bronze spring pieces.

Other controller components are more readily obtained, but our supplier was not able to provide this type and quantity.  The worth of having the skills to reverse-engineer, draw and manufacture components like this is once again amply demonstrated by this job.

Crosville 716

Below:  The Cub has been a little sickly lately, with repairs to the alternator being required.  This entails a reasonable amount of dismantling, and raiding the supply of spare Cub engine components that we have in stock.  The unfortunate side effect of 716 being out of use (with J2007 awaiting the same space on the workshop floor for new cross-members to be welded into the chassis) is that the operations team has had to hire a modern mini-bus with wheelchair lift – an unsightly reminder of why our WAV fleet is so important and the essential progress we will need to make on restoring the next WAV to ensure continuity of service.  Ben, Mick, Sam and Phill have all been involved in this job, the multidisciplined approach focussed on getting 716 back into service as soon as possible.

Gateshead 10

Below: Shaun has swapped work on level crossing gates for working on tramcar doors, fitting the four doors for Gateshead 10.  These were overhauled/manufactured at the start of the overhaul, around ten years ago, and quite a bit of work to flatten them out was required – achieved by drilling and localised water injection and then weighting/clamping to a flat surface.

Below:  Most of the door fittings were to hand, but as previously outlined on these pages, some items were missing and have had to be replaced with identical components created from ‘spares’.  In addition, some parts seem to have never been fitted, so Shaun has incorporated these as part of this process, including brass running strips and new rollers in the door guides (the boarding ones slide, the exit ones are hinged).  The work carried out by British Rail at York Carriage Works once it became part of BR Stock in 1951 (when operating on the Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway – former Great Central/LNER/BR territory) is perhaps the cause of this interesting stamping on some of the door handles.

Below: Progress is being made on developing a suitable flange lubricator for Gateshead 10, as a trial for a fleet-wide roll-out across the next few years – the aim being to extend tyre life and reduce rail/flange wear.  This requires quite ingenious brackets to be made to fit the bogies/trucks, and on 10, a 3D design has been modelled and printed in order to try out the location and suitability of this equipment, which uses a proprietary design of lubricant and container.  Sam and Mick will continue the experimentation as the consumption rate of the lubricating sticks has been alarmingly high on the limited mileage that 10 has so far accumulated on test.

Below:  The side screens/dog guards (differnt names often used for the same parts!) have been refitted to 10, which is still running-in outside of museum opening hours.

Below: Parts of 10’s brake components were found to be binding, restricting movement of the brake linkage.  This rather brutal photograph shows the first stage in enhancing the clearance to allow the components their full and intended range of movement – the sway/pull bar here being re-profiled to provide this.

Below: There is a lot of painting taking place – Roads 1-4 all have trams in varying stages of work (Road 1 is not seen here, but Newcastle 114 is present there, with paintwork almost complete and awaiting its overhauled controller).  Blackpool 31’s refresh is nearly complete in this view, similarly Gateshead 10’s repaint as part of its comprehensive overhaul.  Lisbon 730 is also subject to cosmetic progress, the yellow panels having been rubbed back, beading gaps filled and it readied for a coat of yellow before the crests are applied.  The fleet has been under some pressure, with the absence of so many of the trams, but progress on their longevity is well-advanced and we can but hope that all of this work (and expenditure) pays off in years to come.

Rotherham 220

Below: This popular bus is back in service, looking and sounding very well and making a welcome return to the operational fleet.

Loose Ends

Below: The Dodge bus (with body by Robsons of Blackhill) has moved across from storage into the back of the tram depot.  This is part of a move to re-energise this project, which it is hoped will make progress now that it is more conveniently located.

Below: The NER brakevan’s guard’s desk has been removed so that it can be restored by volunteer Peter, who has been carrying out a number of tasks on transport restoration projects.

Below: During the recent Leek show, a shuttle bus, with hired-in Darlington No. 26, operated from the events field using a temporary bus stop for alighting/boarding.  This created a bit of extra variety to the bus operation, as it operated along High Street in the outer-circle (clockwise) direction – an unusual route for buses at Beamish these days.

And finally… We end with an image of a privately owned steam roller with a local connection to the museum, and one which will be lodging with us for the foreseeable future.  This roller has a local history, having been supplied new to Tanfield Urban District Council (No.11956, registration UP 237).  It was delivered to Rowlands Gill station in October 1927 and would immediately have been faced with the daunting climb up ‘Busty Bank’ to Burnopfield and its rolling patch beyond this.

Photographs by Phil Doran, Paul Jarman and the Severn Valley Railway