Wednesday 30 November 2016

Late Night Shunt

The NER Parcel Van being shunted out of the museum

08915 was started up for the first time in three months, having been sat in the C&W workshop getting a beauty treatment

Consett No.10 is propelled into the C&W workshop for storage

08915 proudly sporting her new BR Blue livery, a big well done and thank you to Norman Swindle and Keith McNally for their efforts!

Wednesday Jobs

Fitters have been at work today removing the LHS Connecting Rod from Bagnall 401. Slowly getting there!




Tuesday 29 November 2016

More Christmas Prep

Christmas presents arriving, these are loaded onto the train and given to the children as Santa walks through the train 

08915 almost complete and ready for the weekend

Anthony begins cleaning A.No.5

On goes some tinsel on the handrails and polish on the tanks

A.No.5 after being decorated with tinsel and with Anthony still hard at work polishing the locomotive 

Festoon lighting around the cabin

Festoon lighting and plastic icicles around the museum entrance 

Monday 28 November 2016

Museum Lighting & Audio

As well as the regular Christmas decorations, Steve and Richard have been busy tonight adding the finishing touches by placing 12 LED lamps around the museum, lighting the place up in a small variation of different colours


As well as lamps, two big speakers are placed in separate locations in the museum




Sunday 27 November 2016

Brick Arch Installation

Richard and Michael mixing cement


Michael then pours the mix into the brick arch former inside the firebox of Ashington No.5

The winning team, from Left to Right, Steve, Michael D, Richard and Michael W

New Speakers


Richard drilling a hole for the speaker bracket

One of the newly installed speakers's in the canteen area

Saturday 26 November 2016

Saturday Jobs

Today consisted of the removal of the RHS Connecting Rod, by splitting the Crosshead and pulling the Big End bearing off allowing the rod to be lowered and slid out of the crosshead. 





Thursday 24 November 2016

Festoon Lighting

Festoon lighting going up around the museum

An aerial view of the yard utilising the vertical scissor lift platform 


Richard fitting festoon lighting around the office

Whilst Michael was busy fitting the bulbs for the platform set of lighting


Richard installing cable trunking

Saturday 19 November 2016

A Cosmetic Update!

Steve begins work on sanding down and repainting components of 401s reverser, in this picture the bracket that keeps the cylinder cocks handle in place is being removed

The handle of the reverser level is now completely sanded down as is the reversers trigger. The locking mechanism is also sanded down and ready for painting 

The latest on 08915, after Norman and Keith have been working around the clock in order to get the locomotive ready for the Santa Specials


Progress on the LHS panels of 08915 

Thursday 17 November 2016

Late Night Hydraulic Test

Richard blanking off Ashington No.5s whistle   
The boiler was tested at 90psi and passed successfully 



Wednesday 16 November 2016

Wednesday Jobs

The Christmas decorations begin to go up in the Stephenson Railway Museum! 

Ashington No.5s boiler is filled up in preparation for a hydraulic test

Kevin gives the coaches a good clean in readiness for a busy Santa Special season

Steve removes the whistle and dome cover from Ashington No.5 in order to get the air line in for an air over water hydraulic test

Saturday 12 November 2016

Saturday Jobs


Cleaners Joe (L) and Anthony (R) get to work cleaning up the side rods and eccentric rods previously removed from 401

The RHS Eccentric Rod and Expansion Link are finally separated after a tapered pin decided to put up quite the fight! 

The LHS Connecting Rod Big End is blocked up to relieve the pressure on the Journal after the Big End was loosened in preparation for removal 

Work begins on splitting the Crosshead

Richard practising gas welding