Busy day in the workshop

Last Saturday, the workshop was a hive of activity with volunteers completing jobs on a variety of ongoing projects.

Michael squeezes into the smokebox of the Peckett Ashington No.5 to fit and tighten up the smokebox washout plugs in preparation for the hydraulic test in the near future.

Bob begins boxing up the boiler for Sentinel 9559 in preparation for a preliminary hydraulic test to test for any water leaks before removal of the inner boiler sleeve to inspect the boiler tubes.

Robert continues with applying the second coat of red oxide primer to the cab of Sentinel 9559 - with paint application planned within the coming weeks.

Steve is seen going through the arduous process of deconstructing the superheater boiler flanges in readiness to be inspected.

Davey continues with priming the new fence panels for Middle Engine Lane platform. 371 panels to go!

Delivery of No.29 and No.60

Today, the two visiting locomotives for our upcoming Lambton Steam Gala, No.29 and No.60, have been delivered to the railway by Reid Freight Services.

No.29, from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, was the first to arrive and is seen here as the wagon lines up with the loading spur.

After unloading, 29 was moved to the (north) crossover, where it joined A.No.5. Both locomotives were built by Kitson & Co. of Leeds, with A.No.5 being completed in 1883 and 29 in 1904.

29 and A.No.5 sat with Hudswell Clarke 'Illingworth' on the crossover.

After dropping off No.29, the wagon went to the Aln Valley Railway's Lionheart site to collect No.60. 60 will be the fifth product of Leeds locomotive building on site for the gala weekend, joining fellow Hunslet austerity No.69, Hudswell Clarke 1208 and Kitsons A.No.5 and 29.

After unloading 60, 08915 moved the visitors into the running shed.

1940's Weekend Prep

Hessian sacks being filled with ash to be used as sand bags for decorating the site.

Katie making up sand bags.

In position on the platform at Middle Engine Lane.

Leeds-built locos:

08915 hauls Kitson A.No.5 of 1883 and Hudswell Clarke 'Illingworth' of 1916 out of the running shed during a shunt to re-arrange the museum prior to the event.

'Unexploded bomb' display outside the museum built by Rob.

NCB 41

Thanks to Gordon Edgar, we can bring you these two brilliant photos of NCB 41 or Consett A5 out of use at Derwenthaugh and awaiting preservation.

She is now awaiting substantial boiler work and carrying her Consett Iron Co livery, but would you like to see her in this livery again?

 

Shunting

Trainee driver David at the controls of 03078

A.No.5 and Meaford No.1 hauled out of the museum to make room for the AGM

 

J27 and A5 in 1989

Although A5 won't be in steam when the J27 comes to visit. This time our resident Bagnall 401 will be providing some company.

Who is hoping to join us on the 9th, 10th & 11th of July?

Photos:

Roger Darsley

 

Early photo of A5

Consett A5, or as it was then known NCB 41, is seen here sporting its early NCB livery.

Photo:

Richard Swales

 

A5s plug and doors cleaning

Volunteers got round to removing all the washout plugs and mud-hole doors from A.No.5 yesterday

They have been cleaned up and put into storage

Painting

Following on from last nights polishing, Michael and Steve gave A.No.5s running board a coat of gloss black to freshen it up a bit

Polishing A.No.5 & No.1

A.No.5 and Meaford No.1 receiving a bit of polishing by volunteers Michael and Steve this evening

A.No.5 Deep Clean

A.No.5 was dragged out of the museum today for a good clean and polish

Volunteers set to work

The smokebox and its components were pressure washed to get rid of scale and carbon build up as well as the firebox and asphan and the bunker was cleared out of remaining coal...

All uptop brasswork polished, water tanks, running board, buffer beams and cab polished, and the bottom end (wheels, frames, rods) cleaned with paraffin and dry wiped

Front buffers quartered and smokebox metal work polished too

Shunting back into the museum

Once back inside the last job today was to polish all the cabs brass & bright-work

Stabled back in the museum. From tomorrow the Stephenson Railway Museum is open everyday for the summer holidays from 11am. 

North Tyneside Steel Band Practice

The North Tyneside Steel Band practising in the museum last night

Band members grand attempt at drawing A.No.5

Shunting

The first job of today's big shunt, moving E4 up beside Billy

Moving the dogfish and crane over onto the crossover

A5 put in the museum

Coming into the museum to pick up the 03 after the parcel van and No.1 shunted out of the museum

Dragging out 03078 out the Carriage Shop...

...and then propelling it into the running shed

Under the extractor fan, starting up

Brake Van shunted back into the Carriage & Wagon Shop for its North-end overhaul

03078 idling under the hood and 08915 exiting the museum

The view from No.1, being shunted back into the museum

Parcel van and RSH No.1 back in the museum

Picking up the dogfish and crane from the crossover

After stabling the crane back on the hardstand outside the museum, 08915 picks up 401 which was stabled on the back of A5

Michael getting coal with the tractor...

...and coaling up 401 ready for the weekend

Stopped for a quick photo of 03078 and 08915 alongside each other whilst giving the 03 a run up and down the yard