Upgrades to Middle Engine Lane Lineside Signage

This week, John and Steve have been completing tasks to upgrade the lineside signage in Middle Engine Lane yard. This has included digging holes for new signage posts and upgrading the current state of existing signage from temporary to more permanent fixtures.

Next to No.6 points, Steve digs a post hole to its final depths.

Whilst John, up near the water tower and No. 5 points, concretes a new fence post in place.

Elsewhere in the yard, the 'Stop whistle and proceed' and 'Mike 4' stop boards have been upgraded from plywood to di-bond.

On-Site Maintenance

This weekend there have been a couple of jobs completed that have been outstanding for a few weeks now.

With members of the Youth Group cleaning and tidying the oil store out, Cameron has replaced the rotary hand pumps in the oil drums for lever-action hand pumps, making dispensing oil and paraffin more efficient and less messy.

With a new Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system installed in the Joiners Shop, Michael and John complete the construction of exhaust ductwork to numerous wood working machines.

With the Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP) in service for LEV installation duties, Michael took the time to inspect the Pit Road roller shutter door due to reports of brief periods of faulty operation. No reportable works were required so operational problems ma have been due to the recent cold weather.

Finally, Ben was found in the Guard's Compartment removing the shelving from Elf Express in preparation to set-up the 'Guard's Van Shop' ready for the start of the 2026 running season.

Further developments with the Miniature Railway

More sections of 7 1/4" track have been laid within the last week between Engine House Halt and the level crossing - marking the completion of track laying of this section of the Miniature Railway.

The final track panels down on the initial ballast layer ready for joining together.

Looking back towards the level crossing, things have now been levelled and packed.

Looking back towards Engine House Halt. The cleared area behind the sleeper wall of the coal pile was the disposal area for ash, it has been decided to make this space into a small garden area.

Percy Main Anniversary Head Board

Over the past week Joe has been preparing a new head board to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the closure of 52E Percy Main Shed.

Before fixing the boarder or letters down, they were put in place loose to assess spacing.

Joe begins priming the lettering, having already primed the backing board.

Joe since filled and sanded back the letters, numbers and boarder, Cameron applies the final coat of primer before blue spray paint will be applied.

Elsewhere in the workshop, Aaran has been fabricating a bracket for the anniversary headboard. Above he is seen forming the bracket shape to fit over a standard lamp bracket for our steam locomotives, and below, drilling some holes for fixing to the anniversary headboard.

The finished article, ready to be placed on the locomotive for our Half-Term running day.

Middle Engine Lane platform fence update

Davey has migrated into the joiner's shop to continue with the priming of the replacement fence panels.

Set up using one of the workbenches, and with a lot more space, Davey can prime more panels at once. Speeding up the process.

Middle Engine Lane platform fence replacement

After years of battling the elements, the diagonal lats of the platform fence at Middle Engine Lane are scheduled to be replaced.

 Davey has stepped up to the task of priming and painting all the new lats to replace the existing life expired ones.

Miniature Railway station construction

More construction activity has been taking place at the main station site. After a bit of levelling, the platform is now in place and the adjacent picnic area has been levelled a bit more in preparation for grass seeding in the warmer months.

Some spot re-sleeping works are required to some of the track panels leading out of the station.

Matt cuts the ends of a small track panel to create a filler section leading out of the station.

Next step is ballasting the laid track panels, keeping them in a permanent position.

Metro sign installation

Richard has been in the museum today installing a donated Metro sign.

 Having wired the sign into the existing electrics, the sign will be able to be illuminated as it once did when used by Nexus.

Woodland Walk lodge roof completion

Joiner John has been completing the installation of roof shingles to the lodge at the bottom of the Woodland Walk.

 The next task is to paint the external facade in a two tone colour pattern of cream and grass green.

Woodland Walk Quayside art installation wall construction

James, Michael and Cameron have been down the Woodland Walk this week completing the construction of a small boundary wall which will serve part of a Quayside art installation.

James places the concrete into the foundation trench.

Michael shovels the sand into a wheelbarrow to transport to James who mixed it with cement to produce concrete.

After a few days waiting for the concrete to dry, the laying of the concrete blocks can begin. James mixes sand with cement to produce the correct mortar mix.

All complete! A decorative railing will be installed on top of the wall with visitors being able to look out onto the Quayside.

Woodland Walk concreting works

Last week James was busy constructing the foundation for a new wall down the Woodland Walk.

The wall will form part of a display to recreate the scene from the Quayside from years gone by.

 With the trench for the wall foundation dug, James placed reinforcing rebar mesh suspended to provide extra rigidity and support for the wall in the damp conditions of the soil.

James uses the Belle mixer to knock up a concrete mix. Here he is shovelling the mixture into a wheel barrow to be transported to the trench.

The first batch of concrete tipped into the trench, having been levelled and smoothed. Just repeat until the entire foundation is poured.

Laying of the ash sub base to the Miniature Railway

A small group of volunteers started on laying the ash sub base for the main station area. With the combined effort this task has been ticked off the job list!

Adam operates the vibrating roller to compact the ash sub base down to form a solid level foundational base.

The finished sub surface with the platform path to the left and track bed to the right.

Soon work will start on digging the traverser pit - its outline marked out by the pins and yellow caps.

Numerous sections of track loosely laid alongside some paving flags to denote the position of the track and platform, respectively.

Miniature Railway groundworks continue

Some more groundwork has been carried out today on the main station area with the last of the old terram membrane being removed and separation of the old bark covering saved for use down in the Woodland Walk.

Removal of the last few mounds of bark and top soil.

Marking of the definitive boundary between the Miniature Railway and the picnic area.

A bonus find was several flagstones buried not far below the surface being excavated. These reclaimed flagstones will be incorporated into the new platform at the entrance to the site.

At the end of the day, Tom washes down the bucket of the excavator before parking in storage ready to be used again.

Remaining phases of the Miniature Railway begin

 Another successful day of preparations and initial groundworks for the remaining phases of the North Tyneside Light Railway.

Two fo the volunteers started to make progress in marking out, excavating and laying the track up to the eventual crossing location.

The laid track being aligned with the previously laid track adjacent to the coal pile to ensure both sides will line up correctly.

Tom operating the excavator to move ash out of the path of the propose railway.

Excavation works then moved onto the picnic area to the entrance to the site. The new main station will sit in this location, the existing ground is being levelled to enable station and railway constreuction.

Water runs for 401s drain cocks

A little background project which has been gradually worked on...these are water runs designed to fit under 401s cylinder drain cocks and direct excess water into the pit instead of all over the workshop floor

Placed quite nicely under 401s drain cocks and doing a perfect job