Dumper truck engine work

John (L) and Richard (R) dismantling the dumper trucks engine for its overhual

 

Morning shunting

Not long out the shed, 08915 having its radiator topped up by Adam

Joining the passenger stock in the headshunt

Salmon wagon shunted and stabled at the top of the north headshunt

E43172 stabled in the yard for phase 2 of its overhaul

 

Record from S.Friar of Cramlington Waggonway

A longer read today, we share the words of S Friar, who visited the remains of the Cramlington Waggonway in 1930. Here is his record:

 

J27 out of Percy Main, 1963

How times change!

This 1963 view by Alan Brooks shows a J27 taking empties North past Percy Main shed, the loco and train are standing roughly on the site of our headshunt at Percy Main. The shed itself is now housing.

 

Recent work on 401

Sadly 401 has been out of service for longer than we expected whilst we are waiting for the delivery of some new fusible plugs before the loco can be steam tested and re-enter service. After the locos boiler washout the opportunity was taken to carry out some extra jobs:

401s blowdown valve crank handle - this has had the curve removed and shortened slightly

Ready for welding

Michael cutting a section out of the blowdown valve's operating handle in order to shorten it

Annealing the copper washer which sits in the centre of the blowdown valves gasket

The blowdown valve, crank and handle re-fitted - the crank was originally fitted in a different position and with the addition of the curve in the crank it made it very difficult to operate. As can be seen in the top left the vacuum ejector pipe doesn't allow the handle to be pulled up very far, so the crank could not be operated properly as it was pulling into the body of the blowdown valve instead of going up over and opening. Probably worked ok in its working life when it wasn't vacuum fitted

Blowdown fully open, now much easier and safer to operate

The locker in the cab has received a clean out, needle gun and re-paint, seen here in primer

After undercoating (sadly no photo), it was given two top coats of white gloss

Another minor job, repainting the metal plates on the cab floor (after photo below)

 

Early travels

Today we travel back to February 1981, when the Association was forced to vacate its former home at Monkwearmouth station goods shed. The exhibits, Consett 10, the NER electric parcels van & later Consett A5 were transported to their new home via the Tyne Tunnel!

Once there, a few brief runs occurred on the former Metro test track, which was then lifted. Within a few years the railway was relaid on its present alignment.

Photos courtesy of:
R Swales
N Sinclair
NTSRA

 

08915 with a charter train

08915 has been out in action today, running a private charter to Percy Main and back