Waggonway Tearoom Update

Volunteers Jean and Rob have been applying the first coat of green paint to the dado railing which goes around the room as well as painting the walls cream 

Jean painting the next doorway

Rob continues to paint the dado railing

Museum Entrance Refurbishment

Volunteer Rob halfway through applying primer paint to the dado rail around the wall of the museum entrance/Waggonway Tearoom eating area

Brake Van Update

Investigation took place into another rotten section on the brake van

Rotten stanchions are due to be repaired with a replacement piece in due course

Throwback Thursday #25

September 1977, Kitson & Co A.No.5, or at this time N.C.B No.41, being unloaded at Monkwearmouth Goods Yard with Consett Iron Company No.10 in the background with BR Blue Livery & Wasp Stripes. Both of these locomotives are now operational at the North Tyneside Steam Railway

More Brake Van Work

Today's work on the brake van has involved removing more pieces of rotten wood from around the ducket and trial fitting new pieces

Fitting the new mahogany piece

The ducket re-fitted with new sealant to prevent any water ingress

Brake Van Update

 Some more work has been carried out on the brake van today, involving removing another piece of rotten wood and replacing the section with a new piece

Chiselling out the rotten piece

John making the new piece to be spliced in

Happy John when the new piece fits!

Waggonway Tea Room - Progress Report

Volunteers Jean and Rob have been doing an incredible job the past few weeks, completely transforming the cafe into the Waggonway Tea Room. The kitchen has been deep cleaned, re-structured and redecorated with the entrance and toilet facilities undergoing the same treatment. 

The entrance is being refurbished into a more heritage, 1930-1950s railway theme with cladding and dado rail. The colours will be cream and green with a large selection of railway pictures going up on the walls for atmosphere and customer/museum visitor interest. 

The cladding around the walls is halfway complete and should be finished in the next few days, followed by painting. 

Dado Rail is nearly complete all the way around the room

Today at NTSR & A.No.5 History Lesson

Some lovely photos, taken by Alison Maw, of Kitson & Co Long Boiler Side Tank, A.No.5, in service today

A.No.5 was built by Kitson & Co in 1883, designed for the Consett Iron & Steel Company. The locomotive finished her working life at Derwenthaugh Coke Works in 1972 and then moved to Beamish Museum and then later to Monkwearmouth Station Museum, their association became the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association at a later date, which was when A.No.5 moved to Middle Engine Lane and they began the overhaul

She returned to steam in 1986 for the first time in preservation, the locomotive underwent another overhaul in the mid-1990s before being retired (again) in 2006. Throughout the loco's preservation life at NTSR she has mainly been a standby locomotive. In late 2013 A.No.5 was called upon yet again after the failure of our Peckett, Ashington No.5

 A.No.5 came out of retirement in early 2014 after a short overhaul and has been in operation ever since, proving to still be very reliable at 134 years old!

Trainee Fireman Robert Kitching uncoupling A.No.5 from the coaching stock at Middle Engine Lane

One of the downfalls to A.No.5 is the locos limited coal and water capacity. Today's crew, Driver Michael Wortley, Fireman Richard Russell and Cleaner Robert Kitching, spent most of their lunch break filling the engines bunker full of coal for the next two trips

Brake Van News

John and Michael have also carried out an inspection of the brake van, which is now in the workshop for cosmetic overhaul, into a leak which had been reported around the West Side Ducket 

John beginning the removal process

Inspection indicated that the sealant has failed as well as the wood has began to rot

Work is now beginning to replace and reseal

Lineside Inspection and Foliage Cutting

A routine track inspection and trimming of lineside foliage was carried out by John and Michael today to maintain a suitable clearance for safe running of trains

John cutting back foliage

A.No.5 Update

Steam lubricator on top of the smokebox fitted with a temporary drain valve

Worn packing from the old drain valve which wasn't working properly

More Decorating

Rob continuing his work on installing wood panelling around the room

The floor of the cafe area after a deep clean by Jean, awaiting decorating

Decorating The Tea Room

Rob starts installing wooden panels around the Tea Room area 

Further Teak Removal

Loading up the storage rack with teak

To be removed

Michael collecting parts for storage

Upcoming Events

Janet filling out the chalkboard in the cafe area with upcoming events at the Museum

Teak Removal

The lads have been busy today removing all pieces of teak wood from our Gresley Pigeon van and putting in storage in the Carriage & Wagon workshop

New storage rack

John carrying a large plank of teak wood

Busy Day at NTSR

A lot of people came out today for free train rides, part of the Heritage Open Days event

A.No.5 & D2078 top & tailing 3 carriages

A.No.5 powering out of Percy Main

Bombing up the line

Bait & Branch Cutting

Driver & Chef Tom

Collecting overgrown lineside vegetation on the salmon wagon

A.No.5 on the mainline with the salmon wago

Dumper Truck Update

Steering column and flooring fitted

Different angle showing the painted steering column