Miniature Railway main entrance station ground levelling

Last week, the contents of the 40 foot container were emptied and transported to an off-site storage area in preparation for the removal of the wooden floor and uplift of the container so that works on continuing to lay the track can progress.

  The contents of the container boxed up prior to loading into the Luton Van for transport off-site.

With the contents away, the floor could be attacked with a myriad of power tools - which put up a greater fight than what was first expected.

Then, Paul (left) and Tom (right) in the dumper and excavator respectively, transported excavated earth from the platform area to a designated storage area for use on other projects at the railway.

This method worked splendid! Now the area for the station platform and traverser are at the required depth and level. Next job is to complete filling works with ash and ballast to create a solid foundation layer for track and traverser laying and construction.

LNER wagon plate pair cosmetic restoration

The North Tyneside Steam Railway Association were kindly donated a series of wagon plates by a member of the public at the Model Railway Weekend last year with permission to sell within the guards van shop to raise funds for the Association and its projects.

The pair of surviving wagon plates, especially rare for LNER were; shotblasted, primed, painted and varnished by Cameron of the past week.

The final layer of spray gloss varnish tops of the contrasting numbering and lettering of the historic wagon plates.

NTSRA Tank Wagon signwriting complete

Norman has completed the signwriting on the East side of the NTSRA's oil tank wagon.

Next is to complete the signwriting for the West side and a few touch ups to the paint on the frames before it can be operated as part of the demonstration freight train.

Sentinel 9559 receives primer

Robert has began priming the frame of the Sentinel, as well as sections of the old and new running boards.

Robert applies primer the the support angle and bracket for the front section of the running board on the Driver's side of the locomotive.

The front section completed.

When cleaning up the external side of the front section of frames, Robert discovered some numbering and lettering potentially indicating the size of bolt and/or rivet hole diameters.

In the paint shop, the two existing sections of running board - for both the Driver's and Fireman's side receive a coat of red oxide primer.

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.

NTSRA tank wagon signwriting

 Norman has completed the marking out of the "SHELL" and "BP" wording and the star symbol on the East side of the Association's tank wagon.

Paint for the signwriting has recently been purchased so Norman will start in the near future with this.

Removal of sandboxes and handbrake from Sentinel 9559

 Aaran and Michael have been busy in the workshop continuing on removing components from the frames of Sentinel 9559, today was the focused on the handbrake and sandboxes.

The front driver's side sand box removed from the frames.

After removing one of the split pins and the die block from the handbrake Aaran appears from under the locomotive as Michael unwinds the handbrake out from the handbrake post.

The view of the brake rigging that was once connected to the handbrake.

Light at the end of the tunnel for Consett No.10

 The installation of new wiring in Consett No.10 is closing in on completion. Today Nev, Paul and Neil were testing the cabling which supplies power to the front headlight, rear light and master switch.

With the cab light switched on, it confirms that power is being supplied. On the right, the red light on the master switch glows, indicating that the locomotive is ready to be started.

Tank wagon signwriting

 

With Norman making blistering progress on painting The North Tyneside Steam Railway Association's tank wagon he has since began taping the outline of the 'SHELL' wording - previously testing the positioning and height measuring in a previous post.

Peckett Ashington No.5 brass bush making

George is in the process of making new small-end bushes for connecting rods for Ashington No.5. Above he can be seen turning the outside diameter of the bush to within a couple of thousands of an inch of the existing.

Similar to that of the existing, he marks the position for 3 holes to be drilled to enable oil to flow into the push to provide lubrication whilst the locomotive is in motion. He does this be positioning the jaws of the chuck parallel with the tool and inscribes a mark at 120 degree intervals.

One of the new small-end bushes that has been test fitted onto one of the small-end pins - with the existing sat to the right.

Miniature Railway track fabrication

 Steve and Alan have began the fabrication of the section of track for the miniature railway that will serve as the crossing over the pedestrian footpath that leads to the platform at Middle Engine Lane.

    Measuring and squaring the first of the sleepers.

The hand sketch showing a section through the track that will be placed below ground level enabling the miniature engines to cross the pedestrian footpath without creating a trip hazard for visitors.

Work begins and continues on Sentinel W/No.9559

Before the New Year, Aaran and Robert began the process of removing nuts and bolts from Sentinel W/No.9559 frames in preparation for the removal of the bonnet and tank cover, bunker, cab and roof.

Aaran hammering a chisel underneath the rear of the cab to free it from the running board.

Robert cuts the head off one of the bolts holding the down the rear of the cab to the rear buffer beam to enable the rear of the cab and bunker to be lifted off.

Now in the present, and with the Sentinel moved into the workshop, work continued to remove the superheater from the boiler to enable inspection of the boiler tubes and inside of the boiler.

Michael (L) and Robert (R) guiding an lifting the superheater and chimney from inside the boiler.

Michael reaching into the inside of the boiler to remove remains of debris that have sat in their for a few years.

Ex-boilersmith Bob carrying out his preliminary inspection of the boiler. Here he is seen reaching into the boiler to get a closer look to inspect the boiler tubes.

Robert in the process of removing a split pin from the foot operated pedal which is situated on the cab floor.

The front section of the cab sat in the workshop in the process of being fully needle gunned before priming, painting and fitting back on the locomotive.

Michael marks the cut outs required for the new running board plate for the driver's side of the cab. The only section was wasted in places and no longer sat flush with the cab floor.

Marks made for cutting out to fit around the buffer beam, reverser quadrant and reverser.

Robert applies the first coat of red oxide primer to the running board angle.