|
Volume No. 8 Summer Issue 2001
SUMMER PROGRESS
Despite variable weather we have made remarkable progress since the last issue of Signal in February 2001.
The loading bridge for the lower end of the rack railway has been finished, painted and transported by the museum lorry to the bottom of the slope. Here it has been set on pillars and concreted into position. With a 10ft length of portable rail this will allow easy off loading of rack loco,s .Jim Duncan , Lloyd Lewis and others have re-aligned the track , and John moore is well on with points to give access to the lower carriage shed.
The Loading Bridge
The Rackrail is now complete reaching up to the area behind the group workshop and the entry section has just been fitted. . Ballast for the rack rail and the upper circuit have been generously donated by the museum. The tipping wagon made by Mike Lechenby has been extremely useful in the ballasting. The bridge over the rack -railway is the high point and levelling by John Lambard has shown a remarkable fall in the level if the main embankment beyond the Bridge in the region of 10-12inches . We have not attempted to ballast to this level but have produced a slope of 1:200 to 1:230.
The Station is the area in front of the group workshop. Two parallel lines under the cover of a canopy will provide both a station area and carriage store. The railway line required for this is under construction
Point manufacture by John Moore continues at a remarkable pace. The points off the mainline are of welded construction. There has been considerable discussion about the methods of control and activation of points. Both electro-mechanical and compressed air systems have been proposed. Our site with its mixture of Rack railway, and adhesion track is unique and while rack engines on the adhesion track are welcome there has to be no chance of a visiting “Wren” finding itself on a 1 in 10 descent. ( Or at least not before I have time to get in position with a camera!)
The adhesion track Head shunt has always been too short to take a loco with a full rake of carriages. The chief Engineer has recently proposed that the two remaining RSGs from British Steel (as was) should be used to construction a short (20ft) extension Bridge at the Head shunt. This should be a popular site to work given a steep slope, nettles and the prevailing odour of a medieval midden. Older members will be reminded of the time the museum purchased hardcore from a filtration bed.
With completion of the re-ballasting of the adhesion circuit, a level crossing has been started . This has involved a girder re-inforced concrete base for the line sufficiently heavy to allow a JCB to cross to allow servicing of the Archive Building or the supply of materials.. We are aiming for a traditional type double gate level crossing with a foor gate at on side.
Large Exhibits Building
A large hole appeared in the field beyond the bottom end of the Rack-railway. This was the first sign of the large exhibits building funded by which will house a number of large machines and locomotives from around Tyne and Wear. A 140 ton Doxford Engine has just appeared and will be a magnficent exhibit when displayed section and in motion. ( Electric motor and no piston rings). The main steel frame has now been completed and the roof is being constructed.
The Large Exhibits building, a joint venture of Beamish and Tyne and Wear Museums
Visitations
(1) CARLISLE. Our annual outing to Carlisle was a great success. Fine weather and hospitality were combined. “Rocket” and “Wren” were both steamed. The new paint job on Wren by Andrew Clarke of Cambridge was widely admired. As previously very little lubricator oil was used, later traced to a blocked check valve. The partly built 6 coupled Koppel of David xxxxxxx was greatly admired. Robin Hedley demonstrated that balancing on a raised track while attempting look over the drivers shoulder should only be attempted by experts!
(2) CAMBRIDGE The Cambridge meeting has been a centre for Ken Swan design enthusiasts for many years. This year was no exception, with Koppell and three Wrens on show as well as Peter Clarks recently completed Bridget named “Myjen”. This beautifully constructed engine was set off by meticulous two tone paint and lining. Ken was seen in silent admiration, (or was he counting rivets?). As a Bridget builder myself I flelt humbled and resolved to do better in future. The Wren’s repaired lubricator managed to empty the reservoir twice in the afternoon covering the engine and drivers with cylinder oil.
(3) SINDERBARROW. This year we took Koppel, Wren , and Rocket to Sinderbarrow . As a first time visitor I was very impressed by the excellent engineering of the raised steaming bays , and the excellent organisation of a very busy event. The sheer comfort of the club house sets a newstandard for us. There was also considerable interest in the pneumatic actuation of the points as a possible system for BMEG. The length of track was an experience we all enjoyed. Members of Sinderbarrow clearly have the measure of Ken Swan’s sense of humour in that they persuaded him to drive his loco directly onto the steaming bay and then left him there 4 ft in the air with no means of getting down!
Quote
After an afternoon ballasting I was reminded of the following quotation, “ If work was so great the rich would have reserved more of it for themselves.”
Visitors to Beamish Museum
We get a suprising number of visitors to the BMEG site during the course of the week who are mainly visiting the museum but also have heard of the model engineering group. They are very welcome, they will usually find members on site Tuesday and Thursday afternoon( mainly retired members ) and Saturday morning and afternoon.
The most recent visitor was Frank Lloyd from Medowie, Australia, a member of the Lake MacQuarie Min. Live Steamers, New South Wales. Despite a minor gauge incompatiblity, (Frank is building a 5” gauge King), he was shown round by Ken and appreciated what had been achieved. He was also able to see the 140 ton Doxford Engine being installed on the adjacent site prior to building the large exhibits centre.
Friends Evening Sat.Oct 13th
We are delighted that after a gap of one year the will be an opportunity to show what we have been doing to the Friends and museum. The adhesion track and the Rack rail are almost complete, and it should be possible to have locomotives in steam on both tracks.
.
|
