BMEG

       Volume No.15 Winter Issue        2006

D0RIS SWAN           

The death of Doris after a long illness was a cause of sorrow to all who knew her. Her family have our condolences and best wishes. This has been a tough period for her husband Ken and we hope that with time he will be able to look back without pain to the good times which are part of every successful union.       

Doris was the wife of a model engineer. She knew that when she accepted him. As well as bringing up four children and running a household she took an active part in the model engineering business which developed. Doris kept the books straight arranged deliveries and filled in all the gaps. The fact that much of her house was taken over by workshops, drawing office and storage in the loft did not prevent Doris welcoming innumerable visitors with tea and toleration of their enthusiasms.

Doris took an active part in the open days held in the early years of BMEG, catering in the days before we had a club house, let alone a kitchen. No one was hungry while Doris was around.  She will be greatly missed by family and friends.  

A SEMI-PUBLIC HEAD SHUNT

The limited size of our site requires a head shunt to complete a circuit. The extension of this by a bridge means that this part of the site is readily seen by visitors to the museum. Particularly those with young children are full of interest, and are not aware of our existence. To get over this Jimmy Mountjoy has used his sign writing skills to produce a very stylish sign.

Head shunt sign by J. Mountjoy.

KITCHEN EXTENSION

            This is now is fully functional. The provision of comfy armchairs donated by a local educational establishment makes it more difficult to face the wind and rain after lunch.

 Jim Duncan/Mountjoy have provided a number of historic photographs of industrial locomotives and a collection of books gives mental stimulation. Old copies of "Model Engineer" "Railway Express" and other periodicals are beginning to accumulate and compete for table space with Kens' parts for the yet to be erected Station Gate. The gate will complete the series of fences at the entrance to Coghill. This gate will require a whole edition of the newsletter to do it justice, enough to say that we expect coach parties of visitors.

 Diagonal and Tulip topped fencing at Coghill station.

            The increased space allows us to provide hospitality to visitors. Lunch and tea (courtesy of Matt.Copeman) are times of reminiscence, often on mechanical topics or past working practices now largely illegal.  Reputations are brought out and burnished or destroyed as appropriate.

                THE FELLING SEAT

            This station seat was provided by the museum for which we are very grateful. Over 12 feet long it is considerably more comfortable than the metal horrors found on today's mainline stations. The cast iron station sign is of historic interest but  

Felling sign and replacement also windows for water tower.

We decided to replace it with "Coghill" using the original sign as a pattern, (filling the letters in the mould with sand got rid of the original letters very neatly). A broken cast iron leg was mended by Peter Federoff, and rotten woodwork has been replaced.

            A platform has been made from granite sets donated by the Museum. They are extremely heavy and our vans' springs took a hammering.  This was surprisingly hard work and increased our respect for those who laid them originally. We had to remove one tree to make room. It is worth noting that all the trees were planted by Jin Duncan shortly after our arrival and that the tree visible behind the seat is approximately 12 years old.

The Felling seat after repair

THE WATER TOWER

This structure near the engine shed is intended to provide a water point for engines steaming close to the engine shed.

Water tower project drawing by Jimmy Mountjoy

The project stems from the antique water tank which Jim Rees found for us after that the project.

VISITORS

We have been pleased to have a further visit from the Doxford group when we entertained to 40 odd people with Koppel on the Cog Railway and Wren on the adhesion section.

            We also had our annual  visit by a group of rail enthusiasts from "Inside Track".As usual the cog railway was the centre of interest, with the less intrepid catered for by Wren. The group also visited the 1825 railway and Tanfield.

 In addition we had a visit by a group from the south lead by Simon Mortimer whose aim was to run on every piece of seven and one quarter track in the UK.  

THE GREEN SHED

            The green shed behind the Felling seat has been a feature of our site since our arrival in 1992. Originally we believe this shed was part of the entrance complex to the Beamish Museum sited at the bottom of the hill near what is now the dress making department. 

Ken Swan Archive (about 1993). The portakabin on the right was our first club hut. Now long gone.

 At that time it was used as a cafe. It was then moved up the Hill to the Foulbridge area and served as an annex for the site woodworkers. With the development of the new workshops and replacement of the old joiners shop by a car park we have been allowed to extend into this area.

            We need to thank Ralph for helping us to clear the wood and other furniture from the space which is dry and draughtproof. Insulation and a plaster ceiling have been installed. Robin Hedley and the museum staff have installed single phase cabling. Bill Crackitt is building steps up to the side door.  Our intention is to use the shed for light engineering, sandblasting, painting and erection of models (strictly 7¼ inch). Anyone with a spare Myford lathe should get in touch. Plans are being prepared by the chief engineer for connection to the rail network. This may involve a trestle bridge as well as diamond crossing.

The green shed siding sweeps past the kitchen extension

Finally, thanks to David Wear and Jim Pattison of the estates department for materials and encouragement

New Members Tom Curry was associated with the group at the beginning and has now found time to take an active part. For some years he has been building a standard Koppel and has recently brought in a series of beautifully machined parts for us to admire. It is a pity therefore that so far he has mainly been digging trenches. His expertise in fibre optics must have some use on a steam railway?

KrisMcDermott our youngest member is learning engineering the classical way, with Jim Duncan as mentor and the rest of us telling him three alternative methods. Kris is making model cannon as his first project in between serving as general dogsbody. He is frighteningly knowledgeable about gauge 00 and computers.A bright future is predicted.

Ian Spencer hardly counts since he has supported us from the beginning. Now that he is retired and able to take an active role we look forward to his first 7¼ gauge loco. Since he is also a fully trained club secretary it only remains to find him an appropriate executive role.

Haven't we come a long way!

Dolomite by the ton.

            An early stage of erection of the workshop, some will remember arriving one Saturday to find the wind had moved the whole thing a couple of feet.

            Arthur was responsible for the brick cladding and the slates.

            The wooden walls had been used for training apprentices, and we made the roof trusses. Notice the now demolished cottages beyond.

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            The workshop at present

Ken Challoner, not our oldest member has seen it all, and painted much of it. He is also our chief boiler inspector. The absence of humps from the track is largely Ken's doing.

A happy Christmas and new year to BMEG and all our friends and supporters.