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Happy Christmas & New Year 24/12/09
Wishing all our supporters a ver Happy Christmas and New Year. More news updates are on their way early in the New Year.
All sorts of things 26/10/09
Firstly, apologies for the delay in updating the news page this year - things have been very busy, but more regular updates
should now be manageable!
QUALIFICATIONS
The Permanent Way department completed an NVQ level 2 course some months ago, but Saturday 24th Ocotber saw the presentation
of their certificates involving various dignitaries. Are we the first preserved Railway to gain such qualifications? This was
a fantastic achievement, and congratulations go to all those involved.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Diesel Gala in July was very successful, although the star guest, 37 294 did suffer some fuel problems. Some photos
from Matthew Fisher are available HERE.
The 1940s weekend was again a fantastic event with a lot of very dedicated re-enacters who were able to demonstrate many
facets of life to the visiting public, including the boarders from nearby Malsis School who had all dressed up for the
occasion as evacuees.
The Steam Gala, despite running like clockwork, was less successful and calls into question the future of such events. This
was not helped by a lack of available steam engines. The Standard 2, however, behaved beautifully, and really suited the line.
It looked particularly at home hauling the goods train which was the longest we have had in preservation and was a real
credit to those who put so much time and effort into the wagons' restoration.
STEAM LOCOMOTIVES
Monckton has now been withdrawn early for overhaul. When this loco was returned to service it was
doubtful whether the firebox would last the full ten years, and this has been proven. Attempts were made to repair cracks
which appeared, but more cracks then appeared. A new firebox will be required.
Darfield will be staying on the line for another six months. She has performed very well, and is now undergoing some
work which centres on new brasses for the coupling rods as well as attending to the big ends. She will be back in service
for the Santa Trains.
Thomas has bee in service recently following replacement of rivets around the firehole door
and other work. Steaming has long been a problem for this loco, but this has been improved owing to a slightly different
technique.
56XX For the Santa specials this year, 5643 will be visiting. This Great Western 0-6-2, owned by the Furness
Railway Trust is currently based on the Llangollen Railway. It will be visiting until January. Also owned by the Furness
Railway Trust is Austerity Cumbria, which will be coming to Embsay in the New Year.
Work on Beatrice continues steadily. The boiler is now back in the frames, the cladding is back
on, the regulator has been put back in, painting is in full flight now, with the tank brought back to the shed so that it
too can be tackled.
The new tubeplate for No.8 has been completed and the boiler (which came from Harry) is being
readied to receive it.
Primrose also sees work continuing - the frames have been cleaned up and painted, and some of
the pipework has also been tackled. Problems with the chassis have been identified and will need rectifying before much
more work can be carried out.
Illingworth is coming together well at the moment - a new cab is under construction, the
chassis has been re-wheeled (again), and the motion is being put in for the first time. One of the cast brackets had been
broken at some point in the engine's past, and replaced with a fabricated effort, which is not properly aligned. A new cast
bracket is being manufactured at the moment. It would appear that the engine has been on its side at some point... There
still remains a little boilerwork before this too is complete.
No.22 is coming together again and looking good. A new section of running board has been made,
the wheels and frames repainted, having been stripped right back to bare metal. Repairs and new parts have been made and
fitted, to take the play out of various bits and pieces. A new piston rod will be required too following the discovery
that one of them is bent. The new inner firebox has arrived and now awaits fitting.
Very little to report on Annie as much effort has gone in to other locos recently. The new horns
and axleboxes are coming along inbetwee other jobs.
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES
No.38 (the Class 14) won many fans over the Diesel Gala, despite the presence of a Class 37...
It successfully hauled a 5-coach train the full length of the line, and the cooling system seems to be spot on now. However,
it has managed to 'eat' its starter motor, so a replacement is being sought, as well as thought being given to a possible
repair. As these components are unique to this class...
36 is on light duties at Embsay for running in purposes, having made a successful debut at the
Diesel Gala. It will be heading back into the shed shortly for completion of the works carried out so far.
One casualty of the Diesel Gala was 08 773 which slipped a crank during operations. Plans are well advanced for the
rectification of this damage, but space at Embsay is at a premium, so it will have to wait a little longer.
Ruston 887 is in the workshops being repainted.
Fowler H.W.Robinson is now stripped down to the very basic components and is awaiting decisions
on each of the components removed before the rebuild can progress much further. Most of its gearbox problems stemmed from a
collapsed bearing. It is likely that the spare set of wheels will be substituted as their tyres are in much better condition.
Another Wickham Trolley has arrived on site (details shortly) for restoration. It is of a later design and will be used
by Permanent Way and Signal and Telegraph departments once completed.
Meaford has had works completed to return it to traffic, which should have taken place
yesterday.
PERMANENT WAY
The P-Way gang have been tackling drainage issues at Holywell Halt and heading towards Stoneacre. At the end of February and
beginning of March, the Raiwlay will be closed to allow replacement of track components at this location as well as the
regrading of the ballast to allow better run off of the water. This section of trackbed has suffered ever since themain A59
roadbridge was modified and the trackbed had to be lowered.
SIGNAL AND TELEGAPH
The S&Tea department have been busy on various projects over the Summer, all of which have been hit by various operational
and domestic demands, but have seen progress. The bracket signal for Embsay requires craning work to install the straining post
(and the bracket itself). The footings for the straining post are complete. The new groundframe for Bolton Abbey has recently
had the remaining rodding run completed so changeover sould be able to folow shortly. The 'new' part will then be attended to.
The signalboxes at Bolton Abbey have seen plenty of attention (weather depending), with the ex-Guiseley box turning yellower
and redder the we have been accustomed to recently. The repaint has not progressed as quickly as I would have liked, but is
getting there, and it does look much smarter now. The Sleights Sidings East signalbox has had the East end wall rebuilt to
match Bolton Abbey's original, with the locking room door at that end and a small central window. It is now ready for
recladding, and the wood is all to hand. The last couple of weeks have seen focus shift to the wiring with conduit being shaped
to fit. It is now awaiting our electrician. At Embsay, the new backboard for under the signalbox has been laid out, and will
require wiring shortly. This is to enable the new top yard arrangements to be accommodated easily, and a grand swap-over will
hopefully take palce early in the new year. A new location cabinet for the track circuit feed units has been put together too.
CARRIAGE AND WAGON
Carriage and Wagon have been Working on repaints and bogie overhauls, with various wheelsets and frames being swapped about. A lot of vacuum cylinders
have been rebuilt, with more planned. One of the Irish coaches is currently up in the air, revealing that much more work is
required to get them running as there is considerable corrosion to the underframe in a couple of locations. A lot of time
went into preparing the engineers' wagons for the Steam Gala, but the results look great! Tom continues to work hard
rebuilding his boxvan, with new wooden planking now going onto the restored metal frame.
NEW ARRIVALS
A couple of vehicles have arrived on the Railway, with more to follow in the coming months. First up is a 13T conflat wagon, owner
by our C&W manager, which has already been repainted, although it does need replacement oleo buffers before it can run.
It is B503045 of 1958 and was built by the Pressed Steel Co. Ltd. as part of lot no. 3153. (According to its worksplate!)
The next item is the trailer coach for the NER Petrol Electric which arrived from the NYMR
recently. It is sheeted over and restoration will take palce with the Autocar itself. Finally (for the moment) is Pullman
'Balmoral' which Stephen Middleton rescued from Brighton Pullman Works. It has so far taken him eleven years - progress
should be much swifter now! The carriage has been reunited with original bogies, and made its first move on its own wheels
in nearly 100 years in getting to Embsay! Already the headstocks have been replaced and the interior tidied in order to see
what IS there! Framework repairs are due to start in the coming weeks. Stephen already owns much of the original interior...
Older news articles can now be found on the Archived News pages.
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