NGRM - The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum

Working Party at North Ings 19 November 2008

Chris White, Dale and Tom were working on INDIAN RUNNER again.
Various small but tricky tasks were undertaken and the contents of the cab and tool box were sorted, the good parts being saved and the scrap and rubbish thrown out.
New straps were fitted to secure the fuel tank.
The radiator front grill was fixed in position with four bolts.
Corner bolts on the radiator top were adjusted so that a full set of fixings is now in place.
The new oil presure gauge was fitted with some new pipework although final fixing awaits suitable nuts and bolts.
The lower side panels were removed and a start made on cleaning the engine and surrounds.
The off side panel was re-fitted using new UNC bolts but the drivers side panel could not be re-fitted as the old bolts had been sawn off and the remains left in the tapped holes. These will needed to be carefully drilled out to leave the tappings.
A countersunk bolt was fitted to secure an upright on one side of the radiator.
Careful measurements were taken for the provision of a replacement air input filter which is now on order.
New and refurbished clips are on order for the side panels and new springs for these are now to hand.

This was the final working party of 2008 on this loco and work will resume in Spring 2009. Thanks to all at North Ings and those who have worked on the project so far.

Museum Working Party 1st November 2008

A very good turnout, with several people joining in at the end of Tracksiders week. Present: Phil Sayers, Don Newing, Ray Brooks, Keith Theobald, Richard Evans, Sue Whitehouse, Ian Evans, Paul and Sam Lolley, Andy Lawton, and Michael Biggins.

The weather was fine and sunny (but cold!), which allowed the Corris mail waggon to be moved outside of the gunpowder store building for further painting, while work continued inside on cleaning up the hidden parts of the Avery weighing machine. One wheel had seized on its axle, and the complete assembly was removed and taken up to Pendre works by Keith, freed off, returned and reassembled, and a further coat of undercoat applied. Sue rubbed down and applied primer to the cast iron letters on the sign outside the station. Routine cleaning of the larger exhibits in the museum continued, and further inroads were made in the wire brushing of the assorted cast iron objects in the store.

The next working party will be on Saturday 6th December. All welcome, even if you just turn up on the day, although it would help if you could give advance notice to curator@ngrm.org.uk .

Working Party at North Ings 29 October 2008

Chris White, Mark, Dale and Stuart were in attendance. It was a sunny day although the temperature was below 5 degrees C. Motor rail MR8826/43 "Penelope" was started after lunch and the coolant topped up with anti-freeze. This loco then drew Ruston No. 200744 of 1940 "Indian Runner" out of the shed and a considerable amount of work was undertaken to complete the re-build of the front end. This included the refurbished coolant head tank, formerly on TR No 5 "Midlander", new replacement and refurbished platework and steel angle parts and numerous nuts and bolts. Although this major part of the work needed is largely complete many other items need attention before re-painting can be considered. Briefly: new bolts are needed to fix the body side panels to the main frame; a new air filter; new straps to secure the fuel tank; fittings to join the new oil pressure gauge to the pipeworkand a new container for diesel overflow pipes; new side panel catches. A thorough clean of the whole is needed to remove surplus items such as spare fishplates and indentify items which may be needed such as the sanding pipes.

Next working party Wednesday 19 November

Working Party at North Ings 18 October 2008

Chris White, Mark, Tom and Kevin attended and used Motorrail Penelope to drag Indian Runner out of the shed into the light for the first time for over twelve months. It proved possible to fit the new fan belt and start fitting the fan assembly and the cover to the fan belt drive. Various other tidying jobs were done and a list of outstanding task compiled, along with a list of the bits and pieces required, mainly a replacement air filter, fittings for the oil pressure gauge, and retaining straps for the fuel tank. All the moving parts of the locomotive were checked and found satisfactory way so were lubricated as required.

Museum Working Party, 4th October 2008

Present: Winston and Ann McCanna, Ray Brooks, Keith Theobald, Don Newing and Phil Sayers.

The Guinness Locomotive and 'Rough Pup' were given a thorough clean, as was the Awdry study.

The Corris mail wagon, which had been moved into the Gunpowder Store last month, was given another coat of paint, and Phil has offered to give it a further coat prior to the application of lettering by Chris White. Poor weather meant that the wagon had to be painted indoors, effectively preventing any further progress on the Avery Platform scales.

Keith was kept busy entering details from donation envelopes collected during the summer into a spreadsheet prior to claiming tax refunds on gift aided donations.

For older news see the News Archive