Raising Steam 2014 Vol.28 No.1

Raising Steam

Steam Appr entice Club

Editor

Jenny Lee, 3 Lanes Close, Kings Bromley, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 7JS 01543 473124 jen massey@hotmail co uk

Chairman

Elaine Massey, 21 Down Close, Northolt, Middlesex UB5 6NS Tel: 020 8248 6570 elainermassey@live co uk

Vice Chairman

Hugh Dyson, 32 Granary End, Witchford, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2WF Tel: 01353 667150 hugh dyson@inbox com

Membership Secretary

Sue Cook, Dolfarni, Church Lane, Kirkby la Thorpe, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 9NU

membership@ntet co uk

Membership fee £10 per annum

Webmaster

Nick Bosworth, 9A St Wilfrid’s Road, West Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 6HG Tel: 01159 309868

sac webmaster@ntet co uk

SAC Committee

Joe Black Tel: 07595 466353 joe@seddonandblack co uk

David Lee davidjameslee2003@yahoo.co.uk

Matthew Lund Tel: 01329 832462 matt lund@engineer com

Kevin Munn Tel: 020 8573 9180 sac contact6@ntet co uk

Barry Sumsion Tel: 01633 671798 barrysumsion@gmail.com

Helen Tyrrell Tel: 01793 751830 helen@thetyrrells org Burrell Project Co-ordinator

Hugh Dyson Tel: 01353 667150 hugh.dyson@inbox.com

The Editor welcomes any contributions of articles, shorter items or photographs for inclusion in future issues All material submitted is voluntary and payment cannot be made for any material published

The opinions expressed in the magazine, with the exception of Club announcements, are those of the contributors and do not indicate the views of the Club as a whole All items are held copyright by the contributor and the NTET. The Editor reserves the right to amend or refuse contributions The magazine is normally published during January, April, July and October The Club accepts no liability for failure to meet intended publication dates

The Steam Apprentice Club is a section of the National Traction Engine Trust

NTET is a Registered Charity, No 291578

Registered in England No 1302197

Registered Office: 4 Church Green East, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 8BT

Produced by Kearline Graphic Images Ltd, Fairoak House Business Centre, 15 Church Road, Newport, South Wales NP19 7EJ www kearline co uk

Fr om the Editor

Jenny Lee

So, another year bites the dust as they say.

Nearly all the engines have been put to bed… let the cleaning commence! It’s this time of year that engine owners and their apprentices are getting the engines ready for the annual boiler test. My Mary Marshall has already had its ‘cold test’ done and has the ‘ hot test’ on its way Hopefully she’ll pass with flying colours *fingers crossed*. For the engines lucky enough (or unlucky enough, I’ll let you choose) it is also the time of year, that the 10 year hydraulics test takes place. It gets it all out of the way, so we can play in the summer months. If any of you want to

know more about this test, let me know and I’ll put something in the next magazine.

If you are involved in any ‘winterisation’, or anything at all, take some pictures and send them in, you never know, you may find them on the cover of the next magazine! What have you got to lose?

We have got a fun year ahead, driving days, driving course and let’s not forget the NTET 60th Road Run with their star attraction, Lady Sylvia our very own running Burrell! Let’s make the most of it. Lots of fun! Lots of pictures! Lots of learning! Lots of sharing!

Fr om the Chairman

Elaine Massey

Well, a whole new season of activities ready to start. The dates for most of this year ’s driving days will be in this magazine Please don't forget to fill in the form and return it to Kevin Munn as soon as you can, as most of the driving days are usually oversubscribed and you don't want to miss out.

The Burrell went to the Classic Car Show at the NEC in Birmingham, and also to the Model Engineering Show at Sandown Park. You won't see her at many shows for now as there is lots of painting activity going on.

Watch out for news of the Burrell both in the press and online on our website www.ntet.co.uk/sac and on Facebook. Lady Sylvia will be launching the NTET

roadrun at Old Warden, Bedfordshire on September 27th.

A little reminder for all of you, especially to our newer members:

• Wear old clothes or, best of all, overalls to all SAC events

• Boots or leather shoes are needed to protect your feet

• PLEASE remember your manners, all of the enginemen who work with us are volunteers and please and thank you go a long way! Obviously DO NOT wander off without telling the engine crew where you are going , it saves them looking under the engine for ‘flat-packed’ apprentices Have fun, do come and say hello whenever you see me, and tell me what more we can do!

Mailbag

Write to us!

A b u s y a p p r e n t i c e . . .

Dear Editor,

How are you? Today I have sent you a CD containing photographs from SAC Driving Days at Onslow Park and Tinker ’s Park, hope you can make use of them. Dad took the photographs. Looking forward to SAC Driving Days in 2014, Astwood Bank Advanced Course in May and meeting you and the team. At the Great Dorset Steam Fair I

3 i n c h B u r r e l l

Dear Editor,

This year I acquired my first steam engine a 3 inch Burrell. The engine is 34 years old, it was bought at auction by Simon Hudson and John Holroyd and took 9 months to strip and rebuild the engine I chose the colour scheme and made it a

helped two full days on an Aveling and Porter roller. The guys are local to me and have asked for help restoring the engine, also to crew at several events next year. I’ve recently volunteered at Hollycombe Steam Park

Regards, James Atkins, 4683

Ed: A lovely email from a ver y busy apprentice! Unfor tunately James, the CD you sent got damaged in the post. Look out for the pictures in the next magazine

copy of a full size engine, The Duke of Onga. Because I live in Kent, I decided to call the engine The Duke of Kent

John and Simon delivered the engine in June after driving from Yorkshire to our house in Canterbury, Kent. We invited lots of friends. Later on we had a BBQ and then the engine did its first pub run

Regards, Andrew Wildish, 4155

Kevin Munn

Here is a nice bit of news. This is a picture of Burrell No. 3455 parked up after its first time on the road for a few years, as it had to be overhauled.

Doesn’t she look magnificent!

WORDSEARCH

How many can you find?

Chimney Coal

Crankshaft

Crosshead Flywheel

Injector Lubricator

Oil Can Regulator Whistle

New Appr entices

The SAC welcomes the following new members

Abbi Clarke, Cheshire

Dan Clarke, Cheshire

Jake Clarke, Cheshire

Tom Comley, Berkshire

Ryan Coughlan, Dorset

Will Garner, Northamptonshire

Nathan Gill, Anglesey

Cian Greene, EIRE

Ben Hackney, Herefordshire

Sophie Hawkins, Cornwall

Brett Joslin, Buckinghamshire

Max Killen, Cornwall

Frederick Kirk, East Yorkshire

Michael Lee, Hampshire

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William McGannan, Hampshire

Fiona Melhuish, Reading

George Merrill, Cheshire

William Quarry, Hereford

Sean Reed, Buckinghamshire

Joseph Roger, Gloucestershire

Joshua Rosum, Wiltshire

Rowan Ryder, Gloucester

Teddy Sitwell, Dorset

Austin Stevens, Gloucestershire

Jessica Thompson, Nottingham

James Trevethan, Cornwall

George Walker, Gloucestershire

Albert Walton, Northamptonshire

Steam Appr entice Club

2014 Driving Days

Horsham, West Sussex

Fengate Farm, Weeting , Brandon, Suffolk

Stithians, Cornwall*

Stithians, Cornwall*

County of Salop 19th April

Maplas

Dee Searle

12th and 13th April

Richard Parrott

Dee kindly did a driving day in 2012 and last year and is now back! Plenty of engines to try.

Mr Parrott has a collection of 4 or 5 engines with others also on site. Again they are running over two days Camping/caravanning space is available

3rd May

John Sawle 4th May

30th August

John Sawle

Doug Milns

TBA in June TBA

Leeds TBA in June TBA

Oaklands College, St Albans 19th July

Oaklands College, St Albans 20th July

Tinkers Park, Sussex 20th September

Tim Watson

Tim Watson

Adrian Vaughan

Being run on the showground at Stithians First of two SEPARATE days WESES are running as demand last 2 years has been high

Being run on the showground at Stithians Second of two SEPARATE days WESES are running as demand last 2 years has been high.

Being run on the Saturday before the County of Salop Rally.

Negotiations are still taking place so watch the website! (No guarantee event will take place yet)

Negotiations are still taking place so watch the website! (No guarantee event will take place yet)

Held an event two years ago which was well liked All weather course

Held an event two years ago which was well liked All weather course

Well established now at Tinkers Park set in East Sussex own roadway so can operate in all weathers

Due to Old Warden doing the NTET road run in 2014 it will return in 2015

To apply for any of the driving days use the form included with this magazine. The aim of these driving days is to give SAC members who do not have regular access to an engine the chance to drive one for a day.

Therefore, if any course is over subscribed, we reserve the right to offer the places to members from non- engine owning families.

*See special applying instructions on application form.

Position to be filled: Membership Secr etary for the Steam Appr entice Club

Elaine Massey

The SAC is looking for someone to take over the duty as membership secretary.

An applicant should be a competent computer user and possess a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office. The Membership Management system is fully automated and runs on MS Access but the user requires no detailed knowledge of Access

SAC Members join and renew their subscriptions throughout the year but there are four distinct quarterly periods when the workload peaks. These periods are closely related to the lead up to the publication of ‘Raising Steam’. The position is home based.

The applicant should have a telephone, a reasonably fast broadband connection and possess a Windows based PC with MS Office Professional installed and be connected to an A4 printer. The NTET would consider helping defray the cost of purchasing any or all of these items for the suitable applicant. Full training and software support are available. This is an urgent request to allow time for training .

If you are interested in taking up this role then please get in touch with me, Elaine Massey. (Details in front of magazine.)

G e t Te c h n i c a l !

NTET driving course in Redditch

This was held on the 13th to 15th December. The SAC had a large stand for the three days. Apprentices were working on it for the weekend, but of course Friday was a school day.

Once again we had a very good reception, lots of people were very interested in who we were and what we did

In the foyer of the racecourse was a stand full of Peter ’s Railway books, and Christopher Vine himself At the end of

the show he donated to the SAC one of his books entitled ‘How (not) to paint a locomotive’ as he thought it would help us with the Burrell, a project which he was very excited about.

Looking round the exhibition there was one section which I found very thought provoking – 3D printing . Just imagine being able to create something like this at home. It’s way beyond my IT skills!

Just for fun

Kevin Munn

Can you guess what it is?

The first image is the original one, and the second is a new replacement made to the building specifications for the engine. The answer will be in the next Raising Steam!

K ate Saga

Kevin Munn

It was now time to take it back to the yard where all the rest of the engine was. I hired in the same chap and lorry that took it down to bring it back. He even charged me the same which was great as now nearly 18 months had passed since its arrival at the repairers. Loading and unloading was a straightforward affair, getting it back into position was more difficult! I had made up a ‘sleigh‘ rig which we pushed and shoved by any means possible until it finally was back in place under the headstock.

Like most people who strip down their engine you repaint it from top to bottom, and I was no exception painting the entire boiler in red oxide paint!

The first major mechanical job after that was to fit the headstock back onto the new firebox. As a reminder a picture of what the old smoke box looked like.

Of course I had to find the centre of both the smoke box and the head stock so the headstock was located in the correct place Well, I didn’t use high tech lasers etc but two ‘I’ shaped aluminium bars fixed to the horn plates which went forward to the smoke box.

I then measured between the two, halved the dimension and marked a centre line on the top of the smoke box. On the headstock if you look forward from the footplate it looks like a half circle. This time I measured on the circumference of the half circle, halved the dimension in two and marked off on the end of the head stock. This gave me, in effect, the point which had to line up with the line I had made on the smoke box. Then, with the aid of the chain and hoist which you can see in the picture and jacks which you cannot, I manoeuvred the boiler up and into

F inding the centr e of both the smoke box and the head stock using two aluminium bars.

position aligning the two marks so I had everything square with each other. Then came some heavy drilling in 12 places of 1 inch (approx 25mm) diameter holes

through which I put in new high tensile bolts , washers and nuts to permanently fix the headstock back to the boiler. TO BE CONTINUED

Sentinel No. 8646 r epatriated

fr om Canada

David Lee

The Sentinel No. 8646 was built on the 25th January 1932, made to order for Spillers Ltd. of Hull. It was a flat bed wagon and its job was carrying bagged flour from the mill to shops and bakers. It was bought just after World War Two by Bituminous Road Products Ltd , for which the Sentinel was converted from a flat bed to a tar sprayer. In 1952 the Matthews brothers of Ontario, Canada, bought it from Bituminous Road Products and exported it to Canada where it remained until my Father and I bought it last year This is our story:

My name is David Lee, in July 2013 my dad and I went to Charles Matthews’ residence in Ontario, Canada, to collect and load the Sentinel No 8646

The week we got there Ontario was in the middle of the hottest weather the state has experienced in years with temperatures reaching the mid 30s by 10am which did not make the job any easier. On the first day, the container had already arrived, and when we went to meet Charles Matthews, he and his employee Larry, were already in the barn where the Sentinel was kept, trying to pump the tyres up. But, unfortunately, after 60 odd years of standing still, the tyres were past their best and would not hold air at all. Before we could get the Sentinel out of the shed we had to unbury it from stuff that had collected over the years, like drums and ladders. Once we had cleared all of it off, the next problem was how to

move it With flat tyres, the possibility of the brakes being stuck on, and it being tight up against the barn wall, it seemed as though fate was against us The only solution was to get Charles’ small crane, that he uses for jobs around the yard, to lift up the back end of the Sentinel up and drag it out of the barn. As we began to move the Sentinel, I had to jump into the cab to steer it out of the barn. After some time and some manoeuvring we finally managed to get it out and the Sentinel saw the light of day again after 60 years. We pushed the Sentinel round to the container with the crane with me steering With flat tyres it was not an easy job.

The next day was another very hot day, with a temperature reaching 37 degrees Celsius, and today we had to load the Sentinel into the container. First we made a ramp and then we measured the lorries height and width again to make sure it would fit It was measured a couple of months before as well, to make sure we could actually get it in a container, because if we couldn’t then we would have to think of another method of importing it back to England. After measuring it, we found that the chimney had to come off and then it would fit. We started to push the lorry into the container; we pushed it in backwards as the strongest part of the chassis with the coupling was at the front. As the backend

of the lorry started to go in, the rear outer tyres were rubbing on the side walls, so we pulled the lorry back out, removed the outer rear wheels, and pushed the Sentinel back into the container where it finally fitted…just. With the Sentinel fully in the container we had about 3 inches either side of the lorry clear of the walls.

The next job was to secure the lorry, and for this we used wire ropes and clamps, which is more hard work, but when the container is being lifted by cranes at the docks and rolling around on the boat, this method is far more reliable then ratchet straps The day was that hot, dad, Larry and I had to take it in turns working in the container. We got a thermometer and measured the temperature in the container, and it was 51 degrees Celsius.

The Sentinel finally reached my Granddad’s farm in August. Within 2 weeks of it being back in England Paul Cook kindly asked us if we wanted to take it down the Great Dorset Steam Fair as a ‘ barn find’ exhibit in the NTET tent, where it drew a lot of attention. Now it’s back from Dorset, at the farm where it will be overhauled back to original condition Look out in future issues for the restoration of Sentinel No. 8646 where I’ll write about its progress and some technical information on various parts and components.

Technical Achievement Awar d 2013

by Jenny Massey

Having started quite young in steam engineering this young man has seen excellent training similar to how apprentices of old would have done. Under the watchful eye of Brian, his Dad, James has helped on many of the projects that have been through the workshop and has made parts for engines from Germany to Australia. In 2008 he started to build a 4½’’ Burrell Agricultural engine and has made all of the parts apart from a few of the gears and the welding of the boiler. The Burrell is now finished and has been

for several excursions round the garden. Since completing the Burrell, James has purchased a Marshall portable engine which from the pictures we have seen so far seems to be coming along very well

Several people sponsored James' application including Adam Marriot, Bill Lowe, Jonathan Wheeler and Ian Cooper

In summary, he has definitely earned the Technical Achievement Award and has shown practical skills, knowledge and ability far in excess of his age group.

NTET DRIVER TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS

The NTET is awarding Scholarships to par t icipate in the NTET Driver Training Course which is held in May each year. The Scholarship covers the course fees for one year, NOT incident al expenses such as t ravelling, accommodation and food.

The scholarships are open to non-engine owners being members of non-engine owning families, who are members of the NTET.

For more details of the Scholarship and Course, visit www.ntet.co.uk

Applic at ions including a cv and a st atement of why you wish to attend the 3 year Driver Training Course should be submitted by 31st Januar y to the General Secret ar y of the Trust: South View, Hutton Roof, Carnfor th, Lanc ashire LA6 2PF general.secret ar y@ntet.co.uk

NTET DRIVING COURSE

The perfect opportunity to get some first class instruction in traction engines and engine driving

10/11 May 2014 at Astwood Bank

Enjoy a weekend of driving and lectur es

SPECIAL PRICE FOR SAC MEMBERS

Steam Appr entices get a gr eat discount on the normal price

age 13-15 = £70 age 16 – 21 = £105 for the two days