Steam Apprentice Club
Chairman
Elaine Massey, 21 Down Close, Northolt, Middlesex UB5 6NS
Tel: 020 8248 6570
sac.chairman@ntet.co.uk
Editor & Vice Chairman
Kevin Munn, 56 Blacklands Drive, Hayes End, Hayes, Middlesex. UB4 8EX. Tel 0208 573 9180 sac.raisingsteam@ntet.co.uk
Membership Secretary
Lisa Crankshaw, NTET Membership PO Box 10348
Hinckley LE10 9FB membership@ntet.co.uk
Membership fee £15 per annum
Webmaster
Nick Bosworth, 76a Main Road, Smalley, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE76EF
Tel: 07931 577430
sac.webmaster@ntet.co.uk
SAC Committee
Main email: sac.raisingsteam@ntet.co.uk
Matthew Lund Tel: 01329 832462
Helen Tyrrell Tel: 01793 751830
Driving Days Coordinator
Linda Allen: allenlinda178@gmail.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.
N TET is a Registered Charity, No. 291578. Registered in England No. 1302197. Registered Office: 4 Church Green East, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 8BT.
www.ntet.co.uk
www.ntet.co.uk/sac
From the Editor
Kevin Munn
PARENTS, this editorial is for you! Please do read the Chairman’s report we are in crisis and with only 6 committee members are finding it extremely hard to do all that we want to and are currently doing to provide activities for the apprentices, please volunteer in no matter what capacity you can.
The cold season is now upon us with engines put away for the period suitably drained down and protected for whatever the winter throws at us. Did you have the chance to this with an engine you know, tell us about it. And of course now is also the time to repair the engines and maintain them, are you helping with that?
I have some minor jobs to do like repacking so steam doesn’t leak out from where it should from, and of course in February the all important boiler test.
Though you probably won’t be getting the magazine until late in January may we wish you all a good steamy New Year.
If you have any articles, photos or contributions for the magazine, email them to: -
From the Chairman
Elaine Massey
Its 2017 already!
In November I had to give a presentation at the National Traction Engine Trust AGM.
It wasn’t my usual energetic, very positive report about our years activities. I actually told it how I see the situation currently.
The SAC has falling membership
• The SAC needs more members
• The SAC needs more adult helpers
• The SAC needs new committee members
After fulfilling all the above we can get on with the serious aspects of arranging more events and activities and having FUN!
So, I challenge you all; apprentices; encourage your friends, family to get involved:
Families: have a think! Could you spare some time to help? Are you one of the people who could join our committee? See more further on.....
2017!! Time to think about driving days again. Get your applications in as soon as you can. Please bear with us if you apply for more than one, as we have to try and fit everybody in.
When out with an engine, REMEMBER your manners! Please and thank you go a long way.
We are planning some new events and activities for this year. You will need to keep your eyes on the SAC website and Facebook to learn about these and dates etc as Raising Steam is not frequent enough to rely on. Some may be short notice, and only local to a few of you.
We are advertising for engine owners who would enjoy having a couple of apprentices when they are preparing their engines for the season.
We are also trying to arrange a few “driving days” for 15 plus, out on road
runs, steering engines. That sounds excellent doesn’t it?
Link with the SAC on FACEBOOK, and keep an eye out for these NOT TO BE MISSED opportunities!!
As always, please get in touch with any queries. I would be delighted to talk to any of you adults out there about helping, commitment etc. It’s how I got involved after all.
Elaine Massey Chair
Steering on the Road Pilot Scheme
As a new venture we are looking at doing 3 pilot driving days on the road for apprentices who like to experience something different to just riding around a yard or field.
These will take place in the Midlands, near Burton upon Trent, South England in East Sussex and we are currently looking at somewhere further North.
To be able to participate you should have recorded in your log book that you have done steering and be tall enough to
look over an around an engine a full 360 degrees to be able to see where you are going. You must bring your own food and drink as well as making arrangements with drivers and parents as to where and when to be picked up. This will cost £15.
To express an interest contact Kevin Munn at sac.raisingsteam@ntet.co.uk.
These events will only go ahead if enough interest is expressed. Deadline for applying is 31st March 2017.
New Year is here!
Ask someone to give you a voucher for the NTET Driving Course on 6/7 May 2017 at Astwood Bank. Steam Apprentices (age 13-15) £80, (age 16 – 21) £115 for the two days if paid before 1st March 2017. After 1st March (age13-15) £80, (age 16-21) £125
DISCOUNT of 15% If you pay for 2 years at the same time
Contact Joe Black at:- training@ntet.co.uk - or Tel: 07595 466353
Memoirs of a former apprentice...
Kev Mills – editor of the NTET magazine STEAMING
As someone who, in my younger years, benefitted enormously from the Steam Apprentice Club I thought that I ought to support your magazine and send something in. So here, for the first time since 1999 or so, is something from me…
It all began for me at 9 years old.
I had already been a regular at steam rallies in Sussex as my parents and grandparents had always attended as visitors, though their interest was more general and if anything geared towards classic cars. One evening in March 1993 my dad called me into the sitting room and said there was something on telly he thought I’d enjoy. It was one of the BBC’s series on Fred Dibnah, and the sequence of him steaming up his Aveling roller and setting off for a rally was etched into my mind. That was it. Hooked.
To the bafflement of probably everyone around me, my obsession grew to the point I lived, breathed and slept traction engines. An old Mamod that had been in a side cupboard since the ‘80s was dusted off, repaired and soon joined by several others (all of which I still have). Back garden rallies were followed up by a full clean down session in ‘the yard’, a huge table in my bedroom where a fairly
good representation of an engine yard had been constructed, complete with a shed nicked from my sister; it was a toy pony stable block or something.
It was a couple of years before I got my hands on a real full size engine. At the time public steering events were still quite popular and at the Bluebell Railway rally in 1995 I paid my quid and got to do a lap round on an engine – Fowler single cylinder traction engine 7459 Endurance. Two results from this; a life long passion for Fowler general purpose engines and I met the driver who was a few years older than me, Ian Langley who is now well known with Endurance and his adventures with the Fowler crane engine he looks after for Les Searle.
The following winter we had a family visit one Sunday to the British Engineerium at Hove (now sadly closed for some time). This was/is a stunning Victorian pumping station with a pair of immaculate beam engines, various other factory engines and a pair of totally spotless traction engines. These were Marshall 14242 Victoria and Fowler 7453 Albert, both new to Sewards of Petersfield and at the time had more-orless been together ever since.
By lucky chance, the day we visited Albert was outside the museum being washed out ready for a boiler inspection. A very nice gent with a beard named Derek Gough kindly showed me round, explained what he was up to and generally answered questions with good grace and patience. If, he said, I was attending the local Parham rally that June, I should come along and have a ride.
This put me on cloud nine and the following weeks seemed to go on forever. I got my ride, and another at the Downs Rally near Petersfield a few weeks later where Derek and Trevor Crabbe put up with me getting in the way and installed the basics of boiler management. I met Derek’s son Neil, who was very much involved with Victoria at the time along with other local engines, and had spent a few years assisting with the collection at Amberley Chalk Pits Museum – a place my family and I loved, and which was only a few miles from our house.
A few weeks later, at the Museum’s annual miniature engine rally, I swallowed a brave pill and asked Brian Johnson if I could help clean his Aveling-Barford roller. This short conversation started my apprenticeship in steam at Amberley, for which I will forever be grateful.
For the five or six years I was involved at Amberley I was mainly Brian’s apprentice with Gisela, the 6 ton AvelingBarford steam roller built in 1946. This engine, a highly amusing and often frustrating engine to drive, taught me an awful lot, from my first experience of the winter jobs to life out on the road. Living alongside the roller was a beautiful 5nhp Burrell traction engine, no. 4019 Britannia which had just come to the end of a very full restoration in the hands of her owner, Derek Kilburn. Derek is a brilliant engineer and again, taught me an awful lot on this lovely engine. Also on site at the time was the Snodin family’s Tasker tractor, 1396, which had been
Bluebell Railway Steam Fair 1996, me on Fowler 7453 “Albert” with Marshall 14242 “Victoria” in the foreground.
with their family since new and worked in their Midland Rolling & Haulage Co. business. It was going back together after boiler work. Finally there were two steam rollers awaiting TLC – the 8 ton Marshall S type no. 79669 owned by West Sussex County Council, and an 8 ton AC type Aveling & Porter no. 14000 which I never saw in steam but did learn all about using push-poles with!
I was lucky that, in addition to ferrying me up to Amberley every weekend, my parents still took me to all the local rallies. Here as my confidence grew I got to know most of the local engine people and this opened opportunities for helping on other engines; I spent quite a bit of time with Bryan Downey and his lovely Fowler traction engine 11814 Berkshire Tariff Queen and later met Martyn How and
his Aveling & Porter 10 ton roller 7771 Pegasus. This led to many adventures including several years crewing the roller at the Great Dorset.
As I write this the memories are flooding back and I could easily fill this magazine with tales – some are cringing with embarrassment, but all are very happy memories. This really is the best hobby in the world, and I am in the fortunate position to still enjoy it as an (supposed) adult of 32. Assuming that I have not bored you all to tears, next time I will introduce you to the engines that feature in my life these days – and if you see us out and about, feel free to come and say hello and have a look around the engine.
Amberley Museum 1996, me on Aveling-Barford AG758 “Gisela”, Brian Hunt in the foreground with his 2” Burrell road loco.
Driving Days 2017 Linda Allen
Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all had a wonderful time, maybe helping out or attending a winter road run or two?
We are lucky that our driving day organisers have said that they are happy to host days again this year. Sadly, there won’t be a driving day at the Searles’ yard in Horsham this year as they have two engines undergoing repair. However, the lovely folk at Bedford are running their highly regarded weekend in April, so hopefully many of you will be able to attend that one instead.
As ever, please get your applications for places in as soon as you can. The organisers really appreciate knowing some way in advance how many apprentices are coming so they are able
to accommodate you all safely.
Just quick note on this, one of the driving days was cancelled last year due to the organisers unexpectedly finding themselves short of engines. I know this was hugely disappointing to those of you booked on the day, but please understand that the organisers have the final say on how the days run. I know that the decision to cancel was not taken lightly, and was only made after all avenues had been explored to try to save the day.
Here’s to an enjoyable year of getting your hands dirty on these amazing machines!
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 and those who were on the reserve lists in the previous year.
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 and those who were on the reserve lists in the previous year.
Please noteStithians are holding two separate driving days, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. If you intend to apply for both days, please pay for each day separately as we cannot guarantee a space on both days, and we cannot cash half a cheque.
Tinkers Park
Sussex 16th Sep Adrian Vaughan Well established now at Tinkers Park set in East Sussex own roadway so can operate in all weathers
Leeds TBC
Check SAC website for confirmation this event is running.
Ollie Maslin On the Otley Vintage Vehicle Extravaganza ground near Leeds.
Stithians (Sun) Cornwall 7th May John Sawle County of Salop 28th Aug Doug Milns Being run on the Saturday before the County of Salop Rally.
See special applying instructions on application form.
Stithians (Sat) Cornwall 6th May John Sawle Being run on the showground at Stithians. Two SEPARATE days run by the WESES as demand last year was high.
Bedford (Old Warden) 22nd & 23rd April Paul Worbey Held in the grounds of the Shuttleworth Coillection.
See special applying instructions on application form.
Fengate Farm, Weeting, Suffolk. 8th & 9th April
Richard Parrott
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.
Location Date
Leader
Comments
Steam Apprentice Club Driving Days
2017Venues
2017 Driving Day Application Form
Send this form, with a cheque/postal order for £15 payable to the NTET. The cheque/postal order to be dated 3 weeks before the event and an SAE to:Linda Allen 2 Stephenson Drive, Frome, Somerset BA11 2XD
For Old Warden ONLY send this form with a cheque payable to the Bedford Steam Club Ltd with an SAE to:- Paul Worbey, Park Farm, Henlow, Bedfordshire, SG16 6DF
For Stithians ONLY send this form with a cheque payable to the NTET with an SAE to:Amanda Menear, Tregonning, 52 Rectory Road, Camborne, Cornwall, TR14 7DS
Name:
Address:
I would like to take part in the driving day at ......................................................... on ....../....../17 EXPERIENCE
• Please indicate the number of Driving Days that you have attended .......................
• Please tick the appropriate boxes to indicate your experience in working with traction engines:
Cold Engine preparation i.e. General inspection & cleaning, water levels, lighting fire and oiling up.
Boiler Management i.e. Water injectors and feed pump, running out of gear, regulator and motion control.
Moving off i.e. start, stop, basic steering and driving; fire and water management.
Advanced Techniques i.e. Working with a trailer, winching and belt work.
I HAVE ENCLOSED A STAMPED SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE FOR JOINING DETAILS. Driving days are one of the important things we do which is getting you on engines. We hope you will look at going to the one nearest to you to learn more about looking after an engine, steering and driving. When you go to these events you are of course representing the club. We want you to enjoy your day and be safe, therefore please pay attention to what your instructor tells you at all times and be on good behaviour. In your invite letter there are words that the organizer ‘has the final say’ on all matters and that would include removing you from an engine if deemed necessary.
I have read and understand the above Signed......................................................................................
If you are under 18, please ask your Parent/Guardian to sign below.
Important Notice to Parents.
The NTET has a Child Protection Policy and would never knowingly put a child at risk. The SAC could not run the driving days without the help of a large number of volunteers. Please note is not practicable for the NTET to check all helpers. You are welcome to talk to the volunteers or stay and observe. If you chose not to we will assume that you are satisfied that your child is safe. Please can parents/guardians also inform us on the application of any particular support needs your child may require, so that event organizers can make reasonable efforts to accommodate them. I have read the Notice to Parents and agree to my son/daughter taking part in the driving day as detailed above.
Signature of Parent/Guardian ......................................................................
When we have received your application I shall post your membership number on the website, or if you are happy to give me your e-mail address I will send a message. Joining Instructions will be sent two weeks before event and a note posted on the website confirming despatch. Acknowledgement of application does not guarantee a place on a driving day. Non engine owner apprentices and those on reserve lists 2016 will be considered first.
Photocopy
Tinker’s Park Driving Day
Cameron Kemp
I was lucky enough to be given a place on the driving day at Tinkers Park. We had a warm welcome from the tinkers park team and after registration we caught the steam train to the engine sheds, where we were allocated our engines. I was assigned to “Sammy Lou” a 1925 Aveling and Porter steam roller owned Barry Ford.
The fi rst task after un-sheeting the engine was to clean the tubes, this was difficult due to the front roller and with help from Alex and Jack the other steam apprentices we managed to get the brush between the roller and the front forks.
After clearing the ash pan and lighting the fi re we set about cleaning the engine, Barry said I need more practice at cleaning.
Once steam was raised it was a quick photo call and dinner before we learnt about driving and steering the di ff erent engines.
It was soon time to put the engines to bed and head home. Thank you to the Tinkers Park team for an enjoyable day.
New Members
Jack Milner - Coventry, West Midlands
James Cosgrove - Northwood, Shropshire
Jack Boyns - Coventry, Warwickshire
Charlotte Coulls - Shildon, County Durham
Elon Harris - Southampton, Hampshire
Harry Lowe - Southampton, Hampshire
Joshua Lowe - Southampton, Hampshire
Lucy Atkins - Leicester, Leicestershire
Emma Atkins - Leicester, Leicestershire
Oliver Winter - Lakenheath, Suffolk
Edward McNaughton - Rye, East Sussex
Isaac Trendell - St Neots, Cambridgeshire
Sophie Jeffery - Towcester, Northamptonshire
Jumbo Phillips - Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire
James Crane - Loughborough, Leicestershire
James Soames - Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Steam-It Sunday
Here we have a few photos sent in from Steam It Sunday. Kielan James and his father spent the day with two engines, Marshall 34022 “Little Audrey” and Burrell 4060 “Pride of Newquay”.
We had attended St Mawgan Rally but had to leave our engines along with our IH BWD6 tractor from 1954 on site for a couple of weeks we hears about Steamit-Sunday and decided to coincide.
It’s a 23 mile trip to our base near Perranporth (Cornwall by the way) and the old girl (Marshall) doesn’t go so fast these days!!!
The gang consisted of Tyrone & Kielan James with Justin ‘Slash’ Ellis & Joesephine Hawkins, lit the fires about 6.00 on Steam it Sunday to be moving for 8.00 with 3-4 miles of tricky lanes to get behind us before many people started to fill the roads.
Slash & Jo took the Burrell, Kielan drew the sort straw and had to take the tractor while the old man single manned the old girl...
We made good ground and was out of the lanes and heading westwards down the A39 by 9.30 to take on water at Rosewastis.
We have an early Land Rover Defender(1985) on an A frame as support vehicle but we like to keep the water in the IBC as back up for emergencies.
We headed towards the A30 at Fraddon/Indian Queens but turned towards Newquay just before at Trevarren. Here we had narrow roads (Normal for down here!) that are also a busy main route to one of Cornwalls busiest holiday resorts!!
The tricky bit was keeping the engines apart a good enough distance so vehicles
could overtake in two stages. The trouble being the Burrell couldn’t keep a good enough pace to stay ahead of the Marshall!! The next water stop was just before Quintrell Downs where we all had a cuppa as well the time being approx’ lunchtime.
The journey on and around the outskirts of Newquay and onto the A3075 being fairly mundane except the roadworks’ traffic lights which seem to hold everyone up except us!!
Just before linking with our road home we stopped at the Kings Head at Trevemper and seeing as my mate had just taken it over we called in....
The last leg started around 2.30 ish... A gentle mile down hill, then a 3 mile climb up to the top of the ‘Big Dipper’ which as the name suggests is a mighty down then straight back up again. This climb up to this point was another Cornish motorway!! Narrow twisting road that serves as a main arterial route from Newquay, and holiday makers seem so pleased to see us, most of them beeped & waved.....
We oiled up and let traffic pass for 20 minutes then finally pushed for home, down and up the ‘Dipper’ and a gentle roll into our village for about 6.30 in time for tea!!
The weather was glorious sunshine, right until the end when black clouds filled the sky and twilight came very suddenly, a good day with good help.
www.ntet.co.uk/sac
Help Wanted With a 4” Miniature
Prior to the October edition of Raising Steam we were contacted by Mr David Steel, who is looking for an apprentice to help with his miniature. Unfortunately we didn’t have any takers, so here’s a reminder!
Mr Steel’s engine is a 4” scale Burrell Agricultural engine and was built from a Steam Traction World kit, the same as our very own Lady Sylvia! It was completed 7 years ago and Mr Steel has rallied it ever since.
The help required involves operating the miniature at rallies, village fairs and at home, maintenance of the engine during the winter months and help building a watercart and a second wagon for the
engine to tow.
Mr Steel has experience of miniature and some full size angines, and has also taken part in the Steam Plough Club’s hands-on events, and hopes to pass on his experience to an apprentice.
Mr Steel lives near Chichester, so you would need to live reasonably close. You need to be responsible and willing to learn. Preferably aged 10 or over.
If you are interested, please send an email to sac.webmaster@ntet.co.uk , telling us your name, age, location and experience with steam engines.
We will review applications and speak with Mr Steel.
Steam-It Sunday
Peter Heal
Dear Raising Steam
I was asked to take part in Steam It Sunday 2016 as part of the team with Charlie Daniels’ crew. We used October 2nd to take Susie home from a previous get together. Susie is a 1922 general purpose Burrell traction engine.
We left Frogpool at 9.30am and travelled 33 miles through Truro, Indian Queens and across the Goss Moor before arriving back to her shed near Bodmin shortly before 5.30pm.
The crew was split into two teams, each with a driver and steersman, who swapped shifts throughout the day. I helped out with the coal and water for
both teams. This meant that everybody could have a break and get some dinner while Susie kept going.
The weather was kind to us and so was Susie, only having to make a minor running repair! The steersmen were getting very wet while the water pump was in use! We found the cause to be a small hole in a pipe behind the flywheel and tied some rags around the hole. It managed to ease the problem even if it didn’t stop it!
Everybody had a great day and it felt special because we knew so many more people were out enjoying engines all over the country the same as we were.
Get Technical!
Fitting a Tube Plate
Kevin Munn
You might have noticed the Horsham driving event isn’t taking place this year. This is because work needs to be carried out on 2 of their engines for maintenance and other commitments this year
Engines need work on them all the time, some minor, others major as you can see in the attached photos.
Picture 1: Looking at the job before getting down to it. If you look closely you can see the tube plate is being held in place by nuts and bolts. This is to keep it firmly in place whilst rivets are put in otherwise the holes ‘creep’ out of alignment.
Picture 2 & 3: Dee Searle and husband Les heating up a rivet to red hot before handing to the team to put it in place. Note the firebricks around the rivet to concentrate the heat onto the rivet.
Picture 4: Inserting the red hot rivet in place wearing of course protective wear with a man ready to put in the rivet
Picture 5: Rivet being put in place and if you look just to the right of Les Searle’s face you will see a rod. This is a ‘reaction rod’ that is put in place the full diameter of the tube plate and rests on the opposite side. This is to hold the rivet in place so the man with the riveting gun operates it to form the head on the outside. What you have to remember of course is if you have a ¾ inch rivet is to make the rivet hole bigger as of course a heated rivet will have expanded in diameter. Any gap between the heated rivet and hole will be’ filled up’ as the red hot metal expands into the hole as the riveting process takes place. When the rivet cools down it will ‘shrink’ and pull the tube plate tight to the barrel therefore all being well you will have a steam-tight joint.
Kevin
Rear Cover: Machining the curved mounting surface of a Garrett Canopy support bracket. It bolts directly to the side of the boiler barrel. so the curves need to match.
The cutting tool was positioned to match the radius of the boiler and the head of the mill was rotated a little between each cut.
Photos Courtesy of Emma Langley
