jamie92208

Some more today. A week after we moved the tram body we needed to move the running gear and then mate the two sub assemblies together, all in day. During the intervening week I had been down to bore some holes in the solebars out from half to five eighths inch as we hadn't been able to measure the original bolts correctly and then couldn't drill the solebars for clearance reasons. Anyway the following Saturday we turned up at Halton to get the running gear down a rather steep drive ready for the crane lorry to arrive. We only had three 5' lengths of portable track so gradually lowered it down using a block and tackle anchored to our chief carpenter's tow ball. 1 The running gear had been assembled using the original underframe, reinforced by part of the old Long Preston Fiddle Yard boards, as a jig. All the parts had been designed and sourced from scratch by the team. With several moves of rail, and the anchor vehicle we got safely down the drive. The lorry turned up and lifted it on. Then down to Hunslet where it was lifted onto the rails of the Middleton Railway. It was then pushed up to the Engine house, going very carefully through the pointwork as the wheel profiles are rather different. The old underframe was then removed and put to one side leaving a rather fragile looking set of running gear. The body was then lifted and lowered carefully onto the running gear. My late friend Tony Bon was inside the bodywork with instructions to slap a nut onto any bolt that appeared through the solebars. Finally the body was united with it's running gear and was then pushed back into the Engine House. It was with great satisfaction that we found that it rolled, very easily and very quietly. Not bad for something that was 115 years old with running gear created from photos and old engineering textbooks. Back to railways next time. I've just found a batch from 2011 from doing all the south Western Branch Lines. Jamie

If you want some more photos of the hoist, I dan take some for you. Indo have some prototype ones of Lancaster which show the hoist if you are interested. Jamie

Is an ancient Volvo estate needed for this mission to assist in the transit of said items across France. I presume that the items will need 'feeding' whilst in transit, if so cognac is available, for medicinal purposes obviously. Also quality control can also be undertaken at approprite intervals. Jamie

As farcas I know, the UK's bananas mostly cone by ship direct from the Caribbean, IIRC through Avonmouth, so you shouldn't havecany worries. Here thevgood news is that the water heater has come back to life. Jamie

Good moaning from France. Our numbers do seem to be coming down but that could be the normal post weekend statistical blip. However in our own department it is still 0 new cases per day at the moment, a fact for which I am truly thankful. Yesterday was meant to get an afternoon watching trains then help my mate lift and turn 60kg of worktop. However the builder discovered that there were no feet attached to the bath, he also did his usually annoying habit of coming up with another list of plumbing fittings that he needed. Off I set to Angouleme to sortvout the bath feet, after making Paul the builder, open and check the remaining boxes. The staff at Castorama were excellent and sorted the bath feet whilst I got everything else sorted. Then back to Ruffec and did see one train. Andy's worktop was moved and then back home. In the evening, Beth and I watched the first 2 episodes of "Ripper" on netflix. Found it quite good and saw many people we knew. Unfortunately no pictures of Beth, who was first on the scene at Marilyn Moore's attempted murder. Surprisingly there has been no mention of Sue Lawley, probably becausecof the libel laws though Keith Helliwel features. Sadly two good people, Andy Laptew and Mike Green, the pathologist, are no longer with us. We will watch the other two episodes tonight. Anyway, Paul is working away and so far has notvasked for any more fittings. Beth is off to a friends for the morning so I may well be heading for the shed. Stay safe and regards to all. Jamie

I'm not sure what they are hoping to do. At the moment, as I understand it, you can only breach the 90 day rule if you formally take up residence in France, which means you need to spend more than 6 months of the year here. You also need to be tax resident and have healthcare provision. Unless she has found a loophole involving working in France, I can't think of anything else. I suspect that the residence route is what she is going for as there are various deadlines coming up. Jamie

I guess I have met a few that coukd be of the great variety but so far have never seen a coal or blue one. Jamie

Good moaning from a windy Charente. No that's not because of what I ate last night but something to do with atmospheric conditions in the Bay of Biscay. I actually managed some shed time yesterday. Then a rather nice dinner that we didn't need to do much to prepare. Our village social club hasn't been able to organise any events this year so one of the main families organised a takeaway meal from a caterer, which we collected on Saturday afternoon. A mixtutevof horses douvres, then stuffed chicken leg with mashed carrot iand some mixed veg, all beautifully presented. We just had to placevit all carefully on a plate and warm it in the oven. A mousse presented to look like a yule log was the dessert. All in all a very nice surprise. We then had a video chat with Martin, Katie and Ryan. Beth binge watched the last 3 episodes of Strictly. All in all a good day. We are missing the family but as we have never seen or spoken to them every day things have not changed an awful lot. Video chats have helped. We count ourselves lucky that we are safe and secure. We don't have to worry about our income, being pensioners, and our we can keep in touch with our family. Jamie

Love these reports on engineering projects. A few years ago there was a fabulous thread about the repairs to the sewall at Dover. There is another about the East West Rail project, they certainly keep ne interested. Jamie

I also had a Quora email pop up. It's also gone to spam. If there are both halves of the bikini they can't be French. Jamie

A few more this afternoon. First off my transport to Castle Cary arrived, a 150/2. I first saw these on the Trans Pennine route. Then we move on to 25th July . As I may have mentioned I started helping to restore the last Leeds Horse tram in 2005. By 2012 we had outgrown the shed that we were working in and needed to add the upper deck seats and the running gear. Fortunately the Middleton railway generously offered us workshop space so after building the running gear in another garage on site and jacking up the main garage door, so that we could get the tram body out we moved it down to Middleton. This is what we had started with in 2005. Here it is prepared for rescue by the Leeds Transport Historical Society (LTHS) in 1975 It had actually been used as a home by a bombed out young couple during WW2. Here it is ready to emerge from the garage ready for transport to Middleton. Then it was lifted and then set off =down York Road, moving rather faster then when it had been horse drawn. It had been brought up there in 1975 and Jim Soper had got a photo of it. The driver had never seen the photo and commented that he thought that the steering was a little light. Anyway on a rainy day 37 years later it went in the opposite direction. When we got to Middleton the Middleton's travelling crane lifted it onto an accomodation trolley. 1And it was towed up between the Engine House and the loco shed rather appropriately on the trackbed of the former Mifddleton Light Railway tram track. The loco was a former Sentinel steam loco converted to diesel. Then it was pushed back into the Engine House. More tomorrow. Jamie

I've had some shed time yesterday and today. First off I've found the sheet of transfers and there is one pair of LOCO COAL ONLY lettering. I will cut them out and send them off towards north Hipposhire as I don't plan on doing any more loco coal wagons. I also got chance to take some snaps of the coal tubs that my late friend Bernard Shaw made for me along with the coaling stage. These ones were designed to be picked up by a crane and tipped but are much the same design. They look similar to the drawings. He made them mainly from brass sheet and turned the various wheels and side spigots. He did make 4 so there are two fulls and two empties. And yes they can be hung from the crane. Jamie

It's been a fine day with not a lot going on so I finally got going on trying to straighten out the board. The first thing was to cut and position a new piece of 2 by 1 across the underside of the station. It took of bit of doing and measuring but It went in but got done. I will have to repair some of the ground cover where a G cramp made quite a large impression. Then I cut another piece of 2 by 1 to run longitudinally. This was then clamped up with some other pieces of 2 by 1 to spread the load on the rails. A quick bit of measuring with the spare 2 by 1 you can see showed that not all the dip had been taken out. This was the sight that greeted me underneath. I had put some packing under the new cross beam to give extra uplift but as you can see the longitudinal bent along it's length. I may well have to go with my original idea of a piece of steel. However I will leave it under tension overnight to see what happens. Jamie

Can we PLEASE have that groan button back. It is sorely missed. Jamie

Can I say to all of you who havevposted this series of photographs, how much they are appreciated across the channel by an exile. Any photos that you can safely get in the next few weeks will be much appreciated. Thanks again. Jamie

Good moaning. It looks a bit grey and damp outside but the fire has cone back to life and it's warm inside the house. Good to hear from Rick and I hope that things improve for him. The hymn he posted, was always known as The Manx Fishermen's Hymn in our household. When we went on a cruise over new year we got into a force 8 gale in the Caribbean. It was Sunday so we attended the service in the ship's theatre. The speaker stacks suspended from the cieling were swaying well. What hymn did they choose but, Eternal Father strong to save, emotive in the circumstances. Anyway we will head for the market this morning then there is not a lot planned. Bon courage to you all. Jamie

If it's an NR video to highlight stupidity andvpromotecsafety, surely something along thevlinescof " A train weighing 220 tons travelling at 60 mph." Would be a better way as it emphasises the danger. I have no idea what the actual train weight was. Jamie

Good evening. Not a very upbeat read through ER's this evening. I have no idea what to say to you all. Rick's absence is concerning. WR, you have my sympathy as do all others whose plans have been scuppered. A good evening was had at our friends. Carols were sung outside and mulled wine and mince pies were consumed. An Eccles cake has just been eaten. Jamie

I know a couple of the Burntisland crew and invited the layout to Wakefield. Thevlayout has some exquisite modelling with the operating capstans tipping coal wagons. Unfortunately the running wasn't as good as the modelling. Jamie

Apparently Volvo estates have fallen out of favour with funeral directors for the same reason. Slightly too short for a standard coffin. My V70 will take any of the baseboard crates for LGA. Most of them with with just the seats folded up. The trapezoid main line end boards need the seat squabs taking out. The layout as a whole needed something a little larger. Here after the first pick up from Peter's farm where South Greenfield was built and tested. Then with everything else after the last pick up at the clubrooms. Jamie

2 months on and lockdown 2 has been replaced by curfews from 8pm, however a trip to buy bathroom fittings gave Andy and I the chance to spend a few hours at the trackside near Luxe. Not the best of days and by 2pm the sun was quite low in the sky. First off was the regular car train from Spain heading north. Where we park we have a view for over a kilometre south over the top of the fence. That meant that any photos as the train passed us had to be through the fence. 186 342 was the power. Then the regular infrastructure working with 22302 doing the business. The next working was 27013 heading north Light engine. That disappeared north to go under the SEA TGV line. And last of all 27014 on a northbound mixed freight. Coaches, presumably for scrap at the head end then steel and LPG. I missed getting a shot of a TGV crossing it on the High speed line. In the foreground is the spur that allows northbound TGV;s that have called at Angouleme to get back on the high speed line. The changeover board to 25Kv from 1500 DC can be heard. Jamie

Still in Bournemouth. after our Isle of Wight trip the boss allowed me out for the day to do a circular trip to Weymouth Castle Cary, Salisbury and Southampton which helped me tick off and Yeovil, which will the Isle of Wight two days earlier helped me tick off 4 pages in the rail atlas. 75 complete by then. First we are at Bournemouth Central as a 444 arrives from Weymouth Then couple up to a sister unit before setting off to London.1 Then off to Weymouth with an interesting piece of railway procedure en route. A pilotman came on board near Dorchester. Though he was in overall orange rather than a big black mac, the armband he wore was the same as one I hd seen on the footplate of 92208 as we approached Settle in 1966 as there was single line working from there to Settle Junction due to bridge works. Some things change others don't. Then I had enough time in Weymouth to explore the tramway. This is the final bits on NR land, I wonder how long it was since that signal had signalled a move. Then in the opposite direction. I presume that these have all been ripped up by now. Then back to the station to wait for the train to Castle Cary. Jamie

I'll photograph mine which were built from photos. Jamie

Very fortunately for all concerned he was still clear of the tracks. It guess that he was more concerned about scratching the paint on the roof of his pride and joy than anything else. Jamie

Good moaning from The Charente. Breakfast has been had and the loo in the new bathroom has been installed and is working. I will not go further about temporary arrangements except tosay that I will miss the sightbof the stars at 04.00. We have now got a long wait for the furniture and other items that were collected yesterday to ge delivered. Due to the chaos at the ports thay won't arrive till the end of January, at the earliest. Apparently , HMRC in their wisdom, have not created a customs code for domestic removals so the remover can't input a customs manifest. Joined up thinking. Anyway various bits of unspecified pottering will be done today. Then wecare going to some friends innthe village for socially distanced carols in the garden with Beth providing the music on her guitar. It has to be earlyish so that we can be home before curfew. The morning will be brightened up soon by our weekly video chat with Emily and her mums. Regards to all. Jamie