Practical Engineering Courses

 

A number of internal training courses are now being prepared, these include the safe use of  Plant and Machinery, and a site Strimming team has been set up and trained to control vegetation around the museum’s grounds. More varied courses are hopefully being offered in due course.

Suggestions have been made  to in future cover welding basics, the use of workshop machines  and in this way skills could be passed to volunteers. There is an open invitation for those with those engineering skills to create learning opportunities , if you feel that’s something you can do, please contact HOD’s.

Brake cylinder operation and repair

One such training course  was run on Sunday 8th August by Brendan Sothcott, leading a practical day to strip, repair, reassemble and test a Brake Cylinder. It was run as  a trial; this being the first of a series of events  gaining experience of using the tools and workshop facilities available at Chappel.

Handouts supplied  explained how railway equipment must fail safe and have some form of redundancy, so even a “Wrong side failure” that is an unsafe condition – is mitigated by having a back-up. It was interesting to note how much force is applied by brakes. Mark 1 coaches using a  21-inch diameter brake cylinder,  produces 1.584 tons of force, this is generated by the application of atmospheric pressure over a large area of 346 square inches in the brake cylinder.

These photos taken by Vic Potts a participant  on this course  features other attendees Chelsea Wagland, Aimee Archer and Phil Ainsley.

 The first top picture - shows both an inner piston (on the distant blue hydraulic trolley),  and its outer casing painted black, being cleaned out. Normally a piston will be  inside it’s outer casing and not seen, where the complete assembly is normally seen inverted fitted under a vehicle’s frame.

 

Middle  picture - a piston is descending into the outer vacuum brake casing. A most unusual feature is the use of talcum powder being applied inside  (French chalk being an official workshop ingredient) lubricating -  without oil or grease which would perish rubber seals -  the void between the two to stop it binding on the way down.

 

Bottom picture - Finally reassembled, the brake cylinder is tested with a Vacuum gauge  creating 19” of Vacuum -  which when destroyed drops the piston and its actuating rod down -  applying the braking force via brake rigging.

 

Brendan also had the team clean threads with Die nuts and demonstrated the use of a micrometre, and introduced us to the Roebuck Zeus Precision Data Book.

Here are some examples of the course material supplied, if you would like a copy please ask and they can be forwarded on.  

“Yesterday’s news - tomorrow’s chip papers”, the value of Scrapbooks

 

In this technical world where so much recording  is done electronically, it is easy to overlook how paper documents hold information. While some historical records are held in archives, most paper sources  are disposed of quite quickly. An expression  “Yesterday’s news  -  are tomorrow’s chip paper”, may in time become confusing to future generations. Many younger people may have never eaten fish and chips wrapped in newsprint ,or even read news on paper. Old newspapers especially local ones, contain an important part of  the historical record, few are kept, or even more rarely held in the form of a scrapbook.

Circulation of newspapers has declined significantly, to pick out history from scrapbooks will become increasing rare. However, one such example has come to my attention, following a conversation with Rod Terry our volunteer electrician. He kindly loaned me for a while his family heirloom, a collection of cuttings, which are reproduced in photographs here.

These were compiled by his mother, Mrs Terry’s scrapbook records both stories about the Marks Tey to Sudbury railway and  the newly built Marks Tey and Stanway bypass (A12 road). These date from the1969 to 1971 period. On the right a view in the vicinity of Marks Tey station, the old station building was still there and major earthworks in progress.

These reports show changing times in local transport, a headline “Railway Line Reprieved” dated from 1969 reports the branch line should be retained for five years ( to about 1975). Foresight is seen as it suggests that passenger traffic might grow with the expansion of Sudbury as a town, partly because of a Town development scheme was in progress. This was also known as a London Overspill scheme to give is unloved unofficial name, promoted by the Greater London Council. This and others reports in the museum’s newspaper collection, shows the debate at the time to retain the Sudbury to Marks Tey line. 

The London “Overspill scheme” is a topic worthy of revisiting in another Chappel News, it affected towns such as Haverhill, Bury St Edmunds, Braintree, Witham, Thetford, Huntingdon, and as designated new towns Basildon and Harlow as well. 

Within the scrapbook was a genuinely rare  find,  loosely contained within it was government letter from June 1972 - which talks of a limited financial subsidy so delaying a potential of closure of the Marks Tey to Sudbury branch line. Treats of closure only really faded the 1973 an oil and petrol crisis in 1973 when it was thought more people would have to use trains as a result!  

A final academic study suggesting conversion of railways to busways report in 1976, actually studied the line and will feature in a separate article in future.(The better use of railways/ University of Reading  Geographical papers p51-56.)

Of course all this uncertainty was the catalyst to the formation of the former SVRPS (Stour Valley Railway Preservation Society),  on which the whole museum site has subsequently  been built, the  January 11th 1971 article below suggests running trains between Chappel and Bures. 

(Photo 2) 

Political uncertainty is highlighted in this press cuttings and Government announcement  (Photo 3)

Photo 4: An article on the branch line  from June 1969 featuring local people, including Mrs Nash ,using the service and a Cravens DMU in corporate Rail Blue livery passing Chappel main signal box.

Photo 5: Colchester North where a giant steel girder is being driven away from the station destined for the Motts Bridge near the Spring Lane intersection.

The occasional mishaps can occur in construction; a lorry stuck under the bridge would be a social media posting today.

Photo 6: Aerial views of the road when completed

 At the top the Spring Lane intersection looking South West it was opened for traffic on February 3rd 1971, ( An extension of the Colchester North bypass taking  A12 away from the town was built later).

Below that,  Tollgate intersection on the A12 seen looking south –east  from Eight Ash Green.

 A smaller roundabout at the end of Essex Yeomanry Way in the far  distance. GEML railway passing left to right in the middle. A  view today would contain a large Sainsburys superstore and associated new housing developments towards the top right

To conclude this story, my thoughts return to the idea of a scrapbook, maybe as paper is now only one of  medium of choice of choice for news, is a  blog  a modern equivalent?  While social media can capture thoughts at a point on time-  it is not edited or presented to tell a story. 

Scottish Connections

 

When running a tour as a guide, often people visiting tell us of surprising things about the railway or ask questions that will lead through research to new discoveries. A recent tour I gave for guests of our President Sir Bob Russell, was one such occasion. It prompted a glimpse of living railway history; from a retired farmer who lives locally. He recalled that a family descendent  from Scotland  came to live this way 90 years or so ago bringing with him with cattle from his old farm all transported by rail.

Sir Bob himself has Scottish farming  ancestors, I was told there were in fact many Scottish farming descendants in Essex and across the border in Suffolk.   I then enquired of my own farming acquaintance; he too had a great grandfather that moved to Essex with a herd from Kilmarnock.  Some research followed and then found Essex lands at the time were often abandoned as scrub land, partly as the soil itself being composed of  heavy clay and therefore was so difficult to work.

During the late Victorian period  there was a rising demand for milk from the rising  London population it was ideal to start  dairy farming as an alternative to arable crops. This was seen as  a profitable exercise by the canny Scots. Transporting milk as was something the Great Eastern railway was also pleased to develop, maybe using some of the 17-gallon churns we exhibit  on Platform 3, which in times past was the original Cattle Dock at Chappel.

Scottish connections can also made between between Essex and Ayrshire farmers  -with  Kilmarnock in particular. At The  museum there are  examples of  another  Scottish heritage , for the product of the Andrew Barclay locomotive works in the form of both steam locomotive No.11, also John Peel, diesel  a locomotive built in Scotland and supplied with a Colchester diesel engine!

Social historians have also picked up on this exodus from Scotland, it is further  described in this web link and in further detail another link within that posting.

http://historyhouse.co.uk/articles/scotchcolony.html

By reference to a rail industry calculator, to find  the distance by rail from Kilmarnock to Colchester. it's 414 miles and 74 chains; chains being  a quaint old measure still used in the railway industry being 22 yards in length, that of a surveyor’s chain-linked chain. Such a move could still follow a traditional  route via Dumfries Carlisle, Settle and Carlisle line, Doncaster, Peterborough. Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.

Knowing the distance , then rates can be applied to approximate what such a move might cost. While can’t tell you the rates back in the 19th century, but I know per archive does hold Goods paperwork from Takeley, there is a mileage  book from those times, maybe a 19th century rate book may surface to more precisely take us back to the rates paid at the time.

In the booking office we display a copy of the 1957 rates manual which was published in ready reckoner fashion and pictured here. Every type of merchandise is listed in great detail, including our tour guides favourite examples, rates for elephants, and sea lions. For transporting 411 miles there is a rate published of £70 12s 10d. 

Decimal currency was brought into use 50 years ago in 1971, so it gave me  a reason to work in a pre-decimal calculation to work in Pounds, shillings and old pence. Referring our our rate book in 1957 the cost can be calculated at  £918 for the farmer  transporting 60 cattle. Using  an internet inflation checker, that equates to  £2070 in today’s money. What it actually cost the railway, in building and maintaining rolling stock,  marshalling the wagons together ,transport the animals then adding  labour to load and unload, possibly watering  feeding on route of course is incalculable.

It is also so incredulous that railways were for decades duty bound by law to accept any traffic offered, and  having published rates also meant the competition could always undercut their prices to take business. Finally, the Transport Act of 1962 took away that obligation, taking  many freights flows  off the railway. Livestock facilities such as  cattle docks were then immediately withdrawn from 2493 stations down to just 282 in that year. When cattle traffic itself ceased locally we don’t know but tall freight traffic had ceased at Chappel and Wakes Colne by 1963. From 1968 only the livestock traffic was that transporting Irish cattle which itself ended in 1975. Finally of course we have one of only three 12 ton Cattle wagons preserved which runs in our demonstration freight train.

 

 

It’s blooming freezing in here…

 

One of the pleasures of working at Chappel is the unexpected. Work started recently by Team Wednesday on what is believed to be Luggage Composite 247 of 1888. I am indebted Tony Foster who has found an iron bracket stamped GER, that we expected; and  secondly old painted coach number 63395 - that was unexpected -  but thought to be a door from another vehicle after checks were made to the Vintage Carriage Register.

Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey Project (rhrp.org.uk)

As work progressed a pile of old newspaper cuttings was found, very fragile but just legible, some fragments have been photographed. A Sunday Pictorial February 4^th 1947 shows an American  celebrity couple, in a fashionable pose for the time.

Also found was advertising for Butlins in summer 1947 – which as you will see was rather enticing at the time .

 Even more degraded was part of a Farmers Weekly of January 10^th  - it shows under the headline “Four Lincs Farmers Fined £1200”an inexpertly high file for farmers growing banned crops of Canary Seeds . Many serious offences occur today at a lesser fine, and in the same paper “Control of Bird Seed Crops” was reported. I suppose they preferred crop production for human consumption, I guess.

Finally, the subject of his article .  “ It’s blooming freezing in here…” Rolled up in 1947 and discovered in 2021 in a pile of yellowing  fragile newsprint, from the winter of 1947. Could it be that a farmer was travelling in the coach, found a draught and eliminated it with the newspapers? Can’t be sure about that – but it is one possibility.

Winter 1947 was cruel; the Rivers Chelmer and Cam froze in Chelmsford. Ice floes on the Crouch, snow drifts aplenty. What is known that in Writtle on  January 18^th it was  -5d egress F or – 20degrees C. During February for a fortnight, day and night temperatures never rose beyond freezing point.

The Daily Mirror of February 10^th showed a chilling scene on a canal at Walsall

So, these crumped papers could have been an early attempt at insulation, it reminds us how changeable the weather can be, apparently the following summer was a splendid one ! 

Welcome to Liz Larvor, new Trustee and Secretary

 

Welcome to Liz Larvor, new Trustee and Secretary

I’ve been a member at EARM since 2016 now, I’ve always had an interest in helping the organisation in any way that I can. From photography, to getting my hands filthy on the odd occasion in the resto shed. In more recent years I’ve assisted the board of trustees with administrative tasks and acting as N7 trustee liaison as part of the restoration project. Using my background in audit risk management I’ve challenged the way we do things and I’d like to think that I’ve bought about some changes

At the May trustees meeting I was co-opted in as trustee to take over from Mike Stanbury as Museum Secretary, along with taking on some of the marketing responsibilities from Mark Cornell. I look forward to seeing where the museum goes in the future.

As Liz takes on new responsibilities, the long service given by Mike Stanbury must be recorded. To record Board decisions at meetings is the prime responsibility of a secretary, these must now number in the hundreds over decades in the past. At times it may be pleasurable to record a year of good progress, but at other times more challenging replies have been composed for AGMs and other bodies needing annual reports. Less welcome would-be official notifications to the museum of a legal kind from authorities, as Secretary these have received and responded to. 

Mike looking back is particularly pleased to receive acknowledgement from the former Railway Inspectorate, on the quality of his response when an Exemption to railway safety case working was being progressed, these apply to smaller preserved railways.  Mike has served the museum admirably and his retirement from these responsibilities goes with thanks, as it truly well deserved, from the museum membership.

Restoration of the N7 locomotive continues.

 

Restoration of the N7 locomotive continues.

On Wednesday 30^th June, the boiler was transported away to Heritage Boiler Steam Services Ltd of Huyton Liverpool for ongoing examination and eventual overhaul. It is currently funded to continue exploratory works using Restricted funds provided for this purpose in a previously received large bequest.

In a contract between the company and museum, there is reportedly a (editors’ terminology) “stop and wait provision” should funds be near exhaustion then work can stop. This is important, in this way there is no full liability to complete work in one continuous operation, thus avoid incurring further expenditure not covered by fundraising.

In this way further fundraising can proceed better knowing of its condition, progress and therefore a refined estimate of costs. All boiler work comes with a degree of uncertainty, boilers vary in their condition and how they respond to “treatment”. Our Chappel N7 locomotive team have done the necessary preparation works, so the success of this project dwells principally on the contractor and fundraising to perform well. A new 52-page publication “69621 – Star of the Jazz”, is on sale from the VRC. It details the locomotive class history, details of restoration of the locomotive and its current condition as has been sent away for specialist boiler attention.

A number of other locomotive restoration projects are also being progressed by the company, a new website exists to show all current projects and the skills employed on their web site.

https://heritageboilersteamservices.co.uk/projects

A short video introduces you to the team at Heritage Boilers who will be working on the boiler.

H B Staff video

Liz Larvor, has set up a web promoted fundraising appeal that has now been launched on the museum’s. Like others before, the appeal for funds splits the task into smaller manageable pieces. In this way £100K can potentially be raised through smaller individual donations.

Currently advertised opportunities to sponsor a ‘Copper Stay’ for £35 (800 available), a ‘Crown Stay’ for £50 (100 available), a ‘Smoke Tube’ for £60 (134 available) and a ‘Flue Tube’ for £680 of which 18 are available, inclusive of a complimentary ‘Half Day Driver Experience’ course on the locomotive. Alternatively, a “General N7 Donation” option is given, of any amount can be made.

Monies can be collected in a number of ways, directly from the museum’s website   posting a cheque to the museum or by arrangement a bank transfer.

N7 Restoration Appeal

This appeal is now been circulated to press and web news outlets. Regular updates on the restoration progress is to be submitted to the Board of Trustees, when possible copied in Chappel News too.

Museum department news July 2021

 

Museum department news July 2021

These notes are now compiled by a combination of Head of Department minutes compiled by Colin Burwood and social media posts (as this form of communication is becoming more dominant). It is not possible here to record all actions on site, so day to day reporting is best seen on the “WhatsApp” postings, these are seen by over 60 people. 

Estates & Plant

Norman Tenner and Robert Page are leading equipment training about strimmer use. Weed spraying equipment has been purchased and adapted to fit the tractor. Initially two people will be trained in how to use it. 

Richard Gourlay assisted by Aimee, Chelsea, Adam and Matthew have externally painted the south side of Gresley coach alongside Platform 6. It is known that the coach is to remain on site, what is not yet known its internal display space will be re-equipped with.

Proceeds from a second container of scrap metal raised a useful £716. A ride-on mower is now fully operational proving it’s worth with grass cutting in small areas and carrying equipment around the site using a trailer donated by Martin Gibbons.

For those with an interest in environmental items, a new “Heritage Rail Ecology” Facebook group has been set up, with several EARM members contributing. To help manage cuttings made from pruning and weeding activities around site, new composting bins have been provided. 

Team Wednesday 

All credit to the team, with not one but two completed projects! TW are happily back to near full strength and they have proven themselves ready for new challenges. Being quite expert at removing and re-purposing buildings, the former B1 building is now stripped ready for removal. This is required to accommodate the new Exhibition Hall (CN82 /Aug2020). Taken into stock is a large quantity of timber and insulation material. 

Completion of their second project, was re-roofing and repairs to the infrastructure workshop (PW and S&T), formerly MiniRail loco shed. 

TW are now starting their next big project, to use what can be salvaged from the Luggage Composite coach of 1888, to be the face of a Viaduct pub extension. Tim Rice has prepared a virtual illustration of what may be possible. It is expected to have a "new build" back, and have the facade at best endeavours with what material is salvaged.

 

Carriages & Wagon

Work on the BCK is progressing and is expected to be ready for Thomas events at the end of August. A brake problem on the BS has been rectified which was difficult to isolate. Replacement flooring is being placed in the HiBar wagon, which is destined to be a wood store outside. 

Permanent Way 

A plan to tackle out of gauge track in the yard area is being put together by Andrew Cullum and others. This will involve significant excavation and replacing previously assembled track panels. Add to your diary November for major track-gang works - subject to confirmation from Operations.

Signalling

All equipment remains operational, with maintenance tasks and inspections being completed as and when due, the most notable being North Box, which has a full frame inspection and test.

Miniature railway 

A third and fourth new passenger coaches have been delivered, two borrowed from Barnards have now returned. Entrance gates for the station installed to regulate entry and exit of customers. Training and assessing of additional staff for driving and station duties is progressing.

Exhibition Hall works.

 

Exhibition Hall works

Preparatory works are in progress, requiring diversion of services, and Team Wednesday stripping down the former B1 building to its steel frame. A crane contractor will be called upon to move the frames southwards lower into the engineering field, to establish a covered place to store plant and machinery.

All drawings for the Exhibition Shed foundations, levels and steel work have been approved, the Council have passed a conditions document. Allan Robinson is progressing through Building Regulations with the architect.

Foundation work is planned  to start in August, for construction it is necessary to soon block off the current staff car park for which new barrier signage is to be provided.

Contractors are expected to erect the steel frame and roofing in late October. Internal fit-out works are yet to be planned and progressed by the museum, as finance and labour permits. 

Events Feedback ( late May to July 2021)

 

Events Feedback ( late May to July 2021)

May saw the return of the Transport Event taking place over the Spring Bank holiday weekend, this event is now well established with a significant input by the Cornell family.  Andrea was kept busy keeping contact with the various clubs. Admission figures were good, with 220 visitors in Saturday, 270 Sunday and 348 on the Bank holiday.

A very successful “Home Fleet Diesel Gala” took place on Sunday 18th July 2021. It featured principally the launch into public service Waggon und Maschinenbau (W&M) Railbus E79963

Pre-event Facebook publicity was prepared for the event by Neil Temlett , Craig Greenslade is helping us the museum with video promotions

https://www.facebook.com/earailwaymuseum

A post recently added also included a non-railway story, the rescue of a cat outside the museum, its a lively 

forum which  6,648 people follow !  

A comprehensive booklet was produced for the event by Jack Plumb, a portion of which is re-produced above, highlighting the fleet of six and during the day its more complex movements. Over 170 people enjoyed a ride in the Railbus that worked perfectly. It’s trials and tribulations during restoration have featured many times in Stour Valley Steam, within editions 152, 156, 164 and 168.

During its first public outing it was an extremely hot day and driving at the control desk gave new meaning to the term “hot desking”. It is yet to be found out what it's like in colder weather; as it is a four-wheeled vehicle a greater level of care will have to be taken during times of poor weather with reduced rail adhesion.

Museum Opening - post lockdown arrangements

 

Museum Opening - post lockdown arrangements

The Museum 

Is now open on Wednesdays and the weekends over the summer, with events already planned. Consideration is being given to opening on further days during August. 

Darren Johnson has produced 1000 advertising flyers, sponsored by Martin Gibbons. Members are distributing at hotels, B&Bs and, caravan sites in the area, further flyer leaflets will be produced when events are confirmed. Volunteers will need to exercise their own judgement regarding mask wearing and social distancing whilst working on site.

Days out with Thomas

Will be held Saturday 28th to Monday 30th August; after a significant amount of effort by the engineering teams to get locomotives and carriages with fit to run confirmation.

Braintree & Halstead Model Railway Club 

Are now re-opening for club nights, and their display room after having to stay shut for over 15 months. For the diesel gala their Lymswold display featured a W&M Railbus and class 04, adding some interest for children. 

Small Trains Day will be held on the Sunday10^th October.  [ not the 18th October ] 

News on current projects is posted on a separate web site Braintree & Halstead MRC

EARM promoted Beer Festival from 7^th to 11^th September

Brendan Sothcott reports it has been planned to hold a smaller. Currently there are sadly still uncertainties, which results in a 75% chance of operating. Restrictions will apply, the main ones are:  Admission by advanced ticket sale only, two sessions are run daily (except Tuesday), entry from 11:00 to 17:30 and second session 17:30 to 23:00. Beers served in Goods Shed – the consumption of beers has to be outside.

Beer Choice will be reduced to about 100 beers and many ciders.  A smaller range of food offerings, Vegetarian and Vegan options are offered, but these do sell out early. There will be no bands playing or public camping, nor can children and animals be welcomed this time around.

 

 Please keep browsing for updates: chappelbeerfestival.org.uk