WN37 - The two in one flugel - by Kerry Young

23 April 2007

This lot is going to be a squeeze this week too, as I have some snaps from the previous week as well as this week, so we'll have to see which ones are best to share...................

Starting with some from last week.................

Looks like the basis for the old Irish Joke. How many people does it take to service an MG set? Provide your own answer. I'm sure you know all the participants.

The Gangers hut that was away for rebuilding arrived up and here is Mike Lawson doing us a favour with his forklift, using rollers to move it off the ashphalt after unloading.

The rebuilding was carried out as an exercise by the Southern Institute of Technology and a fine job they did of it too. Many of you recall that it was one of two very sad huts on a bogie wagon and now I wonder if we can use the same facility for the second one?

Another bit of information regarding these huts came from our Keith Brown, who was involved with the construction of these at the Addington Railway workshops, as recently (?) as the 1950s. There were two main variations on the basic hut. One was known as a workmans/gangers hut or sleepout, the other (in lesser numbers), a bath hut. With the old copper type washing facility and a bath tub. There is a whole pile of story goes with these huts, but I will leave it at that, as Keith is in the process of writing a book on such things and I very much have no wish to steal his thunder. (I have already ordered my copy of the book though!)

My last picture from the previous week which I couldn't resist sharing. Sir Colin with two of the juniors left, Graham right and Mirthful Max at his shining best. Note the first coat of red on the carrige end too.

Now to this week............................

Part of todays events centered around work on the replacement MG set. Peter McKie seated, is actively in converstion with Mike Webb. In his left hand, is the brush holder ring from the generator end of the MG set. Mike has the bearing race for the armature in hand. How lucky we were with the weather!

Here is the reason for stripping this end to such a degree. Beside the threads on the shaft, is where the bearing sits, On the next shoulder is a very rough surface that has been tearing at a close fitting bore of the inside end retaining collar for the bearing. This we had to smooth out and also clean skim the bearing housing in the lathe.

On the way back, I encountered a railways discussion group in full swing. Led no doubt by Sir Colin. I like to hope that these younsters will remember how much they have learned from their knowledgeable mentor.

Looking down into the open air passenger 'L' wagon. We now see the shape of things to come.

Two of the juniors fitted up this rail tie down for the Midland crane. Missing for all the time I have been here, this ought to please the safety inspectors.

Graham has been making up this assembly (not yet complete) to go with the gates that they have made and now have been erected. More on this when it has been finished and placed.

Now for something for the bean and rivet counters, not to mention nameplate maniacs.........................

From the MG set.............

This from the generator end.

This from the motor end. I dedicate these last two shots to my good friends Johan C. and Ron W.

Now, there are some more pictures I definitely wish to share with you, but this file is getting long and besides which, they are special to many of us and I'd like to offer them in a package on their own. So until then, I'll leave you in pieces and I'll be back in a day or two. Cheers, 'K'.