Brake van No.951920 overhaul

The work was carried out in several stages, starting in January 2018.

The first stage was to clean and repaint the underframe (Fig. 1)

Once the underframe was cleaned and repainted, we could make a start on replacing the rotten wood. The main timbers of the van were originally mahogany, a timber much used in carriage construction because of its straight grain and freedom from knots. It is also much easier to work than teak. However, by 2018, many of the timbers were suffering from severe rot and needed replacement. Mahogany was not an option for us so we used Douglas Fir instead.

The replacement was carried out in four phases: South End, South End Veranda, North End and North End Veranda. 

Figure 2 shows the South End with the cross member and uprights removed Both uprights and the cross member needed replacing and Figure 3 shows the replacement cross member. With the South End repaired, we could move onto the South End Veranda. Once again, the timbers were in poor condition needed replacement. Figure 4 shows the replacement timbers and Figure 5 shows them reassembled. Figure 6 shows the South End restoration nearing completion.

With the South End complete, the Brake Van was returned to service for a few months until we were ready to undertake the repairs to the North End.For convenience, we carried out the restoration of the North End and the North End Veranda at the same time. Figure 7 shows the North End disassembled. On the right hand side you can see distortion caused by corrosion to the solebar. This could not be removed, so a replacement side member had to be cut to fit around it. Figure 8 shows the condition of one of the original cross members. 

Figure 9 shows some of the replacement timbers for the North End. These were all cut from Douglas fir using the the machines in the Wood Shop – a bandsaw, table saw and a planer/thicknesser. Mortices were cut with a router and the squared up using chisels.

Figure 10 shows the North End re-assembled and awaiting replacement panels.

We also took this opportunity to replace the floor of the van, which had also rotted in several places, and to replace some of the planking to the inside of the van, see Figure 11.

With the wood work completed, the van was off to the paint shop for a complete repaint. Figure 12 shows some of the extensive work required.

At some time in the past, the van roof had been repaired with fibreglass. This was showing signs of pin holing so we painted with a glass fibre reinforced sealer.

Finally, Figure 13 shows the brake van completed and back in service.  

30th Anniversary Gala 

In July 2021 the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association hosted the Railway’s 30th Anniversary Gala which saw two visiting locomotives come to the railway for a short staycation. With steaming fees and transport costs to be covered, the hiring of visiting steam locomotives is not cheap. Along with everything else that goes with organising a big event, we need donations in order to host events like our 30th Anniversary Gala again in the future.

Next Wagon Overhaul Project 

The NTSRA is looking to raise funds to overhaul the four-wheel flat wagon No.ZV 733728 as well as the former 5 ton General Goods Container and combine the two to replicate a British Railway’s Conflat wagon. Both the wagon and the container body require extensive bodywork and mechanical repairs to allow another important part of railway history to be recreated at the North Tyneside Steam Railway.

Consett Number 10‘s New Batteries

A huge thank you to everyone who donated to help Consett No.10! Your support made it possible for the locomotive to run for our Rail200 event this year, and your contributions directly funded the replacement of her batteries—bringing the massive Mirlees Blackstone engine back to life.

No. 10 remains a rare and fascinating sight on the rails. Because she’s seldom used, our dedicated volunteers were able to take her into the main workshop for a full re-wire and overhaul. With the new batteries in place, she’s ready for action, and the next stage will be a cosmetic overhaul and ongoing maintenance to ensure No.10 stays in top condition and continues to delight visitors for years to come.

Every donation, large or small, helps preserve this unique piece of rail history—thank you for keeping No.10 running!