On 15th June we used Jack’s Land Rover to haul the two prefabricated Y points out of Euroclydon tunnel, where they had been rusting away propped up against one side of the tunnel. Then on 22nd June Pat drove his Land Rover up from Devon, on the way collecting a 2 axle trailer from Chris at Old Sodbury. With a Tirfor winch the points were hauled onto the trailer and moved to Lea Bailey (the pressed steel sleepers of the…
On 18th September enlarging of the car park at Lea Bailey was completed. It looked enormous — an estimated 16 cars could comfortably be fitted in. Way too large, surely? But on Saturday 21st, it was full to overflowing, with at least 7 cars parked on the edge of the road. So the sales team on the stand at Alan Keef had obviously been very persuasive, helped no doubt by the flyer handed out to visitors to Alan Keef’s site….
For many years on a Saturday in the second half of September, the workshops of Alan Keef Limited at Lea Lines have been thrown open to the public. The Keef specialty is narrow gauge steam overhauls but they also do repairs, rebuilds, new construction, rolling stock and internal combustion locomotives — they have acquired the business and goodwill of Motor Rail (UK Simplex). This year the Open Day fell on 21st September and the evening before, some half-dozen of us…
We had been invited to be part of a road making demonstration at Welland Steam Rally on 26th – 28th July 2013. This involved our Simplex shuttling up and down a short length of temporary track hauling stone (from a steam-driven stone crusher) to the road head where a steam roller ‘did the business’. The Welland showground is a number of large fields in the lea of the Malvern Hills, a beautiful location with plenty of space for ‘working steam’ to go…
We have been invited to be part of a road making demonstration at Welland Steam Rally on 26th – 28th July 2013. This will involve our Simplex shuttling up and down a short length of temporary track hauling stone (from a steam-driven stone crusher) to the road head where a steam roller will ‘do the business’. Previously we collected some track panels to use on the occasion. On 23rd July 2013, we transferred the track, Simplex and wagons to Welland…
We have been invited to be part of a road making demonstration at Welland Steam Rally on 26th – 28th July 2013. This will involve our Simplex shuttling up and down a short length of temporary track hauling stone (from a steam-driven stone crusher) to the road head where a steam roller will ‘do the business’. For the occasion we have been offered the loan of some 40 metres of lightweight track which we have collected from a private railway…
On 22nd June 2013 we organised the move of a wagon from the south end of Hawthorns Tunnel, Drybrook to Lea Bailey. While not insubstantial, it was small enough to pull out with Jack’s Land Rover and mount on a trailer winched up by Pat’s Land Rover. Apart from the enforced diversion via Mitcheldean, everything went perfectly and you can also enjoy the proceedings in the video clip below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MiFdFNl9bk A second similar wagon followed the next day and once…
Ian Harrison’s truck made good speed to Lea Bailey and the minor items were unloaded first and shunted away by the Simplex. The Hunslet soon joined them and there was plenty of time to run it up and down and confirm, as expected, that it had no problems with the trackwork which had received considerable attention in the last few months. Special thanks again go to the Wrights at Clearwell who have entrusted first their MotorRail Simplex and now their…
On 8th April 2013 it was time to call Ian Harrison’s special lorry into action again. Our Hunslet mines locomotive was now in full working order and was loaded up first. We then squeezed in a rusty manrider, a hydraulic jack, part of a set of points and a small flat wagon to make the most of the opportunity. Once again, Ray Wright who had started the Lea Bailey project some years back was there to watch. Next: see what…
More correctly know as Hawthorns Tunnel, this 638 yard tunnel is normally securely locked at both ends to prevent casual access. We have been allowed special access to the tunnel to check on the long term possibility of running trains through it. I would say “again” but it apart from the odd engineering train it is almost as new and not smoke stained as normal. Under the pictures is an account of working in the tunnel more than 60 years…