Stockton and Darlington Railway Coach No.179 - Market Day Class. [1850]
{according to the North Eastern Record Vol2 published 1997, S&D 179 was built in 1867 and resided at Hackworth Museum, Shildon}
We have been commissioned to restore the Forcett Coach for (periodical rather than regular) operation on the Pockerley Waggonway at Beamish Museum.
This carriage has had an interesting career with various changes of ownership and location.
[summary : Built Darlington - 1850 [1867] Withdrawn 1884 and sold by NER to Forcett Limestone Company. York Museum: Beamish 1960s: restored BREL Shildon 1975 but then suffered by being used & stored outside at Beamish. Moved to Hackworth Museum, Shildon & then Locomotion [NRM]. LNER livery, interior & exterior: may not resemble the original {yes it does, SRR found evidence}. Rain-strips/gutter lost, when roof re-covered ? By 02/12 under restoration at Stanegate Restorations & Replicas, Haltwhistle. Returned to Beamish 04/13 and now at the Pockerley Waggonway for final mechanical overhaul work, followed by lettering and numbering. ? Still waiting ? 2021 ?]
www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=915
Initially, we surveyed the coach at Locomotion and wrote a restoration proposal which was accepted.
After the coach was delivered to Haltwhistle further assessments were made, as the first stage of dismantling to begin the restoration.
We have begun by painting the interior parts of the underframe, the wheels and brake gear.
Whilst some replacement timber is being obtained, the team are refurbishing the doors. Having finished most of the work related to the doors (except the internal panels) the team's efforts are now concentrated on the sections of the bodyside framework. This involved some attempts to straighten out twists in the framework, probably from a derailment. The work on the sides has proceeded to their installation, and attention has now turned to the ends.
There are some further repairs in progress to the main timbers bracing the end panels.
As there are some large iron brackets on the coach ends some more de-rusting and painting will be in progress shortly.
Work has progressed to dry-fitting the panelling, which will be scumbled, inside & out - with two different styles, and replacing three of the roof-sticks.
Hanging the doors has been underway, and is now finished. The running boards have been receiving some attention, including painting, and have been test / re - fitted.
The floor has been fitted, and the inside of the roof has been painted.
At some point, probably at the start of the previous (unfinished) refurbishment and before display at Locomotion, the Forcett coach lost the gutters. On the basis of some historical images we have made replacements and these have now been fitted.
The last construction job has been rebuilding the seats, dry fitting has been completed and final fitting will follow the scumbling, and is now in progress. Now, we can get on with the painting........and scumbling......and glazing as the last job! The base coats are now applied, final checks then on with the fancy stuff - scumbling, having done the planks off the coach, we have now installed them. After copious coats of protective varnish. The green paint for the ironworks & accents are now completed.
The safety glass has been obtained and re-glazing has now been finished.
The carriage was due to be collected on the 10th April 2013, but owing to the "delightful weather" will now travel back to Beamish on the 17th April 2013.
A few images of the move have been uploaded, and some views of the coach back at Beamish have been added (Thanks for the permission to use them!).
(This set had 1,434 views on F****r by June 2013)
Stockton and Darlington Railway Coach No.179 - Market Day Class. [1850]
{according to the North Eastern Record Vol2 published 1997, S&D 179 was built in 1867 and resided at Hackworth Museum, Shildon}
We have been commissioned to restore the Forcett Coach for (periodical rather than regular) operation on the Pockerley Waggonway at Beamish Museum.
This carriage has had an interesting career with …
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