These funds will be held by the Bluebell Railway Trust
(Charity Registration No. 292497) and procedures and controls lie
within that arrangement to ensure that funds are properly
accounted for and spent. Your donations towards this scheme will
be most welcome; reports will be available on this web page and
in Bluebell News to keep you appraised.
The project is headed by Roger Barton and Chris Hunford. The crane
is at present standing in a siding in the West (Up) Yard at Horsted Keynes.
June 2013
The 9F Club and other volunteers have pressure-washed, primed,
undercoated and top-coated in black the west side of the main
crane carriage. At present, volunteers are not allowed to "work
at height" so work is generally limited to that which can be
carried out from ground level. The yellow-painted items are the
rear two of the four outriggers which give the crane additional
stability when lifting. One slides out on each side. (Roger
Barton)
The east side of the leading Stokes weight-relieving bogie and
jib runner vehicle. Once again, the 9F Club and other volunteers
have pressure-washed, primed and undercoated the under frames.
The main structure is in black top-coat while the headstocks are
in red undercoat. One of the handwheels controls the handbrake
while the other controls the weight-spreading mechanism which
reduces the axle loading of the main carriage when travelling to
and from site. The weight-relieving bogie was invented by
Ransomes and Rapier in 1904. (Roger Barton)
The east side of the crane with the headstocks now in red
top-coat. The far (rear) Stokes bogie, which carries a water
tank, was overhauled in 1998. (Roger Barton)
Another view of the east side of the crane. (Roger Barton)
September 2012
The 9F Club during one of their regular working days on the
crane. Neil Cameron has pressure-washed an area of framework
prior to their arrival and the Club members then focus on further
cleaning/scraping and the application of primer. (Steve
Booth)
Project Launch - April 2012
This new
group hopes ultimately to return the crane to full working order,
but we plan first to restore its looks and fabric, and made it a
reliable, rolling exhibit well presented in an appropriate colour
scheme with its fabric intact and in working condition, together
with interpretation and history boards, explanatory leaflets and
a website presence.
The first step was for the steam crane to move from Kingscote
to Horsted Keynes to facilitate the overhaul, and this was
achieved on 21 February 2012, as seen in Mike Hopps photo on the
right.
Chris Hunford, Bluebell Loco Driver and BRPS Trustee, and Neil
Cameron, from the original restoration team dating back to 1981,
will work together to establish a safe working area into which
volunteers will be welcomed, set up base, and set about the task
described above, and also survey the crane for a possible later
return to full working order. Fundraising of £25k will
fully fund this preliminary activity.
We have at present minimal equipment, so more will need to be
purchased, and improvements made to the area around the crane's
location at Horsted Keynes. At this time it is anticipated that
more than half this amount will be donated privately within a
year; the balance will need to come from fundraising, so all
contributions are most welcome.
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