Lea Bailey Light Railway

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 through its paces.

Previously we collected some track panels to use on the occasion and on 23rd July 2013, we transferred the track, Simplex and wagons to Welland in preparation for the event.  Rob Dickinson attended on the Saturday to make a record of the operation.

The demonstration was well organised and very popular with and appreciated by the visitors. The Ruston Proctor portable engine provided constant power for the WS Barron stone crusher. Unfortunately, although it had worked on Friday and would work again on Sunday, the Ruston Bucyrus crane was not operational and most of the stone was shifted using wheelbarrows, extremely hard work up hill in the warm sunshine. However, trains were run from time to time as can be seen, although it wasn’t much fun loading them!

Video Clips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZM96P137Qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WMIkNcIC-A

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 in preparation for the event. As usual transport was provided by Ian Harrison.

Once at Welland, we unloaded carefully, first was the wagon with the track. As the run was downhill to the crusher we installed our one set of buffers here and then connected a couple more track panels. There followed the Simplex and the tipper wagons and once the rail wagon was lifted onto the track we were in business.

It sounds quite simple propelling panels up and bolting them together but these were of the home made variety with welded steel plates holding the rails with irregular spacings and holes for the fishplates. It took several hours before the job was done and a test train could be run.

The final pictures show three of the prize exhibits for the show:

1. An Aveling and Porter 8 ton roller which will be used in our road making demonstration.
2. An unusual American traction engine – basically a converted portable.
3. A superb Foster showman’s engine.

Next: read about the event itself