Ltec journal Feb 15

The Journal of

The Lancashire Traction Engine Club

February ‘15 www.lancashiretec.co.uk www.facebook.com/LancashireTEC

NEWS Lymm Historic Transport Day Chris Adamson, our own member and Steam Secretary for the Lymm Historic Transport Day, joined us for a recent committee meeting to offer a proposal to the LTEC committee.

The LHTD committee were fully behind expanding the steam section and, since our last journal, Chris has accepted entries from 15 full size engines and been able to confirm that the steam section is welcome for both days of the weekend.

Saturday 27th June will be a steam party in Henry Street car park, Lymm while, on Sunday 28th June, the Transport day itself, there will be a street parade, including engines, plus engines placed in strategic places around the town.

LHTD had already committed to putting up the money for half of the coal requirement, plus half of the appearance money, and asked LTEC if we would be interested in putting up the other half. In exchange we will get full recognition in all the Day’s programmes plus all other publicity.

Currently all profits from gate takings at the event are retained for running the next year’s event but, since the event

is only in its third year, and has grown rapidly from its beginnings, it is hoped that, if the club retain its association with the event, we will see some return on our outlay in coming years.

It must be remembered that, in the club’s charity status statement it states that we exist ‘To advance the education of the public by maintaining interest in historic mechanically propelled vehicles and other historic machinery’.

Since the end of May Day Steam, it is questionable whether we have done this. This opportunity was seen by the committee to be an excellent way to fulfilled that requirement and we have every reason to believe the day will be a great success.

NEWS Recent meetings The December meeting was supposed to be the Christmas Quiz and Photographic competition but, unfortunately, Richard, who normally brings our projector, was unable to attend.

Not to be put off, Jonathan, the winner of last year’s quiz, thought on his feet and, with a few quick checks to Wikipedia, managed to present his quiz anyway.

30 fiendish questions on all aspects of transport preservation (plus a couple of other subjects thrown in for good measure). The winner, and therefore presenter of next year’s quiz, was Peter Flitcroft.

The photographic competition did have to be abandoned though and held over to

the January meeting. The winner of that competition is the shot seen on the cover of Richard Straughan’s DG8 Sentinel Steam waggon, making much smoke in the quiet town of Milnthorpe, Cumbria.

The photo was taken by myself.

Future meetings Don’t forget the March meeting will be on March 1st and is the AGM. Full agenda and minutes are included herewith.

Apologies, if you can’t make that meeting, can be sent by any attending member or through any committee member using the contact information on the back cover.

Hot Pot supper will be served immediately after the meeting.

annual general meeting Notice is hereby given that the thirty-fourth Annual General Meeting of the Company will take place at the Flixton Conservative Club, Chassen Road, Flixton, on Sunday 1st March 2015, commencing at 8:00pm prompt.

AGENDA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Apologies for absence Approval of the minutes of the thirty-second AGM, held 2nd March 2014 Matters Arising Chairman’s Statement Receive and adopt accounts for period ending 30th November 2014 Resignations of Directors Election of President Appoint Directors Appoint and determine remuneration of Auditors Annual Subscription Annual awards Any other business

By Order of the Board On behalf of Mr M Priestner Company Secretary To be followed by Hot Pot Supper.

2nd February ‘15 Apologies for absence should be directed to the General Secretary, Neil Carney - 01204 304506, or any other member attending the meeting. **Please remember, Subs become due on AGM night.

Please fill in the renewal slip enclosed herewith, before the meeting. Thank You.**

APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS OF LANCASHIRE TRACTION ENGINE CLUB In connection with item 8 of the AGM agenda, members are notified that the following Directors retire by rotation: Mrs H Bregazzi

Mr R Fairhurst

Mr G Coles All are offering themselves for re-appointment.

There are a small number of vancancies on the board of Directors.

Any member wishing to put him or herself forward, or to nominate another as a Director, should approach the General Secretary, Mr N Carney, 2 Catterall Crescent, Bradshaw, Bolton in advance of the meeting if possible. Both nominator and nominee should then make every effort to attend the AGM meeting.

minutes of the 33RD annual general meeting of the lancashire traction engine club held on 2ND march 2014 at Flixton Conservative Club PRESENT Mr G Coles, Mr N Carney, Mr P Flitcroft, Mrs H Bregazzi, Mr A Fisher, Mr R Fairhurst, Miss D Carney, Mr M Hartley and 15 members.

APOLOGIES Mrs B Fitter, Mr H Sanders, Mr M Clarke, Mr C Hearsey, Mr J Heselwood.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the32nd AGM were circulated.

Acceptance was proposed by Mr R Fairhurst, seconded by Mrs F Carney.

MATTERS ARISING None.

CHAIRMANS STATEMENT Read by Mr G Coles ACCOUNTS These were presented by Mr P Flitcroft.The bank had been slow in processing the change of signatures and lost them once.Mr Flitcroft had complained and the bank paid LTEC ÂŁ160 in compensation.The accounts were proposed to be accepted by Mr G Johnson seconded by Mrs H Bregazzi.

RESIGNATIONS Mr H Sanders wished to step down due to ill health. Mr M Hartley also wished to retire.

ELECTION OF PRESIDENT Mrs Fitter was re-elected by unanimous vote.

APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS All those retiring by rotation were re elected AUDITORS To Stay the same proposed

by Mr P F litcroft seconded By Miss D Carney. All were in favour.

SUBSCRIPTION This to stay the same.

Proposed by Mr P Flitcroft Seconded Mr A Hickson. All were in favour.

A vote of thanks was given to Mr A Fisher for sorting the membership subscriptions out.

ANNUAL AWARDS The Geoff Ludford trophy was awarded to Mr A Fisher.

The A Wilkinson trophy was not awarded ANY OTHER BUSINESS Mr P Flitcroft asked for entries to the Lymn festival on 29/6/14 and explained what it was about.

Mr N Carney asked for any suggestion for speakers.

Meeting closed at 9:05pm followed by hot pot supper.

Heritage Lottery Funds for Steam Tug Kerne

By Paul Kirkbride Members of the Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society in partnership with the North Western Steamship Co were delighted to recently receive news of a lottery grant of ÂŁ85,200 to repair the hull of the popular local steam tug.

This award was the culmination of much hard work by a group of the trust members to both write conservation and repair plan and undertake the not inconsiderable task of applying for lottery funding.

In preservation, the Kerne has operated from Merseyside for the last 43 years and in most respects is in very good condition. Some years ago whilst on the slipway at Ramsey, Isle of Man, doubler plates were welded to the hull under the boiler room area. Whilst these have not given any trouble, of late it was felt that due to these older repairs and also concerns over degradation of hull frames in the boiler room of the vessel, it was wiser to restrict the tug to inland waters. The forthcoming repairs, funded by the lottery grant, funds on hand and

anonymous benefactors, will enable Kerne to resume its popular display and presentational activities and again do coastal hops to attend maritime gatherings in the North West of Britain.

The last steaming of this shortened 2014 season was undertaken on the 3rd August with a trip from Runcorn via Ellesmere Port to Sandon Dock, Liverpool. As soon as the boiler had cooled down a major three month plan of volunteer work swung into action aboard the tug. This began with the annual boiler strip down and clean followed by the heavy task of de bunkering the tug of between 7 and 9 tonnes of coal. Not an easy task, but helped somewhat by the rigging of a 240 volt electric winch mounted on a scaffolding frame to hoist buckets of coal from the boiler room to deck level. These were then carried ashore for storage in large bags. Another unpleasant task requiring full P.P.E. was the removal of the fibreglass boiler lagging. With a two day a week voluntary effort all the boiler valves were then removed together with every steam, water and bilge pipe in the boiler room. Firebars were also landed to join the other items in a shipping container bought to provide storage during the refit.

The wheelhouse was also stripped down to a basic shell.

The first 100% volunteer phase of the

work is now drawing to a close. The next move will be for Kerne to be towed by D Day veteran motor tug Seaport Alpha (T.I.D. 34 of 1943) to the Cammell Laird Wet Basin Birkenhead. There the boiler casing, together with the wheelhouse and funnel will be removed in one unit and placed ashore. The stripped down boiler is then to be lifted out to expose the area of hull requiring repair. The whole lightened tug will then be lifted out of the water. Once the doubler plates are removed the hull and boiler room shell plates will be ultra high pressure water blasted to fully expose the areas requiring repair. Any new frames or shell plates identified will then be replaced.

Whilst this is going on, it is planned that our volunteers will clean and paint the boiler shell, replace valve studs as required and the 1936 Admiralty built boiler will then be subject to a full 10 year inspection.

Once the shipyard work is completed and the tested and relagged boiler and casing are returned to the tug the volunteer tasks will go into overdrive again to refit everything stripped off the vessel prior to refit.

The very achievable goal is for Kerne to involve young people in the project and to be fully operational again for steaming not only locally but also through the Menai Straits to Portmadog by 2016.

engine notes

By George Coles After a very enjoyable Acton Bridge Steam Party that was well attended again this year, my Clayton is now laid up for the winter. The chimney has been removed and dismantled for the replacement of the brass top. The top was damaged when it hit an unknown object during the low loader trip to Slaidburn earlier in the season.

I was disappointed not to take part in the Boxing Day run this year. Following the Acton Bridge event I suffered an injury to my right arm and an illness which made it quite impossible to drive a steam engine. I decided to get the engine low loaded back to its winter quarters. I am indebted to Graham Morrison in this respect. I am pleased to say that both my arm and health are fully restored and I am looking forward to running the Clayton again in 2015.

The Boxing Day run was well supported by local engines and was a

very enjoyable day. ‘The Olde No3’ was, however, closed the first week in January and now has signs on it saying ‘To Let’.

After the end of the season David Lomas had a shock when the boiler inspector condemned both the firebox and the barrel of his Aveling roller. This was due to severe pitting and corrosion.

As David renewed both these items when he first purchased the engine, 25 years ago, it makes you wonder about the quality of modern boiler plate compared to the original plate which was used when the engines were first built. He tells me that he is well on with the job and the new boiler barrel is riveted on. He is now working on the foundation ring which needs to be re-profiled to its original shape. It was modified 25 years ago as the firebox fitted then was a welded one with “square” corners. The new one is now a welded box but with flanged end plates.

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Neil Carney

Aidan Fisher

Peter Flitcroft

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Neil Carney

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Whilst every care is taken that information contained herein is true, accurate and fair, the publisher, editor or the Lancashire Traction Engine Club Ltd cannot take any responsibility for events araising from the use of this information. Any statements or opinions given in the journal are not necessarily those of the publisher or the club.

There are vacancies on the committee. If you would like to offer your services to the club and join the committee, please make your thoughts known to a current committee member, who will bring it up at the next committee meeting.

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