Possibility of returning a NER locomotive to working order

[52D]

Last week i was working at the National Tramway Museum at Crich near Matlock, Derbyshire when it struck me that the working voltage for trams was the same as the Newcastle Quayside electrics ie 600v dc.
Do members of the forum think that clearances and weight limits would allow the NRMs ES locomotive to operate at this site.
I know the ES locos were basically shunters but with a period coach in tow and demonstration freights this would give a boost to the tramway museum and a chance to see a little known loco in action especially if it was off peak season.
Please post your comments and if there is enough interest lets start the ball rolling to return this fine locomotive to sparks.

[60041]

That sounds like a good idea, I assume that the NRM loco is complete with all it's running and control gear as it was taken straight out of service into preservation. I suppose the voltage on Beamish tramway is also 600VDC so that could also be a consideration, although it is quite light track.
The North Tyneside Railway has an ex Harton Coal Company electric restored to running order, and I think that is also 600v; they had plans to run it with either a generator car or with a battery car, but I don't think that they have done it yet.

[richard]

What gauges do they have at Crich?


Richard

[hq1hitchin]

With gauges - ah, well yah... Wasn't there some difference with flanges on tramway systems compared to the 'main lines' which precluded normal RCH wagons using them, etc - but sorted out on at least one Scottish system?

[52D]

The National Tramway Museum has an area similar to a town but the main running line through a former quarry is similar to an ordinary branch line with standard gauge in use. Below is a link to the website.
http://www.tramway.co.uk
I forgot about Beamish Tramway, although i did think about the Harton locos but didnt mention them as they dont really come into the remit of this forum.
If clearances, weight limits and voltages are all ok lets have a vintage electric event at Crich or Beamish

[60041]

Gauge is not a problem as all the systems mentioned are standard gauge, however most tramways had a special profile track that was a sort of channel profile, with a heavy web at one side for the running rail and a light web at the other to support the road surface. Some tramways used a shallow version of this that would not accommodate a normal railway flange without it "bottoming out" although many were built using a heavier section that would. The track at Beamish is mostly standard railway track (in fact some of it is laid using the old colliery line) so it could run on that even if it was banned from the town section, but it is possible it might even run on that.
Ii is years since I visited Crich, so I don't know what track they use in the town now.
Or what about a few laps of the Tyne and Wear Metro!!

[52D]

Tyne and Wear Metro is same voltage as Woodhead route 1500v dc how about catching an EM2 to Jesmond.
You are right about the type of rail used in the town section although i seem to remember that in Glasgow sections of the tramway was used to deliver material to the shipyards. I think that one of the Yorkshire tram ways allowed coal to be delivered to a gas works over part of its length.

[Bill Bedford]

I think there might be a few more difficulties with heath and safety, All the switchgear, for instance, is exposed in the cab.

[Rlangham]

Sounds like a great idea, however I can't see the NRM letting the ES1 'out to play' after it hasn't run for so long, even though it has a very interesting history and place in the history of UK railways. As for health and safety, there would no doubt be a way of making them safe - if not, the 'it was like that when it was built' rule may be okay, it works for vintage cars on the road with no indicators and other features that wouldn't be allowed for a modern car to pass its MoT.

Would be very nice to see though, especially at Beamish with the NER connection.....

[richard]

There aren't many old cars with exposed switchgear available to the driver.
Remember, Blue flashes = boy ashes!
People like to go on about HSE but I'm not sure if I'd want to be in a working ES1 cab, either!

Perhaps a removable perspex shield could be added.


Richard
(I have enough electrical injuries for today: I managed to burn my finger on a test load resistor on a small partially illuminated solar panel - like a soldering iron burn but I don't have to pay the utility company for the privilege)

[60041]

I'm sure it would be alright, you would just need to make sure you were wearing a pair of wellies and some rubber trousers and you'd be fine; its only a bit of electricity, can't hurt anyone can it?

[52A]

I don't recall ever hearing of anyone being elctrocuted during it's working life, does anyone know any different?

[Rlangham]

Good point, although i've read about the exposed switchgear, none mentioned any injuries or fatalities which, if they had occured (depending on the severity of the injury no doubt), it would more than likely have been mentioned. For about sixty (don't have the dates to hand) years service, that's very safe!

[Bill Bedford]

Good point, although i've read about the exposed switchgear, none mentioned any injuries or fatalities which, if they had occured (depending on the severity of the injury no doubt), it would more than likely have been mentioned. For about sixty (don't have the dates to hand) years service, that's very safe!

In sixty years service I doubt that these two locos would have had more than a handful of men to crew them. This would not necessarily be the case for a museum loco.

[Trestrol]

Tyne and Wear Metro is same voltage as Woodhead route 1500v dc how about catching an EM2 to Jesmond.
You are right about the type of rail used in the town section although i seem to remember that in Glasgow sections of the tramway was used to deliver material to the shipyards. I think that one of the Yorkshire tram ways allowed coal to be delivered to a gas works over part of its length.

Sorry to disappoint you but you couldn,t run the EM1 or the EM2 to Jesmond.The metro uses a different loading gauge on most of the system so there wouldn't be enough clearance. You could run from Benton to Kenton bank foot as this was built to accept B.R frieght trains carrying explosives to ICI Callerton. It may be easier to run from Pelaw to Sunderland as Metro shares Network Rail metals. But then again there would be so many regulations to comply with it wouldn't be worth it. On the point of tramway rail at Beamish, Fastline have used a permalift to inspect the OHL there before and i think the non street sections have been tamped before as well.