A Newsletter was started at Christmas 1999 to keep both current volunteers and other society members informed of developments at Wortley Top Forge and also ensure that everybody gets to know of upcoming events and important safety information.
Only edited high lights are published here as some content of the Newsletters is not of any general interest.
Issues No.1 to No.4 (2000)
Issues No.5 to No.8 (2001)
Issues No.13 to No.16 (2003)
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Yes this Newsletter is a month late - Its deliberate! As little happens at the Forge over Christmas and more importantly, there is no one there to give a copy to, I have decided to push the dates back a month (to become February, May, August & November).
A trip during the 'closed season' is becoming an annual event and this year, thanks to Ken Hawley, four of us made our way down to Clay Mills Pumping Station on New Years Eve.
The pumping station is just north of Burton on Trent and was built to pump sewage from the valley bottom to a treatment works a couple of miles away. This delightful site could easily have been lost in 1969/70 when the works was totally modernised, but thanks to the local chief engineer and later Severn Trent Water and English Heritage the pumping station AND workshops survived to be taken over by a preservation group.
When I say that only one of the four original pumping engines was running, you may think we were a bit disappointed, but not so. The beam pump was one of a total of 14 steam engines in operation, five of which were actually under load and doing their original job. As well as all these there was also a steam hammer, which when not hammering hot metal for the restorers was squashing tin cans as a demonstration.
Originally there were 38 steam engines on site and four traction engines maintained by the workshop. As well as three other beam engines there are 5 more engines still on site to be restored to working order. Two of the beam engines are a long way off being run but the third should be running this summer. Other upcoming projects include putting a second boiler in good order and arranging the beam engines to pump water.
The trip was made all the more enjoyable as our Mr Hawley is a friend of the Society's chairman who took us to various areas normally out of bounds to visitors.
It would be nice to think that we can open on Bank Holiday Mondays again this year. However, before we push for this we would like to know if Bank Holiday Monday opening is supported by the Forge volunteers and the Model Engineers, so that the visitors we do have can have a worth while trip.
If we can plan open days, we can perhaps spread the load amongst our volunteers a little better than last year, while still ensuring enough members on site.
Just before Christmas we took delivery of the long awaited parts for the Blower. These consist of two gears and parts for the crankshaft. The crank parts in particular are not quite what we expected, looking as if they are made for a 100hp steam engine, so a little thought is needed before they are fitted.
A concerted push before Christmas has seen the major parts of the Snuff mill engine lifted into place in the Foundry. Many other jobs still remain before the project is completed but by the time we are in to the main 'season' for visitor, we should have a recognisable engine.
Following a burst pipe in January, the water tap has been removed from the old kitchen in No.7 cottage. This has not beem used for some time but can easily be replaced if needed.
The Roll Forge and File cutting machines have both been wrapped up in covers for the winter as both are very close to the open frontage of the building.
When work starts again in the spring it will include finishing the line shafting, installing an electric motor and manufacturing a number of replacement parts for the file cutter.
All equipment is undercover (of some sort) but work has started on 'tarting up' the big green petrol mower ready for the summer.
As reported last time, we had a skip on site during October and this has allowed the 'scrap pile' to be reduced to about a quarter of its former size. Thanks also to Tony for moving an amount for rubbish in his landrover.
A large plastic sheet has been bought for hanging over the front of Elizabeth. This will need new fixings to be located on the front of the building, so will not be in place until well into the new year. Hopefully it will be in place for next winter.
A little drama occurred on a Saturday night/Sunday morning in mid November. The first arrivals at the Forge were greeted by a crashed car partially blocking the approach road.
We understand the owners son 'borrowed' the car without his fathers permission and tried to take the corner by our entrance a little too fast, writing off the car in the process. Fortunately there were no major injuries and, of cause, the wall has only a few (extra) marks on it.
Improvements in the toilets for this year include uprated frost heaters and water heaters over the hand wash basins. It is also hoped to place modern style signs on the respective doors, better notices inside and large notices outside that can be seen from a distance identifying the building.
Thought is being given to provision of a disabled toilet using the old showers in the existing toilet building and the fitting of an automatic flush system in the Gents. Availability of money is likely to be the key to these improvements being carried out.
The 6th October (a Saturday) was one of those busy days that we have once or twice a year. The morning saw a reasonably sized private party of friends that may lead to a second visit of a related group.
The afternoon was a bit more official, a group large enough to have to be split into three, came from an old tools converence in Sheffield (an optional tour arranged by the Honourable Custodian). The income from a day like this is the eqivalent of a month of normal opening.
On 30th & 31st October the Forge was used by the Penistone children's video club as the setting for a production. The story was specially written about the man who is supposed to have been killed by No.1 Waterwheel. It is understood that the ghost of the unfortunate fellow was played by our very own Gordon Parkinson, who was acting as guide/key man for the day. Athough a copy of the video has been requested nothing has surfaced yet, possibly because Mr Parkinson has got to it first!
During November, a small group of students from Sheffield University spent a few days on site building and firing a recreation of an ancient kiln based on excavated remains. This same project was undertaken at Top Forge two years ago by a previous group.
In mid January we received 3 van loads of wood from Stocksbridge Methodist Church. They were having a 'spring clean' and rather than let the wood go to the tip we collected it to add to our stock. Included in this are a number of small but heavy timbers which should be useful as packing, we have also collected 57 chairs, over half of which are to be reduced to fire wood ready for next winter. More useful is a complete door and several small steps.
Thanks to the Top Forge web site, we are expecting a visit in the spring from a French group! This group is likely to include around 50 children.
We have also had a number of enquiries routed through the e-mail regarding local history, past members and the engines & machines we have. It is all very encouraging and has prompted the webmaster to add coloured backgrounds to many pages on the website. It does not sound like much and did not take long, but the effect is a great improvement.
Contact was made in the Autumn by Monckton Coke and Chemicals Ltd, north of Barnsley, regarding a link to their internet site under the title of 'Other Industries'. Following on from this, there is also the chance to run a Society visit to Monckton Coking Plant in the next few months for a small party (15 to 20 people). This may be your last chance to walk around a traditional coking plant in Britain and may include a glimps of a steam pump!. (Your editor can recommend the trip, having done it 18 months ago)
2003 Anniversary - This is the 70th anniversary of the Industrial History being former and the 50th anniversary of Top Forge being preserved. All suggestions for celebrations would be welcomed.
Your Editor is having a spring clean at home. After numerous years of taking into the thousands of photographs anually he has a large number of 35mm film pots (the type films are bought in) that are being given away free to a good home. A bag full will be left at the Forge for people to take what they want.
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The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Trust, Society or Management Committees.
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In December 2000 there was a talk given at Kelham Island as part of the Societies winter programme about walking draglines (as used in open cast coal mines). The speaker was a key figure in saving a 50 year old example just south of Leeds. I had visited the site twice before, including climbing all over the machine in question and so was motivated to join the group.
12 months later, the renewal for my subscription dropped through the letterbox. As I had not had time to go on any of their trips or join any working parties, I decided not to renew my subscription (lack of money at Christmas was also a factor).
A month later a reminder came through the post, then another reminder with a stamped addressed envelope and finally last week, a third reminder with a second stamped addressed envelope, a letter pleading with me to renew and a number of glossy leaflets (I will be sending a cheque off this week).
Is this type of persistence the only way that smaller societies can survive?
As a new comer to the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society (owners of the Forge), I continue to be amused by the totally informal way that the society membership is handled. Equal to this is the apparent lack of interest of the many Society members in the restoration and conservations of the properties. Unfortunately, I am not going to end with a clever and universally acceptable answer to all this. I will only say that my previous experience has been with groups that have a single interest, such as restoring railway engines, where the majority of members joined because they wanted to get on with the job, a very different bunch from an industrial History Society, that has to encompass many different levels.
PS - Having helped lift a 7 ton locomotive that dropped off the rails, my sympathies go to Abmormal Load Engineering who have dropped a 250 ton transformer off their (now bent) trailer near Stockbridge Steel Works (should we send in Duncan?).
As well as opening on Bank Holiday Mondays, the Forge will be open on two Saturdays this summer - 20th July, for the National Archaeology days and 14th September for the National Heritage Days (admission will be free on the 14th Sept.). Anyone who want to help out will be welcomed with open arms, especially as the Model Engineers open day on 8th September (another important day for the Forge) clashes with the AIA conference, the Sheffield vintage bus ralley and Elsecar Victorian Weekend.
March saw a rather special, but unadvertised event. We received a gift of money from the estate of Mr Frank Woodall.
Frank was a similar character to George Watkin, travelling the country recording machines and is known to many, thanks to his 1970s book 'Steam Engines and Waterwheels'. He also made models of stationary engines. His Will left money to sites with water wheels, windmills or gas engines that are on public display, for which we qualify. Not only is it an honour to be considered for such an award, but it is also a very much needed boost to our funds. We are currently considering how best to use the money. More about Frank will be put on the Website in the next few weeks - printed copies will be available to anyone without internet access, please ask the editor.
Thanks to a bit of investigation work by Duncan, we now know why the Blower Wheel is knocking as is turns. It seems that the ravages of time mean that there is a little bit of slack between the wheel and the axle. Hopefully this will not be too big a job to repair, making the wheel fit to run more often.
We have acquired a 25hp electrically driven compressor during March. We will need to give it careful inspection and at least an oil & filter change but after this work, repainting and testing we hope to install it in the Foundry to run the Steam Engines.
Work has continued through the spring on the Snuff Mill Engine. Currently this is centred on the correct alignment of the parts using guide wires and the like (It all looks a bit complicated, so I'm keeping well clear - Ed).
Following their winter hibernation, the Roll Forge and File cutting machines have both been uncovered ready for work on them to restart.
(should this be under Historic Buildings?). Mid winter showed up a number of leaks in the wash shed roof. Further investigation showed that this was because the roofing felt was full of big holes and coming loose at the edges. As an emergency repair, a plastic sheet was pulled over the roof. The roof timbers have now been treated with preservative, painted with roof seal and new felt is ready to be put on. This repair should see out the remaining life of the shed (the floor is going as well!).
Although not on site as the newsletter went to press, we are expecting a tractor. This is a 'Fordson Major Diesel', which seems to have had an easy life and which we were able to buy at a very good price. To go along with this we are also expecting a brand new mower and a front bucket.
This new arrival will not be painted green to match the other plant, but neither will anything else be painted 'Fordson Blue', at least not for now. It will however be given a name ('Frank'?).
After more years that anyone can remember of the Tangy engine flywheel sitting on a trailer, it was lowered into place on the engine bed in early April. This does not mean that the engine is being reassembled for steaming, just made to look more like a steam engine, while on display. Painting the engine has started, but a final colour has not been decided on yet.
Container No.3 has moved to a more permanent resting place (away from the car park) close to No.1 container. It will become the 'tractor shed' for at least the rest of this year. No more progress has been made on painting it green (I get all the good jobs! - Ed). The roof also needs a little attention.
After last times good news of the scrap pile reducing, it has now got bigger again as a result of a spring clean in two of our sheds. If the price of scrap rises, expect us to do a deal to remove more bits (and get some money back).
The improvements in the toilets have continued including modern blue signs (but still saying 'Ladies' & 'Gentlemen' as well as having symbols), two new water heaters and new rubbish bins. Thanks to Pete, Liz & Simon (and their pressure washer) the green stains on the outside walls have gone, as has the out of control hedge on the carpark side.
Few visitors to the Forge during the spring can fail to have seen the rebuilding of the garden wall across from No.7 Cottage. The primary reason for this was to move the historic 'Nine Men's Morris' stone from the wall so that it can be saved from any further frost damage. We took the opportunity to remove the stone base of a hammer that had also been built into the wall. Such was the destruction after this that Gordon volunteered to rebuild the wall, and in doing so is making a 1 metre wide 'all weather' path all the way up to the Blacksmiths shop doorway (on the cottage side of the railway line). The job is progressing well, but we will not be able to use the tractor mower on the grass here until the wall is finished and the hole backfilled.
As part of the plan to move the old Meltham footbridge from its resting place of 3 years, by the dam, we spent a weekend at the end of April hammering the remaining concrete off the ironwork.. We hope to move the four sections of girder into the backfield before the September opendays. Also in this area, the large garden shed that overlooks the gate is to be moved during the summer. It is hoped that by placing it just round the corner in front of the green shed, it will prove to be more use as the window will still look towards the gate, but the door will be on the right side to face car drivers. The back may also be adorned with a map of the site, showing visitors where to go and how to get there
Proving that nothing lasts forever (as with the Wash Shed), both of the large signs out on the road have needed attention in the past weeks and in fact one is still in the Smithy awaiting further repairs before we have the great delight of putting the sign back up on the Foundry wall (up a ladder, having scrambled through a hawthorn bush! - anyone who wants to help . . . . . !).
Unfortunately there is nothing special to report in terms of visiting groups this Spring.
The Forge was open on Easter Monday (as it will be on May Day and Spring Bank Holiday Monday). Without any form of advertising, we had nearly as many visitors as we did on the Sunday. It is just a pity that no miniature trains ran as we had several disappointed visitors looking for trains rides. Indeed we continue to have families turning up on Sunday mornings looking for the trains! Anyone who wants to help . . . . !
Please remember that we continue to collect drinks cans for commercial recycling.
Also, please think carefully about what goes into the bins. Most rubbish is burned on site, but sometimes not for many months. Anything that is unsuitable for this is best put in a black plastic bag and put in someone's private dustbin - you don't want to know what came out of one bin that was empted in mid April!
We now have our own domain name. His means the address for the website is now 'www.topforge.co.uk'. The old address is still valid, but this will change in time. With 25 mega bytes to play with (computer space for about 25,000 pages of text or 1000 photographs/drawings) we can now get photographs of most exhibits onto the web.
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The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Trust, Society or Management Committees.
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On a hot Wednesday in July I travelled, with Michelle, to the Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate. It was a challenging day, both in terms of walking for 6½ hours nearly non-stop, to try to see everything in one day, and in not spending more money than we could afford at the many stalls. Fortunately the closest we came to buying a combine harvester was to get a 'John Deere' carrier bag!
Always on the lookout to see what potential there is for publicising the Forge we had a good look at the stands for tourism, and I was quite surprised. There was Sheffield, Leeds, Doncaster, Settle (and the Yorkshire Dales) but no Barnsley!
My 'routine' of walking up to the Sheffield stand and asking Michelle in a loud voice 'So where's Sheffield then?' (in a broad Sheffield accent) only got one response from the people behind the stand - a bag full of leaflets thrust into my hand. One of these leaflets was by a group called 'Destination Sheffield' which in spite of the name covers tourist attractions from Wakefield to Derby, but not Top Forge (an e-mail has already gone to them asking what it takes to be included).
I did wonder if the Society should splash out, as part of next years celebrations, on a stall at Harrogate, but at £500 minimum charge for a stall we might not get our money back in the three days of the show. Further investigation, however, showed that agricultural exhibits are only charged half price, which set me thinking of something else - Wortley Top Forge - Industrial Museum, Miniature Railway and Children's Farm! Any volunteers for muck out the required exhibits?
On a more serious note, I wonder if a working model of a waterwheel and hammer with 'coin in the slot' operation would be worthwhile.
Inspired by the visitor survey compiled by Derek Bayliss, your editor has drawn graphs and bar charts showing the Forge's visitor income for the years 2000 & 2001, and it is very interesting. 2002 will be included in 4 months time, however we cannot find the figures from before October 1999.
Although the forge is open on Sundays (as well as a few other days) over 43 weeks, only about 10 (very good) weeks give us an above average income. Party visits and the 'Model Engineers day' (I think 'Open Day' gives the wrong impression - ed.) are very important to our income. Our worst weeks are generally in February, March and November, but the visitor numbers seem a little unpredictable. The weather plays its part and 2001 is not a typical year because of the Foot & Mouth restrictions.
We would like to know if people have any opinion on changing the opening and closing dates based on our findings.
One idea is to open the Forge from Easter Weekend, while a second is to unify our opening with the normal dates used by the National Trust (generally the Last weekend in March until the First weekend in November).
Opening at Easter gives a nice easy date to remember, but some years we may loose two or three good weeks, while closing on the first weekend of November makes the Bonfire and Fireworks a significant event (closing our year with a bang!).
Volunteer working days would not necessarily be lost and there would be more days when we did not have to worry about visitor safety, thus allowing major work in, for example, the Blacksmiths and Foundry. Also important is whether our guides are prepared to be 'on duty' for the same number of days per year and thus making bank holiday opening easier and reliable. We may also need two or three guides working together on more days during 2003 in connection with the Society / Forge Anniversary.
Please let the editor know your thoughts on this so we can make plans for 2003 and 2004 and start advertising them.
19th May was the day when our first major group visited the Forge, a group from Clitheroe who incorporated us as part of a day trip around Sheffield & South Yorkshire. Their time was a little limited so the guided tour had to be brisk, but the money we made was worth it.
A much smaller party came to the Forge on 14th June (a Friday) from the 'Traditional Heritage Museum' in Sheffield (on Ecclesall Road). Meeting people from here demonstrates that some of our 'exhibits' (that don't fit in at the Forge) could perhaps go to another museum, such as theirs, but still remain in South Yorkshire, or at least within easy travelling distance (with suitable agreements).
As part of the Queens Golden Jubilee celebrations, we took part in a gala held at Greenmoor. Simon and Ann Hazlewood transported just about every child in the village on their portable miniature railway (and made us some money) while Ken and Derek manned a display of Forge and Society photographs. It must be said the Ken made an inspired choice when he included an old map of Top Forge that also covered Greenmoor village as well as the River Don valley. Many locals stopped to look at the map and stayed to look at the rest. Your editor helped the Model Engineers to set up and then remove their portable track for the Oxspring Gala, in early July. I am pleased to report that their information board now includes details and photographs of the Forge (supplied by ourselves) and also that the train was well patronised.
As reported last time, the Blower Wheel has been knocking as is turns. Thanks to sterling effort by Duncan and Garry (with water running down the back of their necks), the centre castings have been realigned and the wheel can be run as required.
Following problems in early July, we have a new telephone. It is still in No.6 cottage and still works along side the answerphone. A new feature that we have not had before is the ability to store up to 13 numbers in the memory. If there is an important number that you think should be included on the memory, please talk to the editor. In the mean time, the telephone has a normal set of buttons and can be used just the same as the old one.
While other commitments mean little work is taking place on these building. Our plans for the S.Y.I.W. are nearly finalised and all being well, the line shafting should be in place for the winter.
The big electric compressor is still in the smithy following a successful test and is now waiting a suitable time to move it into the Foundry.
As promised last time, we took delivery of a 'Fordson Major' tractor in mid May and a brand new mower (slasher) in early June. The tractor ('Frank') is a 'Fordson New Major E1A', built somewhere between mid 1954 & 1957. It and the mower have taken a bit of getting used to but are generally working very well, and although the mower has dug into a few soft bits of ground, it is a god send in terms of reducing the effort in grass cutting.
A mere three years after the front windows of the Big Crane were removed (taken out before they fell out), the cab has finally been patched up and new opening windows fitted. Part of the work has been to fit laminated safety glass throughout.
Thanks must again go to Pete, Liz & Simon (and of course Marjorie) for there continuing effort to cut grass and keep the garden tidy.
We are looking for advice on the proper management of the grounds, especially the trees, so as to help the environment while still keeping the site open and tidy.
8th September 2002 - Model Engineers Day. Help is always needed with guiding and to control admissions and parking. The Forge will be open for those people wishing to make preparations from 11am on 7th Sept - Strictly No Visitors.
14th & 15th Sept 2002 - National Heritage Days.
3rd November 2002 - Annual Bonfire (to be lit at 5:00pm, weather permitting). You may bring fireworks or make a donation towards commercial fireworks.
24th November 2002 - Last day of opening for this year.
T.B.A. (see above) - First day of opening for 2003
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The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Trust, Society or Management Committees.
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As of 14th October 2002 the Forge has a new Honorary Custodian - Andrew Michael Hurrell (yes me, the editor).
The roll of Custodian is a cross between Manager and protector, in that the Custodian is the first point of contact for the volunteers working on the site, and the post comes with the power to make decisions on lesser issues. Equally important is the that the custodian must also work to protect the property of the Industrial History Society, that is the sites and buildings and the smaller items, exhibits and tools.
Undoubtedly, there will be a few changes over the coming months, especially in terms of putting on a good show for visitors and having exhibits that move, but Top Forge will remain a museum with Waterwheels, Ironworking and Steam engines. One proposal is to use the Iron footbridge from Meltham as the walls of a display area (covered corridor) giving information on Ironmaking, Top Forge and the Society.
I hope to remain in the midst of our working parties as I do believe in 'leading from the front'.
Finally, please remember the effort that Ken Hawley has but in. He was one of the first people to start work at the Forge about 35 years - that's a lot of Sundays! We will see a lot less of Ken on site, but he will (I hope) remain in the background for a good few years to come.
I have now completed three years of compiling and editing this newsletter. It seems to fulfil the initial aim of both keeping people up to date on our progress and informing volunteers of various guidelines for work at the Forge.
As detailed above I am now Custodian, and I would not like to be accused of running too much of a totalitarian state. I feel I must therefore ask you, the readership if you want me to carry on as editor or resign in favour of a more independent person. Please tell me what you think (in person or by email).
I have had a reasonable amount for feedback from people over the proposed change in opening dates, all of it in favour of the changes.
We can now confirm that when the Forge officially closes, working parties for the Forge and Model Engineers will continue on those Sundays when the weather is good enough (Except 1st December 2002). Wednesday ('Retired Persons') working days will continue on a 'to be arranged' basis. This arrangement will continue until Easter Sunday 2003, when the Forge will be advertised as open to visitors.
Any visitors who turn up when people are on site will be allowed in but we will NOT have a guide on duty or go out of our way to show off exhibits, etc unless the visit is pre booked.
During 2003, the Forge WILL be open on 4 Bank Holiday Mondays (Easter, Mayday, Spring Bank, & August).
Reducing the number of opening days also cuts our potential income and so we need to make moves to advertise the Forge. We have a large pack of posters that were produced some time ago. As we have nothing to loose, please find suitable places for them to be displayed in locality. It is probably best if they are put up the week before Easter 2003, but they are available now.
Opening to the Public on Saturday and/or Wednesday afternoons has also been proposed and is now under consideration.
Your Custodian is also putting together an article for the 'Look Local' newspaper who have already published an article on historical iron making at Wortley.
This summers only big event was the Model Engineers 'Open Day' on 8th September. We were blessed with good weather and in spite of a few other local events on the same day; we got about as many visitors as we could cope with.
The total income from the day was around £400, some of which has gone the Model Engineers group. Our thanks to all those involved, especially 'prodigal volunteers' Paul & Carol Farr who provided much needed extra hands and refreshments.
I found it very heartening to see the back field (and the forge yards) full of visitors' cars.
Most visitors come to Top Forge to see the whole site, but in resent weeks we have had two visitors who came especially to see Elizabeth, out unique vertical mill engine. Firstly was the daughter of the former mill owner, who remembered the engine still in place and second was a man who as a boy had lived in the grounds of the mill and who had played in the engine house while the engine was still at work. Both (independently) have helped to confirm the colour that the engine should be painted.
At the end of August we received a much-needed donation from Ronseal Ltd at Chapeltown. This consisted of a 'lucky dip' of wood treatments, chemicals and paint.
So far the wooden end walls of the Smithy and the No.2 water wheel roof have been treated and the picnic benches are next in line - Our thanks, again, to Ronseal.
Work is continuing on parts for the blower in the Forge. As reported before the parts we have been given need a considerable amount of work before they can be used. Such is the extent of this job, we have taken the two gearwheels to Markham Grange (Nursery and Steam Engine Museum) for them to turn on a large lathe.
No.6 Cottage received a spring clean during August thanks to Liz and Pete. This should be the first stage of a major re-shuffle of the cottages. As part of this we need to cure the continuing damp problem on one of the upstairs wall in No.6. The Kitchen area may also be changed as the sink unit is somewhat the worse for its age despite Gordon's best efforts.
In the Foundry, the big compressor obtained from C.W.Fletchers, has been moved into the cementation furnace room where it will be properly installed. This is the first step to running the larger Stationary Steam Engines again. We are also trying a modern type lighting to see if it is an improvement both in terms of light output and maintenance.
Upstairs in the joiners shop, small jobs keep being done on the 'Fox' lathe, woodworking lathe and various small engines. All this is giving a progressive improvement in the display there.
The space released in the Smithy by moving the big compressor will soon be taken up by a number of repair and fabrication jobs that will keep the editor busy through the winter months. These should include repairs to the tractor & Dumper and making some sections of safety fencing.
In the South Yorkshire Iron Works, the other machine saved from C.W. Fletchers, the drop stamp, has been reassembled complete with wooden base and lineshafting. Lineshafting for the other machines is also progressing slowly.
The tractor and mower have been out every week during the summer with no major problems. The resulting well cut grass has been both pleasing to see and easy to achieve. The big crane has again passed its insurance inspection with no unexpected faults. It does however continue to show the signs of spending its life in the open. Hopefully more repairs to the bodyworks can be made in the spring.
The long drawn out repairs and repaint of the 'Green Shed' is still on going (under a sheet).
The use of sticks and some stripy tape transformed the backfield into a car park for the beginning of September. It proved a good move but there is still some wasted space. Having survived this, it is now an open field again.
A nice thing to see and report is that the Tangy engine has received a coat of paint. Our thanks for this go to three ladies - Jeanette, Michelle & Charlotte.
24th November 2002 - Last day of opening for this year.
Easter Sunday - 20th April 2003 - First day of opening for the 2003 Season.
14th April 2003 - First Event (at Kelham Island) for the Society / Forge anniversary celebrations
9th November 2003 - Bonfire & Last day of Opening for 2003
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The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Trust, Society or Management Committees. Closing Date for Issue No. 13 is 26th January 2003
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