2009-05-23 SHM

Ascension Day is traditionally a holiday in the Netherlands. The following friday, though officially a working day, is often bundled to link to the following weekend as a four day leave. Museum societies take the opportunity to display their work and attract people. Such was the case this Ascension weekend in 2009 at the Museum Tramway Hoorn Medemblik. Extra tours and special historic programms were staged under the motto "Stations under steam"


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DSC00044  My first walk was aimed straight to the museums workshop. This is the view from within. Locomotive no 26 is preparing to leave with the 11:30 train. On L2 (the middle track of the shed) the newly restored Wickham motorlorry, specially build for the line Hoorn – Medemblik DSC00042  Since my visit last year considerable progress has been been on the 6513. The Dutch Railways owned 12 loco's in the 6500 series. They were bought from standard stock design, type "Victor", from Hohenzollern. All examples were scrapped in the thirties. This loco, built in 1888, served its working life in Germany and is technically identical to the 6500 series loco's. It will be restores and subesequently numbered 6513.  Later that weekend the newly made Gresham and Graven injecteurs (the same will likely be used for Bello) and gauge-glasses were test fitted to the back-head of the boiler DSC00043  One of the re-bused cylinders DSC00045  Just a photo for the sake of the atmosphere
DSC00052b DSC00057  The shunter and the shunted.  And this is what's being shunted: GS 18 and both NTM “koppelwagens”, coupler wagons, which were used to connect rolling stock with train draw gear with rolling stock with tram draw gear (Vicineaux) DSC00060  Tramway loco no 18, "Leeghwater", one of the very few surviving "box" locomotives. It originally served as a tramway lcomotive at the Goois Tramwegmaatschappij in the Hilversum area. It was built in 1921, rather late, since the heydays of tramways were already over, and this is especially so for the outdated box design. This loco is probably one on the last box loco's built. After ending operation on the GS it eventually earned its bread of charity at a sugar plant as a shunter. Weighing only 15 tons this nasty little thing delivered 2700 kg drawbar power. This loc really amazed the people of the Bluebell railway for it’s pulling power. Also it’s top speed is significant. DSC00068  The diesel showed some resistance
DSC00074  All normal equipment is postioned on the side of the loco. Most of these loco were arranged to operated from either front, always allowing the driver to stand at the front. By no meand a luxury whereas these trams often crossed roads and very often whole stretches were embedded in the road and the tram had to share available space with the increasing road traffic. DSC00079  The upper panel commemorates the sugar factory from which the loco passed on into preservation, the lower is self explanatory I suppose. DSC00082  Steam bell DSC00090
DSC00097b DSC00111  The carriages (coaches for our American friends) are Swidd hand-downs. When I travelled Switserland in the seventies I actually was on them in their last years of active service!! DSC00113  Interior DSC00120  No 30's whistle
DSC00121  Steam-oil pump. This steam oil (used for pistons and glands) is to thick for running by gravity. Therefore a pump is used. All the pipes leaving the pump upwards go to the various to be oiled parts. The two pipes on the rear are used for heating the oil with steam during the colder periods. Loc 30 did not have a pump like this in its original condition, but since it is now running 20 km in one go, it needs a better oiling then when doing short shunting moves at the gas-works DSC00124  Walschaerts valve gear, in reverse gear DSC00136  Lifting link DSC00135  Brass slide piece bolted to the radius rod. The brass piece slowly wears down and is replaced during maintenance. The wire prevents the bolts to work loose.
DSC00122  Double barred crosshead. The brass pieces contain oil to lubricate the sliede bars DSC00134  The valve piston has a lubricator cup of its own. This cup was originally used when working at the Rotterdam gas works. Nowadays the oil is supplied from the oil-pump earlier on. You can see the feeding pipe behind and below the cup DSC00138  The valve for the steam-heating of the coaches. This is the model used for “normal” coaches. There is a version as well for tram-coaches. DSC00143  We set off at 12:45 and halted at every station. At each there was something to see or do.
DSC00148  Like original traditional clothing. The little purse the lady is wearing is hand knitted with some 20.000 beads, costing some 200 hours to make. The gold looking thingies in her cap, brooch and necklace are actually gold. A gold cap ment her husband was an independent (and rich) farmer. The lady showed her whole set of clothing which was no less than impressive. The whole set weighs ten pounds!!  These people are regularly visiting the SHM, they are not only there during festivals DSC00156  O yes, mesmerized by steam, I forgot to mention that the weather was exceptionally fine. Some 20 degrees Clesius and a fair wind. DSC00158  Approaching Midwoud-Oostwoud. In the distance another tram is awaiting crossing. DSC00169  SHM 5 (Enkhuizen) at the siding awaiting the crossing
DSC00179  Carefully watching to assure safety. Though museum trams seem to operate loosely, safety is always paramount. DSC00182  A portrait underway at Twisk. Behind the loco you can see one of the three “Gz” (goederenwagen-zand) now used for transporting bicycles DSC00188  Symphony of form and colour DSC00207  At twisk a steam thresher was on demo
DSC00212  Marius van Rijn (CME SHM) en profile DSC00215b DSC00217  End of the line DSC00221
DSC00224  In Medemblik I could reach left side of the loco (in Hoorn it very hard to get on this side) to record some details there. The pump for the air-brake system in the train. This feature was also non-existence when the loc was working at the gas works. The cooling ribs are for dispensing the heat from the compressed air. This distinguish an air pump from a feedwater pump (which only “Bello” had once) DSC00225  Feed water pipe and clack-valve. At the bottom is a drainage-valve for winterizing the loc DSC00244  Medemblik station DSC00249  Horse drawn fire engine
DSC00247  Steam powered (the pump not the horses) DSC00248  The engine DSC00252  Guess what's the red line for ;-) DSC00253  Now, is he having a good time or not?
DSC00254b DSC00254b2 DSC00255  Scenic impression from the IJsselmeer DSC00260  Part of the programme was the option to take a tour with a steam tug
DSC00273b DSC00297b DSC00322  Well, set asdide these disagreeable thoughts, I took a look a the tram itself. A consist of no less than seven carrieages and two goods wagons are a testimony to the strength of the 7700 series. Look at the narrow profile of that originally 1067mm gauged carriage DSC00323  AB 24 from Breskens – Maldegem
DSC00326  NTM 205 (normal gauge) DSC00327  GoTM 21 (normal gauge), the more luxurious coaches of the Gooische Tramwegmaatschappij (the one from the box loco, yes) DSC00328  as compared to the no nonsense built RTM AB 370 (“cape gauge” 1067 mm)  of the Rotterdam Tramweg Maatschappij which had to serve villages of no wealth whatsoever. DSC00329  RTM AB 395 (“cape gauge” 1067 mm). The RTM used to run along a few hundred meters away form my parental home. I saw them a lot until operations ceased in 1966.
DSC00330  AB 6 (ZE / Zutphen – Emmerik) DSC00332  GoTM 22 (normal gauge), another more luxurious carriages from the Gooische DSC00333  Number and Works plates of Bello, while taking water at Medemblik DSC00334b
DSC00341  Speaking of gear: Stephenson's valve gear, with its complex radius link motion. The bit of metal to the left of the crosshead is a modern day improvement to the valve gear. This keeps the side-play in the very long Stephenson valve gear at bay, thereby reducing the wear and tear to it. DSC00340  and excentrics DSC00342  Steam bell for local and tramway services DSC00338b
DSC00343b DSC00349b DSC00350b DSC00346  Taking water. Here you can see both the normal and tramway couplers/buffers.   The pipe starting slightly above the footplate is the pipe for the vacuum-braking. This was used during the visit Bello made to the Bluebell.   The head-light are now displaying “shunting movement”. Once in front of the train the rear light will go to the front as well.
DSC00351  The square boxes are the coal bunkers. The water tanks are located between the frame plate below the footplate DSC00354  Oiling DSC00353  Topping up the oilpot on the coupling-rod.  Here you can see more into detail the addition to the Stepenson valve-gear which prevents the sideplay DSC00384b
DSC00375  The old, hand-painted, RTM logo DSC00378  Detail of the RTM AB 370, also with hand-painted signs DSC00379 DSC00381b
DSC00383  Second class, no sptting, 29 seats. DSC00389b DSC00402  Ruud Overweel (CTr or Chef Tractie) looking back at his train DSC00446  Company, following the tram
DSC00477a DSC00487 DSC00502  Snow in May?? No, approaching Hoorn the exhaust of the 7742 stirred the trees, spurring them eject large quantities of seeds DSC00510b
DSC00539  Loco no 16, relatively young: built in 1943 by Jung..  The fireman (right) is holding the device which will place the lid on the chimney. This will prevent the heat from escaping from the boiler and therefore slow-down the cooling of the boiler. Some of the SHM still have pressure in the boiler even with having the fire taking out 12 hours ago. This thorough insulation reduces thermal stress on the boiler DSC00529b DSC00533  Main crankpin DSC00534  Pump
DSC00531  Brass handwheel for the blow-down valve DSC00532  The simplest of splashers. This reduced cleaning time (especially on rainy days) by hours DSC00544  Cylinder DSC00552  Backing into the workshop. The, relatively, clean shirt from the fireman is hanging from the lamp
DSC00555  Oil pump DSC00557  Feed water pipe DSC00578  Attending 7742 for the night DSC00569b
DSC00579  One final view. Loc 30, 16 and 7742. Behind loc 30 is the steamcrane 39 and next to Bello / 7742 as the cab of NTM 101, one of the first diesel loc’s in the Netherlands, which is being restored at the SHM