Member postings for BERT ASHTON

The first photo shows drilling the holes for the 4 jaw chuck for the Stuart model lathe.

Some years ago I was given a "Windy" type compressed air drill, I decided to use it along with my GHT Headstock Dividing Attachment. So I made up a right angle bracket, clamped it to the cross slide and bored a hole at centre height to suit the drill. I then drilled and tapped for a clamping screw. The photograph shows making a jig for making cylinder covers.

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 30/09/2014 19:31:05

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 30/09/2014 19:32:01

This is how I did my graduating, using the GHT graduating tool and

headstock dividing attachment.

Bert.

Are there any updates yet Allan, myself and I am sure many others

miss your writings and photographs.

Bert Ashton.

Michael, I built this Stuart lathe about eight years ago when Stuart first introduced

the model to the public. I painted the finished model with Humbrol Brunswick Green

gloss paint, since then the lathe has been on display in my dining room, the paint is

as new but the bright steel parts along with the cast iron bed are now tarnished.

Over the years I have made a few Stuart engines also the lathe, I painted them

all with Humbrol Brunswick Green.

Bert Ashton.

Hi Allan, I have sent you a e-mail via this site.Bert.

Hello Mr Ashton

Thank you for sending through the copy of the image, it was very helpful in working out what type of steam tram it was.

The steam tram in your picture was one of the Manning, Wardle & Co, engines supplied to the Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company in 1885. Manning, Wardle & Co. only supplied three engines to the company and they were numbered 52 – 54. This type of steam tram was considered to have a bit of clumsy appearance due to the large water tank on the roof, in which the exhaust steam was condensed. The engine was also known to have a horizontal boiler and inside cylinders 8 ½ in by 14 in, Stephenson shifting link gear, regulator, reversing gear and hand brakes at each end.

The steam tram engine in your picture was paired with what looks like one of the cars built by the Falcon Car and Engine Co. (later Brush Electric Engineering) and was one of the ones which was fitted with a canopy cover to the upper deck.

As a side note Manning , Wardle & Co are credited with having been the first company to build an independent tramway locomotive, when they built two tramway locomotives in 1867 for the Pernambuco tramways in Brazil. They were ordinary locomotives with a horizontal boiler and two cylinders, but the difference was that they enclosed the whole machine in a cab and exhaust steam was condensed by admission to a saddle tank, hence the form of steam tram which can be seen in your photograph, of separate engine cab, with connecting tramcar vehicle.

I hope the information is helpful for you.

Kind Regards

Laura Waters

Thanks Eric, I will give them a try.

Bert.

The photograph shows a Oldham Corporation steam tram of 1889,

I did a quick web search but found very little information on this type

of tram.

Can anybody help out with any info on the maker, spec or anything

else that may be of interest.

Thanks,

Bert.

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 23/03/2013 09:39:40

The photos show my workshop as it was about 10 years ago. later I sold everything

on ebay due to eyesight problems.

Hi all,

Many years ago I was employed as a tool & cutter grinder in the meter shop at

Ferranti's, Hollinwood, Oldham. One of my many jobs was to produce D-bits, they

was normally made from ground HSS drill blanks supplied by Dormer and made on

a Cincinnati No 2 cutter grinder. The finished D-bits was then used on small lathes

to ream holes in brass gearwheel blanks, the reamed blanks would then mounted

on a mandrel to have the teeth hobed on a Micron gear cutter.

Years later all the brass gears was superceded by precision moulded plastic gears.

Bert Ashton.

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 15/03/2012 14:54:13

Hi David,

Over the years I have made two Stuart triples, please take a look in my

album on the ME website.

I think the most difficult part of the job is machining the double throw spilt eccentric

for the IP or middle cylinder, if you decide to have a go and find that you need any

help or advice please email me.

Bert.

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 29/02/2012 14:18:12

Somewhere on
this site there is a Machine Tool Manual section. But very hard to find. I
spent a lot of time and effort both scanning then burning to a DVD the Deckel FP3
milling machine manual. The deputy editor, at the time, published it on this
site, recently its gone missing I
emailed Diane who replied saying that it was still there But I still can’t find
it. Is it a copyright problem Mr Editor ?. Bert Ashton.