All posts by Nigel

23/5/2018

Created this blog from the ashes of the previous WordPress installation.

Initial assessment shows at least the following need immediate attention:

Rear springs (collapsed), interior wiring – insulation disintegrating, front brakes – no vacuum hoses.  Fuel system autovac is not lifting fuel from the main tank.  Engine frequently refuses to rev up on accelerator pedal – this seems to come and go.

Boot doors.  Lower perimeter wood work.  Window pans – all appear rotten on the outside.

Work done on the bus to date:

Work commenced December 2017 as follows:

Rear springs removed and sent to Paddington Springs for refurbishment.  New U-bolts were made from 1″ MS round bar and threaded BSW by me, very hard work, took two days! The bending and flattened saddle seat were done at a local forge. All the shackle pins needed replacing so these were obtained from Martyn Callaghan along with a new wheel stud for the the  O/S rear hub. Rear shock absorbers removed for examination.  O/S shock absorber has play in the lever arm bush and leaks around the bush.

Rear brakes dismantled, hubs removed and scissors adjusters removed.  Scissors adjusters siezed by corrosion and needed Oxy-Acetylene heat to separate.

Remains of brake dust shields removed (required hubs to be removed,) see below.

Shock absorber drop links removed.  Rubber bushing in drop links completely shot.  One drop link had thread wear and threaded bush would not tighten so a new drop link was fabricated from 3/4″ MS round bar and threaded 3/4″ BSF to suit.

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N/S rear hub and suspension as found.

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Forward view of NS rear spring mount

 

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OS rear spring, rear swinging link.

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New U-bolts made at Monk Street Forge, Thaxted.

 

 

 

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Remains of original dust shield.

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The other side, not much better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

27/8/2016

Leaving Knowstone in Devon on the start of its long journey to Essex:

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Loading onto one of Mike Ellis’s wagons at The Log Cabin Diner, on the A361:

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That’s Paul the driver checking the bus is securely on and WIlliam making sure there’s nothing loose at the back.  Phillip Platt, who sadly died after a short illness early in 2018, drove it down the lane from Manor Farm and onto the wagon parked by The Log Cabin Diner.  I drove it off the wagon when it arrived in Essex the day after, and almost all the way  down our lane it stopped with a fuel system fault – the Autovac was not drawing fuel from the tank and once the reservoir was empty, the engine stopped!  Ian M. arrived very soon and we topped up the Autovac reservoir, bled the injectors on the fuel pump and away we went again!  Here it is on arrival outside our bus shed.

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