Leeds Horse Tram 107 - Picture Galleries - Building a Rolling Chassis.

Picture Galleries > Building a Rolling Chassis.

The starting point.

Here the wheelsets have been rolled out on the temporary track and the old underframe placed in trestles above them. All the parts for the axleboxes and suspension units have been put out round the underframe.
A suspension unit.

Here are some of the suspension parts with an axlebox. The coil springs are on the right. The flat object is the keeper spring to control the end float of the axle. The tubes are what the axlebox slides up and down on.
Fitting an Armstrong Oiler.

Here one of the Armstrong Oilers, specially made for us is being squeezed into place. It has been soaking in thick oil for three months and is being squeezed into place using two thin strips of ply as guides. This applies oil to the underside of the axle. In the background the dust shield that fits in a slot in the back of the axlebox can be seen. This stops dirt and grit getting into the bearing.
Axlebox inital fitting.

The axlebox was then hung on the axle with the dust shield in place.
Fitting the bearing.

The whole axlebox was then jacked up using a trolley jack until the bearing could be slid into place.
Completed axlebox.

This shows the completed axlebox and bearing assembly with the lower seats for the coil springs in place. These collars are what slide up and down the supension rods.
Suspension unit 1

This shows the parts of the suspension unit. The top plate is bolted to the underframe with large rubber washers to damp vibration. The coil spring goes down to the axlebox as the primary suspension with the secondary suspension provided by the rubber cones which can be seen on the right. These provide damping to prevent the 21' long tram nosing and pitching as it only has a wheelbase of 4'10". Very sophisticated for 1898. Nowadays this is known as a pedestal suspension and examples are still in use under modern railway wagons. The axle keeper plate can be seen ready for driving into place with the obligatory Birmingham Screwdriver.
Semi completed chassis 1.

After all 4 units had been assembled, the trestles were removed and the whole underframe gently slid down the suspension to it's proper level. We couldn't believe how well everything went together and how easily the whole assmbly rolled along the track. the wooden boards are temporary tie bars that will enable me to measure and dsign the real ones as well as check all the clearances for the 4 stays that go across from the tie bars to the opposite solebar.
Completed chassis 2

Here the whole unit is ready to be pushed gently back into the garage. 3/4 of a ton gains momentum very quickly. The first time an assembly like this has rolled on rails in Leeds since October 1901 when the last horse cars were withdrawn. A real red letter day and a tribute to the manufacturing and engineering skills of Yorkhire where all the components were made (apart from the keeper springs which came from 5 miles across the border at Milnrow.)