Other Items of Rolling Stock

Mobile Access Platform - The Giraffe
Permanent Way Ganger's Trolley No RT960232
Pump Trolley
Road Crane
4-Wheel Grafton Steam Crane No 1569

Giraffe Mobile Access Platform - The Giraffe

This is mounted on a chassis similar to a platelayer’s trolley and is fitted with four rail clamps. It has a twelve step metal ladder with lattice treads and a working platform at the top with guardrails surround.
It can be slewed through 360 degrees by means of the vertical handwheel operating spur gear on the circular base rack. There is a hand operated hydraulic pump, which raises the ladder from eight feet to twelve feet above the ground. It was acquired from Beckton Gas Works in the seventies where it was used for inspecting bridges and viaducts.

At Chappel it is used primarily for assisting with the maintenance of signalling equipment. An Eastern Electricity Young Persons Project Team overhauled it in 1987.

Permanent Way Ganger's Trolley No RT960232

Built by Wickhams of Ware, Hertfordshire, in 1953, this is a typical branch line ganger’s vehicle.
Powered by a two-cylinder ‘V’ twin JAP engine, it has six seats. It was designed to transport permanent way staff to work locations along branch lines and had a low top speed.

At present it is not in working order and requires considerable body repairs. This vehicle is actually made up of the parts of two such vehicles, having the chassis of one and the body of another.

Pump Trolley

This is a permanent way inspection trolley, propelled by up to four staff operating the vertical reciprocating mechanism. It was last used in service at Somersham in Cambridgeshire, where it was utilised to carry signal lamps to more distant locations when exchanging empties for refills. John Wayne of Huntingdon, who subsequently spent considerable time in restoring it to its present full working order, recovered it in a derelict condition from Somersham Station in 1973. The restoration involved replacing all of the original timber excluding one of the longitudinal bearers. The frame of the trolley is all wood with the mechanical components being made of steel. All the bearings are steel excluding the two that support the pump shaft.

Mr.Wayne has kindly donated the pump trolley to the Museum, and it arrived at the Museum in March 1994. Since then Museum volunteers in period dress have used it for demonstration purposes. In spring 1995 it spent a period on display in Tesco’s Hythe superstore promoting the Museum, where it was the subject of much interest.

The erection of the VE Day beacon on Chappel Viaduct on 8 May 1995 was completed mainly by use of the pump trolley, which made several trips across under Railtrack personnel supervision.

Road Crane

Built by Ransomes and Rapier of Ipswich in 1968, this diesel electric road crane has a nine-ton capacity.

It is of a type used for loading and unloading containers in goods yards before the advent of Freightliners.

It was last used at Chesterton Junction Permanent Way Depot (near Cambridge), arriving at Chappel in November 1983.

Following a full overhaul, it re-entered service in 2008.

4-Wheel Grafton Steam Crane No 1569

Built in 1914 by the Grafton Engineering Company of Bedford. Originally a seven-ton crane,a long jib has now been fitted, derating the machine to a four-ton capacity.
The crane was brought to Chappel in July 1971, on permanent loan from the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company Limited.
It has proved invaluable for all the heavy lifting jobs on site, including tracklaying and dismantling locomotives.
In November 1984 it returned to Felixstowe Docks for the retirement celebration of its old driver, ‘Tug’ Wilson, and appeared on television. The Dock Company generously donated a new wire rope and chains, and fitted a return block to the jib. Additionally, in the course of its overhaul a new chimney was fitted and the original corrugated iron cladding replaced by timber recovered from the roof of Witham Goods Shed.