Garrett Trolleybus No. 26

05/11/2023

Just a few photos of progress to date. The team have almost finished the offside frame and made a start on the front frame. Next major job will reunite the chassis and the body and get No.26 back on her wheels. If funds allow, we will make a start on the window frames hopefully over the winter months whilst the Museum is closed

01/11/2023

New profile image taken from front cover of Trolleybus brochure. We are fortunate to have one copy in fair to good condition

01/11/2023

Yay! Baby's got new shoes. The old brake shoes have been relined and are ready for action. These are being fitted to the hand/parking brake system. We are still looking for a set fof shoes for the foot brake pneumatic system as well as a compressor and receiver to complete the circuit. Always hopeful someone as these sitting around unloved in a workshop that they no longer need.

11/09/2023

We now have a Just Giving page making donating to the restoration funds for No.26 much easier. Donations help support the project, providing our volunteers with the tools and materials needed for our restoration programme of work.
Areas of work still to be done include:
* Replacement window frames and approved vehicle safety glass
* New external roof covering
* Interior seating and lighting
* 6 new tyres
* sundry items: paint and preparation materials, tools etc.
* replica power poles and Estler current collector

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/onehundredand26

Your donations will help us preserve this important heritage vehicle to museum standard, providing a valuable addition to the Museum's historical narrative of Richard Garrett electric vehicle production.

Trolleybus Transformation - JustGiving

24/08/2023

Now in our 5th year September 10th is Motorcycle Day at the Long Shop Museum in Main Street, Leiston. As with previous years there is no charge for visitors on motorcycles, just turn up and enjoy.
Enter IP16 4ES in your satnav or eating.centuries.twitchy in what3words to find us. 10am-4pm.

30/06/2023

Please note our contact email has changed. All future emails should be addressed to: [email protected]. [Note the 3 T's in the address}

This has been as a result of the number of spam emails originating from a .de domain. Appeals and reports to the previous email provider have failed to restrict or stop these malicious attempts with tempting clickbait to restore the account etc..

The former email account is now closed and deleted. Please amend the former email address in your contact list to avoid future messages being unanswered.
Thank you

17/06/2023

09/05/2023

The team have been busy creating a viewing gallery for our visitors. Now they can overlook the workshop area whenever the Museum is open. Before, we could only allow access when volunteers or staff were present as there are too many dangers and sharp things too keep our visitors safe. The gallery is still in its early stages, there is an ongoing mission to add further details and visitor experience.

25/03/2023

Sunday is the start of British Summer Time and also the start of our Open Season. Remember to put your clocks forward tonight and join us for our STEAM UP event from 10am to 4pm.
There will be engines in steam, visiting exhibits, local crafters and traders, entertainment, hot food along with tea and cake refreshments.
Manage the cost of living costs - if you live in the IP15, IP16 and IP17 postcodes have a look at our Community Pass - pay for one event and join us all year. A Family Pass starts at just £14.
https://www.longshopmuseum.co.uk/opening-and-admission/

17/03/2023

Date for your diary

Zeppelin, fire, brochure, munitions, seed, Garrett, maize, Suffragette, portable and militaria, these are just some examples to get you started.
Now that we have more than half of our Heritage Collection Catalogue digitised on eHive, we have embedded a search facility into our website.
While you are waiting for the Long Shop to open at Steam UP on 26th you can take a look at some of our favourite objects here -
https://www.longshopmuseum.co.uk/objects-online/

10/03/2023

The model of the Garrett double decker trolleybus has been moved to our new workshop viewing gallery where visitors can look at our volunteers at work restoring No.26

17/01/2023

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2023.
The team have been working hard fettling and trueing the nearside individual frame components into position and are now ready to start the final gluing and screwing operation. Fabrication of the metal supports top and bottom of each frame rib is underway. We have sourced some 5/8” thickness period flooring to replace the rotted wood along the each side of the main central walkway and this will be fitted when the final assembly is completed. Work will then start on the offside framework and we anticipate this to be a shorter process using the knowledge and skills the team has already learned. Whilst the extent of the rot and degradation is not as severe as the nearside there will be a significant amount of woodwork to replace, though as much as possible of the original structure will be kept where safe to do so.
Considerable time has also taken place stripping, cleaning and painting the internal roof woodwork. Replacing the external roofing material is scheduled to take place later this year involving removing all the nails and battening used to mount the secondary apex roof structure fitted during the summerhouse conversion. Structurally the roof is sound, most likely as a result of the secondary roof but the original roof covering has suffered and degraded through time and the additional roof fixtures, and is no longer weathertight.
We plan to return the body to the chassis once all framework restoration is complete, hopefully later 2023. The search for the correct wheels and tyres continues. We now have sufficient wheels for the rear and some very bald tyres which will ultimately need replacing. The front wheels and tyres are proving more difficult to source in the right size and offset but we hope to be able to resolve this by the time the body and chassis are reunited.
Other activities included the stripping and cleaning of the aluminium rubbing strakes along the body, these having multiple coats of paint. Also, the aluminium external body panels need stripping, cleaning and making good, again removing multiple layers of paint.

The Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday every week, Easter through to October with a full 7 day opening during the school holiday periods. Please check our website for further details and keep up to date with special events etc. the Facebook project page posts for the latest up to date progress.

25/10/2022

25/10/2022

The nearside framework of No.26 is nearing completion. Next, we will start the offside. Also, the steering and braking mechanisms have been overhauled and re-installed. Visit the Museum this Sunday 30th and talk to the team and view what we have done. There will be engines in steam and spooktacular activities for kids of all ages.

20/10/2022

Our new banner at the entrance to the restoration workshop. Painted by Sam’s Signs, signwriter extraordinaire.

15/10/2022

03/07/2022

PIE Performance Porsche are thrilled to be supporting the Classics at Glemham show this year as the main event sponsor.

Having previously exhibited at this wonderful day out at Glemham Hall we knew we had to get more involved. We're so pleased that we have been given this opportunity to support such a prestigious event.

Classics at Glemham is a family fun day and car show with sports cars, classic cars, car clubs, military vehicles, commercial vehicles and motorcycles. The variety and standard of cars on display is superb and the whole event raises money for a worthwhile cause, this year being St Elizabeth Hospice.

You can find out about the event on the Classics at Glemham website classicsglemham.org.uk

At the last show we had a huge display of cars from the PIE Performance stable and customers cars too. If you’d like to join us for this year’s display with your Porsche, please send us your details by email to [email protected]
,

24/05/2022

On Sunday the Buick and Trolleybus restoration teams organised a pre-60's vehicle run and here a some images of the buses taking part. More images can be found on our Buick restoration page.

04/04/2022

Progress on No.26 is coming along well. Last week another 2 ribs were added along with the upper window spars. It's starting to look like a bus again, (well if you squint a bit and ignore all the structural supports) . A big thank you to Nod for his excellent wood working skills. A big thumbs up from all the team.

22/03/2022

Some good progress made today. The new body frames have been fabricated and delivered and a trial fit of the bottom rail and upright has gone well after a little fettling.
This Sunday the 27th is the Museum 2022 opening event Steam-up day and team members will be on hand to show visitors the progress made over the winter period on No.26. Gates open at 10am. We look forward to meeting our many followers.

25/02/2022

Sunday 22nd May 2022 Pre 60's vehicle run in aid of the Trolleybus Restoration project.
This is the inaugural event which we plan to become an annual fixture in the Museum calendar.
All welcome. Vehicles will be arriving from 8.00 am, assembling at Bentwaters before departing on the run mid morning, arriving at the Museum around Midday before returning to Bentwaters during the afternoon.

14/12/2021

Today Sean media cleaned the chassis in the Museum steam yard. We have been waiting for favourable weather to limit any carryover of airborne grit. As expected, the chassis is in very good condition and requires very little remedial work other than the top hoop of the rear axle frame that was cut off during the summer house conversion. Chassis is now back in the workshop ready for the next stage; a thorough inspection followed by primer and undercoat.

23/11/2021

Today we took the chassis and some of the tinware up to the Museum steam yard ready for media cleaning (sand blasting) tomorrow. Considering the chassis is 95 years old, and spent at least 50 of those years in a field, it appears to be in remarkably good condition. Let's hope there are no surprises once all the the muck and rust are removed. Sadly due to unforeseen circumstances cleaning has been delayed. We will have to wait a little longer to the big reveal. 😧

19/11/2021

A nice film from the British Film Institute archives of Garrett and Ransomes trolley buses in Ipswich 1933. No. 27 can be seen which was the last Garrett bus to operate in Ipswich, ending life in 1948 as an overhead wire oiler. The museum has the chassis of No.27 on display, the only remaining part that could be salvaged. https://fb.watch/9maAm5InRw/

09/11/2021

Major milestone reached today. The body and chassis are now separated ready for the chassis to be media cleaned. The team built a body support from strongbacks and gently raised the body from the chassis. Once free, the chassis was pulled clear.
Some additional struts were fitted to support the front cab area once clear of the chassis. The body has been lowered to around 10 - 11 inches from the floor to make restoration work much easier and safer.
A good mornings work taking under 3 hours from start to finish ably assisted by Jess the dog who made sure everyone kept working and fully inspected all the progress.

14/10/2021

This week the team have now reached the critical stage of separating the body and chassis. Final preparations are underway to achieve this in the coming weeks. Once separated the chassis will be sympathetically media cleaned and painted in Ipswich Transport green of the period.

08/10/2021

06/10/2021

Work continues to provide stability in the body prior to separation from the chassis. Once achieved we can media clean the chassis prior to paint and re-assembly. The previous body props have been removed and replaced with less intrusive struts, allowing much freer movement within and better access to the interior. Most of the main windows have been removed and will need to be replaced and time and weather have taken their toll.
Other tasks include removing the hardboard ceiling in the driver and front entrance area; stripping the thick green paint from the exterior glass; and removing the front exterior panels exposing the wooden framework underneath. We have also started dewiring cable and switches installed during life as a caravan/summerhouse. Work has also started to service, inspect and re-pack the bearings on the rear hubs. These have proved to be particularly stubborn.
We are also pleased to announce receipt of a substantial private donation to kick-start our fundraising efforts which will significantly help progress ongoing work. Our intention is to allocate these funds to a specific package of work such as the new window frames and glass
We have also had visits from British Trolleybus Society Committee members and Ipswich Transport Museum who have provided valuable knowledge and insight to our volunteers. We also visited the East Anglian Transport Museum for their Trolleybus Weekend spectacular and spoke to a number of extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic individuals who were interested in the progress of No.26. The day was complete with a number of rides on No.5, especially after dark.

25/09/2021

Today we are at EATM for their trolleybus weekend

22/09/2021

Started work on the steering column assembly today. As feared, despite best efforts water has managed to find its way in over time. The top worm screw is seized at present and the lower column and gear rotate very smoothly, even though running a grungy brown emulsion. A little more work required to return to working condition.