Shoes and Wedges

[f1steveuk]

Sooner or later K7 is going to have to have her shoes/wedges re-produced. Has anyone contacted The Vickers works in Cross Gates, Leeds, or Vinters (part of Rolls-Royce I think) to see if they retained copies of the drawings?

[Pullman99]

Hi Sreve!

I've been wondering about this issue too. When I first met with Ken Norris - at Bournemouth - he showed me a planing shoe section that he had retained and I was amazed by just how small an area the planing surface was. Presumably there is a way to check if this item and/or drawings have been kept safe somewhere? Also, how mamy changes to the shoes were made during K7's career and especially after the Orpheus was fitted?

[alslad]

Sooner or later K7 is going to have to have her shoes/wedges re-produced. Has anyone contacted The Vickers works in Cross Gates, Leeds, or Vinters (part of Rolls-Royce I think) to see if they retained copies of the drawings?

I'm afraid the Barnbow works at Crossgates has long gone, Steve. The buildings are still there (and I think still owned by Vickers) but they are being used as small business units and a storage/collection facility for an internet car sales company...

[f1steveuk]

Bugger!

Ian, I think the shoes are one of the few items that never required modification, they were in Ken's eye, perfect from day one, and they certainly did the job!

I'm fairly certain Nigel Christopher and myself copied the shoe drawings, so hopefully Bill has them to work from, it would have been nice if Vickers had re-made them, just for histories sake!

[Pullman99]

by f1steveuk » Tue Aug 10, 2010 12:10 pm
it would have been nice if Vickers had re-made them, just for histories sake!

That's one of the problems after 56 years. Finding original equipment suppliers that are still extant. The original company's interests would now be contained within BAe Sytems I presume and that includes the works at Barrow. As successors to the original company, would it be worthwhile investigating this link further?

[f1steveuk]

Always worth following up these things I think. It's like Horace and Syrene Paints, right opposite Norris Bros in Burgess Hill, and until a few years ago had an original barrel of the 66/67 blue !!

[turbocox]

Hi Sreve!

I've been wondering about this issue too. When I first met with Ken Norris - at Bournemouth - he showed me a planing shoe section that he had retained and I was amazed by just how small an area the planing surface was.

I thought this was discussed before, aren't the Sponsons/shoes and the 1.1 bb mockup all burried under a building and car park?

Or am I confusing myself again

[Pullman99]

It's like Horace and Syrene Paints, right opposite Norris Bros in Burgess Hill, and until a few years ago had an original barrel of the 66/67 blue !!]

Mentioning which. Just wondered if there is now a definitive BS or Pantone reference number for Bluebird Blue?

[f1steveuk]

Hi Sreve!

I've been wondering about this issue too. When I first met with Ken Norris - at Bournemouth - he showed me a planing shoe section that he had retained and I was amazed by just how small an area the planing surface was.

I thought this was discussed before, aren't the Sponsons/shoes and the 1.1 bb mockup all burried under a building and car park?

Or am I confusing myself again

Yep you are confusing it. That discussion was "where are the originals?" this question was, "how can the new ones be made a] cheaply and b] in historical context

[f1steveuk]

It's like Horace and Syrene Paints, right opposite Norris Bros in Burgess Hill, and until a few years ago had an original barrel of the 66/67 blue !!]

Mentioning which. Just wondered if there is now a definitive BS or Pantone reference number for Bluebird Blue?

In a word, no! The paint at H & S was mixed to match a sample. It's been a few years since I saw the tin and it's yellowing label, but it just said "Marine quality blue, L Villa"