2022 Roundup

A little more activity in 2022,  332 miles this year. Local events  - Wanborough Show, Shalbourne Car Show again plus iand nformal Cotswolds  steam car tour, a Veteran Car Club of Great Britain  tour, and the Kop Hill Climb in Buckinghamshire. . One breakdown -needing a trip back on the trailer  - a broken perch pole bolt on the first day of the Cotswold Tour (replaced later the same day thanks to J R Goold Steam Ltd )  and a near breakdown  on the VCCGB tour - an almost blocked boiler feed check valve fitting. This was a repeat of a problem we had in 2019, so an annual descale will be added to the car's checklist. The brake bands needed relining at the end of the season too, one patch on the driver's side band was down from 5mm  to about 1mm of lining. The bands wear unevenly, with most of the wear at the bottom.  They were last relined as the start of the 2019 season, and have lasted about 1200 miles. 

 2020 Roundup

Despite the pandemic we managed to run some 276 miles, on short jaunts from  home, a socially distanced Cotswold Steam car Tour in September, and the local Shelbourne Car Show. 

A couple of mechanical issues surfaced - The Passenger side brake band pull off spring stud broke away on the Cotswold tour, so a new one was made and rivetted into place. The Driver's side crosshead developed enough wear for the pump drive rod to move sideways, so over the winter this was adjusted (with advice form the Goold Brothers) and the crosshead slides were also adjusted at the same time. The crankcase cover did as warned prove difficult to get back, after a couple of attempts oil leakage was reduced to an acceptable  amount. It will be refitted properly at the end of 2022! 

Normal Service will be resumed as soon as possible

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted many things, including classic car activities, so apart from a couple of test trips after lockdown eased the car has seen little use. However we hope to attend at least one socially-distances local event and perhaps a Steam Car Club gathering in September. 

Steaming through 2019

Despite a late start  (did not get on the road until early May) due to finding the Driver's side front wheel bearing had suffered water damage and pressure of work on the famous Crofton Beam Engines   conservation and restoration project which I was leading, we still managed to put 550 miles on the Stanley. We attended several local events, the Steam Car Club of Great Britain New Forest Tour ,  the Kop Hill Climb and the Prescott Autumn Classic and even gave a lift to several steampunk ladies from local group Steamhenge - watch the video

Main winter 2018-19 maintenance task - brake shoe and band reline

Found the Driver's Side outside brake band hanger had fractured, another job added, made a new one from phosphor bronze

Final job - regrease front wheel hubs - and found water damage to the Driver's side inner bearing - a replacement job

Eventually got the car on the road in early May

Power feed pumps leaking more than usual, eventually traced to boiler feed inlet blocked with  scale, all eamed out and another check to be added to regular maintenance schedule 

Out and about at local events, Aldbourne Doggy Day

Aldbourne Doggy Day

Our first failure on the road, fractured feed heater delivery pipe - fortunately happened a coupe of miles from home, so could limp back on Stanley Stored Power

Wanborough Show in July

And won the Favourite Car  trophy! Stanley triumphs again!

Spares collection picked up a set of brake drum castings as the orginal pressed steel drums are getting very thin

The only tour we manged in 2019 a good time had by all

Next to another local steamer, the one that got away last year, a 1903 White

Our cars were pride of place outside Palace House at Beaulieu

Hill climbing again, at the start line at the Kop Hill Climb

And with Morgans at the Prescott Autumn Classic

End season and time for the boiler inspection - burner drop needed this time so bottom tube plate thinkness can be checked

Cild and hot boiler inspections done, drain down, coat brightwork with Renaissance Wax, and tuck car up for the winter

I make my cars to go not to stop.....

Ettore Bugatti is rumoured to have said...not a good idea on the open road I think!. So this winter's job is a brake reline....which revealed a broken inside brake band suspension link links the off side of the car, a loose brake shoe lining on the near side, and worn original brake drums....

Checking  template for the new inside link; they are soldered to the brake lever shaft bush, so a new one of those is needed too.

Brake drums off to send away for cleaning up

Relined brake shoe - original bronze casting, one split shoe that flexes, note Stanley part numbers. Shoes are stamped D/SIDE and P/SIDE for identification. Must have confused things when Stanleys switched to left hand drive in 1915!

Latest altho delayed news.....

More haste less speed......

The Speedo drive gear arrived and the Russ Furstnow restored speedometer has bee commissioned, works well (Russ did remind me that a speedometer of that era would only be accurate to plus or minus 5 mph)

And we had a spring clamp nut come off  on the way to the the Aldbourne Doggy Day

More Haste Less speed part 2

Took advantage of warm(er) weather over Xmas to progress installing the speedometer and do a trial setup of the drive from the LH front wheel. Waiting for a new speedometer drive gear (eventually decided not to use the worn one I had) then will do the final install.

More Haste less speed.....

After a lot of searching we have found a fully restored correct Stewart-Warner speedometer for the car. A number of the surviving sister cars retain their original speedometers, so we knew exactly what to look for.

The speedometer,  a correct Stewart Warner chain link drive cable and parts for the swivel drive unit which fits onto the left hand front wheel were sourced from US expert Russ Furstnow of Flagstone, Arizona.

Glorious Goodwood

We were flattered that our car was deemed worthy for the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which this year featured  a "120 years of the Stanley Motor Carriage" section. Our Model 607 spent the event  on the Cartier Lawn in company with a 1903 Model B Stanley (class winner) 1909 Mountain Wagon, 1914 Model 606 Roadster and a 1923 Model 740B - plus a supporting cast of Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts, Fiat 500 variants, Ferarris, Aston Martins and a host of super and hyper cars - what a mix!

Watch this space.....

Bust busy busy...with Heritage Lottery Fund projects for Crofton Beam Engines so no time for Steam Cars. Next  outing will be to the Wiltshire Agricultural Preservation Group rally  at Oare, near Marlborough on 10 and 11 June.

Spring is coming

Keeping an eye on the long range weather forecast and waiting until we are definitely clear of frosty nights before filling the car's boiler again. Even though we have heaters on frost setting  in the garage, don't want to take any chances.


Meanwhile tidying up and treating the odd bit of rust on the (non-original) Lucas side lamps so the car will look smart on Drive-It Day,  Sunday 23 April when we will be off to the Royal Oak at Bishopstone

Ready, steady go.....

This week we collected the car after  her check over by J R Goold Vintage Steam Restorations, all ready for the 2017 season. Although Stanley is MOT exempt, we feel that it is always a wise precaution to have an occasional check over by an expert. The car's steering has been tightened,  both rear band brakes relined, and an extra steam valve added for the water lifting siphon (I  connected the original dash mounted siphon valve to  a stack blower  in 2015 after a fuel vapour 'bang' whilst standing outside the garage).  All we need now is  warmer, frost free weather and we will be out and about again. Meanwhile there is paint  touching up  to be done, the car needs a good clean and the side lamps a coat of black paint.

New Year Resolutions

Car is currently tucked up in the garage for the winter, but in a couple of weeks will be taken to the Goold's workshop for a pre-season check over. Although MOT exempt, we feel that an independent check is a good idea. Meanwhile the search for a correct 1914 Stewart speedometer for the car continues.

Out and About

Its been a busy summer so far, and the Stanley had been out and about quite a bit

Drive it Day at the Royal Oak, Bishopstone, Wiltshire to start the season

Then the Dampf In Melle German Steam Car Tour

Back home again and a little outing to the Ramsbury Brewery

And to our local show and rally, where we won a prize

No news is Good News

Been neglecting the Stanley's Blog. Nothing much to report at the moment; after 2015 tours in the Cotswolds and Isle of Wight, plus a showing at the Prescott Autumn Classic in October 2015, the car has been tucked up in its garage waiting for the spring. Apart from checking over the pump packings and repacking the front bypass valve, all that is needed for the 2016 season is a little touching up of som damaged paintwork on the right hand front wheel.

Hood goes up.....Hood goes down

News from the Coach Trimmer

Phone call from David Nightingale the Coach Trimmer this morning, the new hood for the Stanley is done bar some nailing  on the front bow, and  work is proceeding on the tonneau cover. Perhaps we will be ready for the Veteran Car Club event at  Cirencester at the end of June.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible

The car  is now at David Nightingale Coachtrimmng for a new hood and a tonneau cover. The hood was missing when we bought the car, so its being reconstructed from photographs and measurements of sister cars. Tonneau covers were not originally fitted, but we need one to keep the car interior clean when its on the trailer or parked up at  events.

Here is the car in David's workshops with the new  top bows set up.

Off to the Coachtrimers

Stanley is now at David Nightingale Coachtrimming  for the new hood to be made and fitted. David will also make a tonneau cover for the car - not an original fitting, but needed to protect the interior when being trailed. The new hood will be based on those fitted to sister cars; much of the detail has been taken from Stanley #7717, a very original car,  whose owner has kindly allowed access for measuring and photography. Its hood fabric has been replaced, but all other hood fittings, including side screens, are original.

All loaded and ready to go to David's workshop

New hood bows fitted

The new hood bows and front and rear hood tie down straps are now fitted to the car,  so it's now ready for the coach trimmer.