Huddersfield 619Restoration Page 2

After the Huddersfield 35th Anniversary on 13th July 2003, 619 ran for the rest of the season, effectively restored, operational, and in fine fettle. However, there is always something else to do! While we were waiting for some bumpers to be fabricated and finding a source of 'clunkers' (trafficators), we decided to de-rust and repaint the chassis. This was completed in the Spring of 2004. We are slowly working towards the exterior changes which will restore 619 to the way she was delivered to Huddersfield in 1956.

Below are sections on the chassis, bumpers, clunkers and rear panelwork:
(>>) - indicates larger version or more description is available - click on photo or arrows.

619's return to 1956. Chassis, 2004:
The state of the chassis before cleaning. Rust everywhere! It was a filthy job cleaning it all off.	Showing the cramped conditions, even with a pit, to clean and repaint in.	Looking towards the rear, the motor and all the cross members have now received their nice shiny silver chassis paint.
Looking towards the front.	Under the front showing the rusty resistor box before painting.	The resistor box and surrounding areas get their coat of paint - almost finished now.
Meanwhile... a few other details needed looking at. Long overdue, these were finally tackled in 2015 while preparing 619 for another season's running at The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft. Some of the floor treads in the cab required replacement or refastening in order to pass the annual test. The material were obtained and this job is now finished (below).	The uncollected fares box has been missing for years. A genuine Huddersfield one was procured during 2014 (left), stripped down, repainted and fixed into position on the platform (right). It still requires its paper instructions to be stuck on the front.	The Used Ticket box at the top of the stairs has also been missing for years. This was finally put into place as shown. It still requires wording transfers making and fitting.
*Bumpers.*
A bit of a con! This is 593's preserved bumper, showing approximately what the front will look like when finished.	Huddersfield bumpers varied amongst the fleet, and 593's is wrong for 619. The main difference is that all four chrome strips are continuous across the front. In addition, they are very heavy, so the fabricated versions will be lighter.	This is 622 fitted with bumpers with the correct strips. It is also demonstrating its clunker.
*Clunkers.*
622's clunker in close-up.	Clunkers (known as 'cyclist killers' in some places!) are more properly known as semaphores or trafficators. They were removed on overhaul in the late 1950's or early 1960's and replaced with flashing 'winkers' on the cream band behind the driver's door. We want to replace the clunkers to bring 619 back to her 1956 specification. A number have been acquired, but are of the wrong design, being two bits of flat dark orange plastic surrounded by metal. The correct ones are more yellow and are to a 'tear-drop' design in blown plastic. Some of the latter have been obtained but non-working. We are hoping to make a correct set out of the two types.
*Rear Panel.*
The rear panel of 559 (second body constructed a few months before 619).	559's rear design is very similar to that which 619 requires. The main difference is that the reflectors at the bottom of the panel need to be round. The black areas are, in fact, glass and these light up. The centre one says 'Stopping' in red when the brakes are applied; the side ones are direction turning arrows in orange.
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