Early Wadkin Band saw development DR

[Vann]

I had to take my daughters to a sailing regatta today - right across town. I decided I'd kill some time, old British iron hunting, by visiting two vintage rail groups in the area.

The first had some nice old English metalworking gear, but just about all their woodworking machinery is cheap modern-ish Asian gear.

At the second site they had the workshop roped off and mostly out of sight. Fortunately I bumped into a former work collegue (I knew he frequented the place), who was happy to show me behind the scenes. They had less metal working gear (two really old machines hidden under tarps). The woodworking machinery had a high percentage of New Zealand made gear (Tanner and Dyco), but again no British machines.

However, out back, in one of the storage sheds, I struck gold.

...Turned out to be 30 inch
I really would like to see an old early model 36 wadkin now !

Here you go Matty, an early Wadkin 36" DO - DO 253 (test 5812), made before 1937.

aDO1.jpg aDO253.jpg

aDO2.jpg aDO3.jpg Upper & lower guides.

aDO4.jpg Note square hole for belt shifter (missing).

Unfortunately my former collegue was a bit perplexed at my interest in machinery when he wanted to show me the rolling stock. I could have asked him to open the roller door for photos from the other side - but thought it better not to push my luck.

Cheers, Vann.

[auscab]

Nice one !! Was it a big thing to stand next to , Tall ?
They look big in the Wadkin Pictures compared to the workers around them.
I was trying to read what they wrote on the defect note that says " do not operate "
Cant quite read it ?
Rob

[Vann]

It was quite big. Not huge like a sawmill bandsaw, but yes it was significantly taller than my 6ft.

...I was trying to read what they wrote on the defect note that says " do not operate "
Cant quite read it ?

As near as I can decipher, it says:

aDO5.jpg

DO NOT OPERATE
Bus No. Band Saw
Defect/Reason: Not Electrical Tested
Name (Print): D. Emerson
Signed:
Date: 1/7/08

The saw came from a former Wellington City Tramway workshops - and was no doubt used in the manufacture and repair of much of Wellington's tram fleet.

Cheers, Vann.

[auscab]

Ahh , It was the defect /reason I was trying to work out .
I thought it was saying something about rubber on the wheels ??
Thanks .

[camoz]

Vann,

Very nice, thanks for sharing, I hope it makes it back into service one day.

Cheers,

Camo

[bunya pine]

Team

look at this ebay add, which has a nice old band saw:

bandsaw wolfenden cast iron | eBay


Please note this is not my saw.

Cheers
Stew

[clear out]

The plate reads reconditioned by Wolfenden.
Until a few years back they retyred wheels etc.
It looks like a Crescent saw,
H.