Archive for the ‘Development’ Category
Website Improvements
Posted by Aaron Donohoe | Filed under Development
I’ve spent the past two days working on the background of the website, I’ve optimized it to improve all loading and navigation aspects. We noticed that the loading times were lagging ever so slightly, so some careful coding quickly resolved this issue.
We have also opened up our Galleries, and our Donations page. While we were on ‘a roll’ we also put up our updated fleetlist and the blog has been upgraded to the latest version of Wordpress.
These changes, haven’t changed the look and function of the website or blog, but have improved the usability, loading and administration of them dramatically!
New Legislation Coming soon!
Posted by Stephen Payne | Filed under Development, General
Not sure if anybody has been made aware, but just wanted to inform any readers or members not aware of the new legislation that will be coming in to effect later this year regarding DOE’s for Commercial vehicles. Up to now, any bus or coach or truck which has been withdrawn from active service has not required a Department of Environment Certificate of Road-worthiness. Motor homes and Vehicles of Contrivance have also been included in this.
Unfortunate for some, it now seems as if all vintage vehicles, or end of life vehicles will need to pass a DOE in order for the vehicle to be driven legally on the road within the state. The exemption for which a Trade Licence (trade plates) comes under will also be clarified so as to involve this new piece of legislation. Its not all bad news though, as vehicles registered before 1980 can undergo a visual smoke(emissions) test which enables the authorised tester to evaluate the vehicles emissions rather than the electronic machine generally used.
This is all part of the clampdown of illegal vehicles being driven on our roads, and matches a similar MOT that is in current use in the UK & Northern Ireland for Vintage vehicles.
Until now there has been no legislation for Vintage or decommissioned coaches/buses which meant that passengers could be carried without the vehicle having to be taxed or DOE’d. Vehicles which will be used for carriage of passengers for reward or not, may be required to be inspected the Carriage office wing of An Garda Siochana although this remains to be seen.
Thankfully the majority of our vehicles are already compliant with the new legislation, but if anyone would like further information or would like to make arrangements for their vehicle to be tested or inspected, you can contact me via email.
The MVPSI have a test centre which is in guidelines of the new legislation and an appointment can be made at your request.
The turn of a CIE key…
Posted by Stephen Payne | Filed under Development, Reports, Restorations
Walking through the yard of Kells Transport Museum in Cork, you see a lot of buses, coaches, trucks, minibuses, in fact just about anything could meet you around any corner, as each time you adventure into the depth of grimy, bewildering vehicles that you might find something new. Well each time we are down, two vehicles always pop up in conversation during breakfast, probably the only two truly amazing vehicles within the museum grounds at Cork. Having worked for 12 3/4hours on R913 back in Freezing December finally came to an end with the apprentice finally signaling that she had started, as the mechanic glanced into the engine in amazement. The other vehicle might not be as unique as R913, but does come from the same period and was a true veteran of the CIE fleet, having been the longest serving member of its class.
Yes, no matter where you went on your adventure anytime you were down, you always met the miserable, almost skeletal remains of a badly deteriorated vehicle that is E106. Having been purchased from Bus Eireann in 1998, she had been lying in Knockraha hidden by other vehicles for nearly six years, and another few years sitting in Capwell garage, which is where she lost a lot of her identity.
Well, eventually we got around to having a good look at her, seeing that she required a lot of parts, and being a small problem with the fact that there was really more work to do than would be normally put into a vehicle, but the decision was made to have a go anyway.
So last weekend, armed with the usual tool boxes, as well as a portable LED lamp, Stephen Payne set to work on rebuilding her from slightly modified parts off different buses across the yard. The sump, rocker assembly, injectors, lift pump, injector pump, injector piping, water pipes, rocker cover, clutch assembly, as well as reverse gear were all replaced, as well as a modified drive shaft from an LA as the original had been badly warped.
Starting work at just after 11pm, it seemed as if it were the last place on earth anyone would want to spend their Friday night, but Steve braved the damp ground and pursued the goal of waking this gentle beast from her death bed. 3am came and went, and frequent dashes up and down the yard for oil, water, batteries and forgotten parts eventually paid off, as at 7.28am the last dash was made up to the office, master switch turned on and with the turn of the oily CIE key, dashboard lights as well as the horn and buzzers broke the perfect silence that was Saturday morning. One more turn of the key and away she went, seven seconds was all it took before she was firing, and the sound was of absolute magic. Never before has an engine started with such ease and sound so perfect, a constant rev was kept until she was idling on her own, and the levels were checked. Everything okay, the buzzers eventually went out and the reverse gear was selected.
Handbrake released and a very nervous mechanic reversed her out of her grave, and moved her up towards the office. Not a puff of smoke from the engine, and sounding as a leopard purr should, she gracefully progressed up to the main gate, where she was left idling while further checks ensued.
So once again, another veteran of the Irish Transport Scene has purred to life, and will be heading towards the MVPSI workshops shortly, as E106 is to be completely refurbished to the standard required. It just goes to show that even things which seem as if they are finally fit to face the grave, can in fact turn around to once again grace the roads of Ireland, and possibly the UK, you would never know what could happen…
Website Online
Posted by Aaron Donohoe | Filed under Development
The website is now online - well most of it!
The Photo Galleries, Restoration Logs and Documents are due to go online in the next few days.
www.motorpreservationireland.org
Website Nearly Complete!
Posted by Aaron Donohoe | Filed under Development
I’ve been working franticly getting the website up and running. It’s been completely redesigned, although it harbours a lot of the old traits of the former website - look, style, layout etc… it will be a much larger websites, with Web 2.0 features, as well as more interactive features too.
As you can see, we’ve decided to introduce a blog on a trial basis. It’s meant to be an informal interaction with visitors, members and enthusiasts. Staff members will post frequently, giving updates as they happen. As most of the work that goes on behind the scenes (moving of vehicles, etc…) doesn’t make it onto the main site. This blog, as well as the forum will keep you up-to-date with the latest society happenings.
I’ll keep you all updated on the website progress,
Aaron.