SVAS volunteers have recently completed the restoration of the Collection’s 1890 Clayton & Shuttleworth ‘Hayes Patent’ straw elevator.
Restoration started in 2016 and has involved a complete dismantle and rebuild, replacing wood where necessary. The front wheels of the elevator were particularly damaged and have been re-tyred to hopefully provide another hundred years of service!
The completed elevator will be displayed at this year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair over the Bank holiday weekend before returning to Old Warden as one of the ground attractions at this year’s Vintage Air Show on Sunday 1st September.
The following gallery of pictures will show some of the hard work that has gone in to getting the elevator to this point.
The elevator before restoration being brought in to the workshop in January 2016 
Clayton & Shuttleworth Hayes Patent straw elevator seen in January 2016 
The elevator carriage was dismantled and was found to be in reasonable condition 
Later in 2016 the elevator carriage was trial fitted prior to painting 
The rear wheels of the elevator were in good condition and required little more than cleaning and painting 
The painting of the elevator carriage under way during the summer of 2016 
The late Fred Harris acted as agricultural adviser to the project and regularly kept an eye on progress 
The elevator carriage was sufficiently complete to be displayed at the 2016 Bedfordshire Steam Fair 
The front wheels for the elevator were badly damaged and had to be sent away for re-tyring by a blacksmith, the wheels returned at the end of 2016 
The largely complete carriage was displayed at the 2016 Engineering Open Weekend 
Gear wheels for the elevator being painted by volunteer Archie Boyle 
A Clayton & Shuttleworth name plate is fitted to the newly painted elevator carriage 
Restoration of the main body of the elevator restarted once a suitable workshop had been built! 
The main body of the elevator after restoration and the first coats of paint 
Several late nights were needed in the recent weeks to make the deadline! 
SVAS Secretary James Michell painting the feed hopper 
The conveyor rollers are refitted 
The main body is carefully wheeled out of the restoration shed towards the waiting carriage 
The big lift starts! 
The conveyor belt is made up of metal links joined by wooden slats, each slat has 3 tines to drag straw up the elevator 
The elevator is assembled for the first time after restoration on 18th August 2019 
On Monday 19th August the elevator together with other Clayton & Shuttleworth items from the Collection were loaded ready for transport to Dorset 
Both chaff cutters and the HSCS tractor will also be on display with the elevator at the 2019 Dorset Steam Fair 
A future project for the team? The Clayton & Shuttleworth portable is being taken to Dorset to show what the starting point is often like!