Casting The First Ranalah! What Could Go Wrong?! | Reviving History (Episode #7)

It's finally time to head back to the foundry and cast the first frame for the Ranalah wheeling machines! But will the pattern work? Is it the same size as the original wheeling machine? Will I be able to fulfil my dreams of bringing this unique design back to life?!

Thanks so much to everybody who has helped me along the way. Chris & the gang at East Coast Casting; Mike & his sons at MJY Patterns; Paul at Modular105Motor. Not to mention, Anthony, the inspiration gentleman who gave me my first reclaimed Ranalah.

And thank you for following me on this journey. As the proud owner of Ranalah Limited, I hope you've been entertained, educated, and inspired!

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[lesfirth]

I am an old git. My grandad was a moulder in a foundry. My Dad (before I was born) was a planning machine operator at the GNER loco works in Doncaster. As a child time was not governed by a clock but by the buzzer at Beyer Peacock loco works in Manchester .I was an apprentice at Ferranti Ltd. Engineering is in my blood. A mates dad had a one man band car bodyshop and I saw him making a new bonnet for an Aston martin DB4 using an English wheel. ( He tried to order a new one but was told that they were all different!)
I thought all the engineering skills we had in this country had been lost. It brought a tear to my eye to see that just a little bit still survives.

[threeriversforge]

That was awesome to watch. You could see the casting crew was real proud to be bringing back a bit of English heritage! As a blacksmith, I really appreciate the old tools and the guys that used them to make the world we see around us today. I'd absolutely buy a NEW Ranalah if I had the money. I don't have much use for one, but it'd be a huge honor just to play a small part in helping bring them back into use so they're around for the next hundred years.

Folks, tend your garden well. The original Ranalah disappeared from the world because people kept opting for cheaper and cheaper while also wanting paid more and more. Taxes, regulations, fees and all the reams of paperwork.... it kills small businesses more than you can ever know if you haven't tried to run a small business. Tend your garden well. The Ranalah, like the phoenix, has risen from the ashes, but can we keep it going? Will there be customers enough that they can cast ten or twenty of them every year, or every month? Or will you decide to buy cheap chicom products? Tend your garden, folks.

[lewisp]

thank god for people like you how many pieces of amazing machinery got scrapped over the years, you kept a name alive cant wait to see it working.

[aussiemorons]

As a patternmaker I would like to say that Dom has perfectly captured feeling I get when they knock one of my jobs out of the mould. Men cannot have babies, but being a patternmaker is close.
Greetings from Australia.

[DavePawson]

"Honestly, I did not sleep a wink last night" 🙂
Enthusiastic or what!
Your enthusiasm is infectious!

[sharonhopkins]

My husband was a metallurgical engineer and made transmissions for Corvettes and other things. He once told me that he liked to work so well, he would do it for free so I understand their joy in this!

[peterh]

Who says we cannot make things any more in this country, what an amazing bunch of skilled people you found to make this. Also a great film well done.

[yakhunt]

I actually shed a tear at the end. Lovely to see proper heavy industry alive and well in the digital economy, even if it's only small batch

[ianwatson]

When I was a small boy, I used to go into work with my dad on Saturday mornings and watch him and a colleague use one of these to hand-shape the wings for Massey Ferguson tractors. It was a small panel beating shop in Coventry called Stan Taylors. It had an outside (literally outside) toilet and while standing there you overlooked Coventry City's football pitch! Brought back all those memories. Thanks Dom.

[mattdow]

I live and work near the Morden Road, Merton industrial area, I never knew Ranalah were based locally in my home area. Enjoying these vids immensely.

[conwaynoel]

I have to say that the camera work and post production is absolutely brilliant . The story could no t have been told otherwise. Well done .

[andyfirthbespoke]

I found that quite emotional. Absolutely fantastic to see a new Ranalah come to life. Very well done guys.

[neilshep]

Well worth half an hour of BBC1s' schedule. Brilliant on every level.

[stephenboyce]

What a fabulous film - your best yet. Having witnessed the decline in UK manufacturing over my lifetime let us hope this is the turning point. Well done Dom your commitment to this project is an inspiration.

[andypandy]

What a fantastic company East Coast Castings it just warms the heart all is not lost and as for you Dom I cried when I saw the casting beautiful mate beautiful. I bow to your tenacity. This just gives me massive faith we can still do it. I can't wait to see the finished machine. Massive thumbs up.

[izirins]

Lovely to see Dom on the receiving end of the "reveal table". Inspiring video!

[gav]

I guess you now know what it feels like on the other side of that reveal table Dom. Well done all. BTY, that vid is as good as any Repair Shop episode.

[kuriakos]

I got chills when he brushed aside the sand and we could see "The Ranalah"

[oasismike]

I cried...didn't know what this'd be about, but...it wasn't a religious icon; one large state of the art casting. I've watched motorcycle gas tank fabrication using wheels like this'll use, and smaller castings. Even though I've no direct experience, custom fabrication of any type is dear to my heart. I learned some things, and truly enjoyed seeing the workmanship and result of not just this step but the others before it -- great video, very satisfying emotionally. Thank you!

[captainhaddock]

Should be proud of yourself Dom, hell of a journey, all the right people for each job, culminating in an end product that speaks for itself . Sorted 👏