Weds 3rd / Thurs 4th - Progressing well

Wednesday

Another great set of photos of the day's events from Gerry. Not so many this time as unusually it was a quieter day for Wednesday with some of the staff away as the holiday season now really kicks in.

Work has already begun on SK 25451 in the Barn in the form of testing the vacuum system, metalwork repairs at the south end, and general painting team preparation on the Cotswold side.

Things have now stepped up and a window has been removed by Gerry to enable repairs to the surrounding metal panel in the usual places.

A number of windows will have to be removed.

Ben is digging out rotten wood in the corridor connection.

Bob and Bryan are fitting a sink to the Weed Spraying wagon. The is a mandatory H & S aspect in relation to the handling of the spray chemicals.

Simon and Neal are making doors for the new units in the Inspection Saloon kitchen.

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Thursday

Geoff and Alan are on their way to Platform 1 to catch the first train armed with a table and fittings, and the necessary tools. The table came loose during the gala in TSO 5042. On the train's return they appeared with the news that the job had been successfully completed.

The timetable in use was for a diesel on Train 2.  37215 passes the 03 on the first return journey.

Derek primes four lengths of plank that he has prepared for more of the repairs to the Shark Ballast Plough.

Roger had made a very good job of varnishing the table legs for SO 4798 on Tuesday. I bundled these up on the trestles next to the brackets. These are now ready for refitting.

Alan fixed the remaining lengths of beading to the south vestibule ceiling in 4798. Both the north and south vestibule ceilings can now be repainted.

One of my jobs for the day was to finish off the north corridor connection, which meant bringing the tower round from the south end. With the tower secured by its brakes and props, the Henry was dragged up and, after sanding and brushing to removed dried algae and dirt, the rain cover was given a good vacuuming. New sealant was needed along the back edge and the whole top coated with Matt Black Polyurethane paint. The above panel and cover supports were coated in Gloss Black.

One of the main jobs today was to try and get the remaing yellow lining out completed on the Malvern side of the coach. Tim continued along the top line - this had been started by Martin on Tuesday.

Phil, back from a lovely holiday in the Scillies, tackled the lower line.

On the Cotswold side at the north end, Rod repainted the small corner section of the lower line. The lower band had been painted in gold colour as used with Crimson & Cream. The livery on 4798 is of course Chocolate & Cream so the band should be yellow.

Returning later to see progress on the Malvern side, Phil had got down to the south end with his taping up.

Meanwhile Rod was busy black glossing the door handles and stops. As this is the central door, which is now permanently locked out of use, the handle has been replaced with a blank.

It's a fiddly job and takes a steady hand, but the result does look good.

Phil is well into painting the yellow band on the lower line. When completed he will return to give the band a quick second coat. Both Rod and myself joined in to get the job completed.

With the painting completed it is important to get the tape off. Tim pulls it off in short lengths, safely gathering it in his other hand. This is the riskiest part as you don't want the tape snapping and depositing the wet yellow on the livery top coat. 

Almost there. 

A hearty thank you to Tim, Phil and Rod for staying on to get the job completed.

The Malvern side with the completed yellow lining out. We will leave the black band to next week to allow the yellow paint to harden off.

Tuesday 2nd - Hail, and a lot more

An interesting day and interesting weather!

While making use of Upholstery's nice clean tables to cut another load of rag, I spotted a nice display left by Laura. It looks like the new idea to add bookmarks to our sale items is going to happen. Those four trial ones look very nice!

Maurice primes another part of the brake mechanism from the Mink D van.

Paul prepares the roof edge ready for the fitting of the last of the new planks.

[Photo : Paul E]  Maurice carefully clamps the plank to the metal frame ready for drilling the bolt holes.

[Photo : Paul E]   Holes bored and bolts fitted, and another job well done.

[Photo : Paul E]

Despite a number of the Tuesday team being away (please come back soon!), we made good progress with a number of small jobs on SO 4798. 

At the north end David surveys where to start with the Matt Black Polyurethane paint. This is being used to reblack the heavy rubber connection bellows. The south end was also done.

The outside is completed, now for the inner side.

There is still some ceiling beading to put back up in the south vestibule, and the ceiling in both this and the north vestibule need repainting. Chris assesses the job.

Martin black glossed the blanks left by the removal of the demarcation tapes at the south end. He then began the yellow lining out on the Malvern side top line. When reviewing my photos I discovered I hadn't taken one of him doing that. Sorry Martin!

Ian completes the black glossing on the back of the Malvern side battery box covers.

No apologies for endlessly photographing "Manston". I will be sorry to see this loco go when it returns to the Swanage Railway. I have fond memories of Spam Cans having spent the first eight years of my life living in Egham with the Waterloo - Reading line at the bottom of the garden. No surprise that the one I especially remembered seeing was 34051 "Winston Churchill".

The train has gone, but Chris, Phil and David continue their discussion.

Having seen the 16 table wall brackets repainted, it was now the turn of the table legs. Roger was well into the revarnishing by the time I captured him.

The next is given a light sand prior to revarnishing.

Four already done. The attached metal brackets make it very easy for resting the legs on the floor and leaning against the wall. 

David glosses the lamp brackets at both ends.

Now it's the turn of the locking parts on the Cotswold side battery box covers.

Chris and Robert (inside the compartment) discuss the fitting of the various wall and door fittings to go back in.

Ian freshened up the chequerplates in both connections with Silver Hammerite.

Normally a job for Jeff, David whitens the raised lettering and border of the builder's plate on the Cotswold side. The one on the Malvern side is partly covered by the central door step.

A peak out of the Paintshop reveals a rapidly darkening sky. Looks like we are in for a storm.

Well we certainly had the hail along with quite a spell of very heavy rain, thunder and lightning. The forecast for Winchcombe was for light rain!

Derek was busy making the internal repairs to the Shark and ended up trapped until it all blew over.

David ended his day reaming out the Cotswold side rivet line on SK 25451 in the Barn. George had made a very good start on this. David's efforts will have cleaned this out even more, in effect completing the job.

All 16 table legs for 4798 now ready for fitting.

A distorted wide angle shot of the Malvern side toilet compartment with all the fittings now in place. Robert had certainly been busy as the Cotswold side compartment was the same.

There was another heavy bout of rain later on, but by the time we left after 6 it had cleared up completely.