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Weds 29th / Thurs 30th - Emergency repairs

An interesting two days, in particular on Thursday. As always, grateful thanks to Gerry for Wednesday's photos, and Roger and Tim for the extra photos on Thursday.

Wednesday


Ken has been busy refurbishing the south corridor connection on BSK 35308. It looks like only some minor work is needed for the north connection and that is to replace a small bit of the wood support at the base of the left side.


Ken has clamped the bellows back and away from the wood support to allow the removal of the section to be replaced. A new piece was cut with the bolt hole bored and put on the trestles for painting (this was primed and later undercoated by me on Thursday).


Meanwhile the connection rubber has been attached to the metal plate from the south end of the coach.


Gerry didn't mention what Ken was doing here

The rebuilding of the kitchen inside the GW Inspection Saloon is coming along nicely. The floor unit is now on board with Simon continuing its construction.


I'm assuming this will be a cupboard?


John and Gerry were working on the Inspection Saloon's bogies, fitting axle covers and freeing brake connectors.


Ainsley, Nick, Bob and Stu were working on PWay's people carrier.

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Thursday

The day dawned bright and sunny with that vivid blue sky once again very much present.

The empty Platform 1 Bay ready for the approaching Bank Holiday weekend's activities.

The first of the day's Winchcombe - Broadway round trips with Betton Grange in charge.

During our early Mess Room chat and cuppa, Alan and Geoff were discussing the day's jobs. Then everything changed.


The droplight in the north end door in FO 3132 "Mary" had dropped into the door and completely smashed.

[Photo : Roger]  Stu, Alan and Geoff struggle to get the lazy tongs to move vertically with the replacement droplight in place.

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]. It took two round trips to Broadway to get it all working properly and with everything back in place.


Stu gives the droplight a good clean.With that blue bar I guess this droplight was taken from store.

3132 needs a repaint. Hopefully this can be done before the 2027 season


Very different activities with SO 4798 today. On the Malvern side Jeff finished top coating the windows.
I'm afraid I didn't photo Phil J who was painting the north end door frame and sides.


Jeff completed his top coating on the Cotswold side  toilet compartment window.

The Cotswold side generally had a very different activity. It had had a good first top coat, marred only by some extra skims of filler needed mainly under the top line where an annoying groove made itself known. 


The next job was to flat the whole side ready for the second top coat. Tim got going with the circular pad sander with 400 paper on the cream section .......


......... while Martin handsanded at the south end using 240 paper.


With the cream done, it was on to the main panel.



The lower panel was then finished off with some further hand sanding where needed.


Derek assesses the fitting of the rebuilt battery box cover for the Malvern side.



Steven fits the doors for the new cupboards in the centre vestibule. 


Jeff rubs Georgian Mahoghany wood dye on the edges of the shelves.


Phil S getting the connection corridor light working.


The sink and toilet are gradually being reinstated in the Malvern side toilet compartment.



Two end of day photos showing the two sides of 4798. Above is the Malvern side with its shining first top coat. Below the Cotswold side with its first top coat flatted away, ready for a final wipe over and the second top coat. The above photo also shows some of the doorframe painting done by Phil J.



[Photo : Tim]  He isn't wearing his high viz jacket! 


The Bubblecar, having finished it's final run for the day, was placed in Platform 1 Bay ready for the Cab A Loco weekend.

Tuesday 28th - What, more planks?!



Kicking off with Stu flatting down the top coat Cream on the Cotswold side of SO 4798.

[Photo : Paul E]  The above was only partly done as Stu also had to sand all the thin skims of extra filler that I had put on during Saturday. I think there is still a bit more filler needed at the south end of this side. This was a heads-or-tails situation where a long thin groove showed when top coated - it probably wouldn't have mattered, but in the end we decided to fill it.


Richard catching up with door frame and door edge painting on the Malvern side.

David continued the painting at the south end in Gloss Black ........


....... and completed it, leaving just the Matt Black still to paint on the connection rubber.


Inside 4798 the matching curtain ties are now in place. We need the tables in next.


Keith adds the first coat of varnish to what will be
the doors to the new cupboards in the central vestibule.


All completed on the top side. The backs will be done on Thursday.


[Photo : Paul E]  Derek did a good job rebuilding the Malvern side battery box cover, using two new planks and the best of the existing ones.



Dave was back in and doing more PAT testing.


It's rag time again and I'm not talking about jazz. This is usually done in Upholstery where the table surfaces are clean. We get through a lot of rag with painting, wiping down, cleaning and polishing, and of course all the Dirty Gang activities. Thankfully supplies of old sheets, duvet covers, pillow cases, all types of towel, tablecloths, knapkins, shirts, etc, are frequently donated for which we are very grateful. Heavier and thicker items such as curtains make ideal protective covers.


"Priority cushions to make". Our sales are still doing very well.

More DMU seat backs for the NYMR contract.

Another priority job for Ken. Keith paints in Gloss Black the connection straps for the south end of  BSK 35308.

[Photo : Paul E]  Paul captured me pad sanding and  tidying up the area of 35308 where George had been working on Saturday. This was then dusted off and wiped over with white spirit. With SK 25451 coming into the Works, this extra bit of work on 35308 will now cease. Some metalwork repairs remain to be done before the coach moves to the Diesel shed at Toddington.

And mentioning SK 25451, Dave makes a start on the general sanding down on the Cotswold side.


What more planks for the Mink D van? Yes, another plank is being planed by Paul, but this will be cut into smaller lengths for the doors.

[Photo : Paul E]  Maurice busy priming again.



Keith joins in.


And yet more. The Mink D will forever be remembered as the "plank wagon".


We are still running the Winchcombe-Broadway shuttle with Rake 1 and the Bubblecar during the week while the ongoing repairs to the embankment south of Gotherington continue. Betton Grange, having run round the rake, backs down before heading back to Toddington and Broadway.