Saturday 7th - What a day!

Today was the last day of standard running before we enter the special events, Santa and post Christmas period. Though it was actually not quite as normal.

As for C&W, I didn't note the attendance number, but there was a long list in the signing-in book and a lot going on. There was also a special happening planned for later on.

For our shunting team the day began with the extraction from the north yard of some of the Set 3 coaches. These were then propelled into the south yard headshunt to await the arrival of Train 1.

With train 1 in Platform 1, the Set 3 coaches are shunted on the end and attached, now making this a nine coach train ready for the Fireworks Special to be run in the late afternoon. The reason for the extra length is to cater for the 380 booked passengers - a complete sell-out!

45110 came from the front of the train and stopped by the water crane. I returned inside so don't know what happened next.

In Upholstery Laura is instructing new member Sarah in how to thread through the seat back using one of the giant 12 inch needles.

As the moquette is silver horsechestnut leaf I think this is destined for TSO 4867.

When those 12 inch needles come out I make sure I'm extra polite to the team and say lots of nice things to them !!! :-)

A fine selection of doorstops and cushions ready for our shops at Toddington and Broadway.

Down in the Workshop James is now working on the Cotswold side of 4867's north end, making repairs to the top and side of the doorway.

New sections of z bar welded in.

Andy is repairing the side of the centre doorway.

"Andy, I need to include you in Meet The Teams - Metalwork, so a big smile please - excellent, thank you!"

The repair is coming along well.

Towards the south end on the same side, George is continuing his digging out where there are loose or cracked areas of old filler. 

A bit of catching up to do now with new filler.

Simon prepares more wood for the north end of the floor in 4867.

[Photo : Chris H.]  With a full size sheet of 20 mm plyboard easily being carried, Chris described Tom as the human crane! There's not much he can't lift and as such he's a great asset to the Woodwork team, not just for his skills, but when something like this needs transporting.

I'm surmising that the board Tom was carrying is now the new floor in the north end of 4867.

Jeff replaces Phil on the initial smoothing of the outer edges of the internal windowframe side pieces for 4867.

I resumed the secondary smoothing by hand sanding with 100 and 120 paper, before finishing off with 240 grade for a super smooth result as shown below.

The three side pieces on the right now look so much better. The latest is the un-dyed one on the far right; the inner two have been dyed and initially varnished. The five pieces of inner framing also await a second coat of varnish.

In the Woodwork shop Tom assists Robert and Chris with the basic sawing of the next large (and very heavy) baulk of sapele. 

The large stack of various types of inner window framing awaiting completion. A number of old ones are in the mix.

More part completed bits.

The jig used by Robert and Chris for preparing new inner window frame sections.

By the end of the day I had four dyed unvarnished pieces.  Everything else awaited a second coat of varnish.

Out now to the Barn and 4406. Alan, no doubt with help, has secured the giant precut half end in place.

From the side with the new z bar showing in the gap.

Returning later, I missed Alan working but could see where he has begun trimming the half end.

Meanwhile Ken was stripping the connection from that end. The rusted bolts securing the U frame to the rubber bellows are proving to be tough to remove.

On the Cotswold side of 4406 Dave is back with his removal of old cracked filler.

SK 25451's progress is now coming on in leaps and bounds with the second top coating coming along very well. Martin is painting the gutter band along the entire length of the coach on the Cotswold side.

Graham I think completed the main crimson section on the Malvern side.

Bob is doing the cream section on the north half of the Cotswold side.

Alex completes the main cream section on the Cotswold side.

After the shunting Andy resumes the coating of the south end bogie, Cotswold side, with Black M.I.O.

Similarly Ian resumes the cleaning of the Malvern side of the south bogie.

Now something very different with John working on some pipe ends, drilling a small hole in the centre of each.

Phil continues his very thorough cleaning up of the electric connection covers, before attaching each to a board to enable easy and efficient coating in green primer. 

Even the insides of cupboards occasionally need a clean, this one being our main one for PPE storage makes this particularly so and keeps Jenny very busy.

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And now a little step back in time leading to a very special moment.

This was all based originally on an idea by Jeff.

Many months ago Chris dug out a fine slice of oak from the seasoned pile we have outside the Woodwork shop. 

After a long period of drying off, on 17th October Alex created a template and using his French chalk method painted on "Rose's Garden". 

Alex applies the second coat which when dry he will later highlight in black.

Finally multiple coats of varnish are applied and the plaque is carefully hidden in the Paintshop.

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The presentation was planned for today at the 1100 tea break, but because of all the required shunting, it was instead changed to lunchtime. With an almost packed Mess Room it couldn't have been better. 

Rose was in her greenhouse so I dashed out and fetched her, saying that Ian had an announcement to make.

The announcement was of course her presentation.

She was very thrilled with what she found when the cover had been removed.

Rose has long been a great supporter of the Winchcombe Station Maintenance team. Since joining us she has been a star, firstly taking over the job of Office Administration and now she is our Deputy Finance Officer as well. She's frequently making us sausage rolls, cakes and other goodies, as well as organising our fish and chip sessions when the Cheltenham Fryer train is running. 

And then of course there is her garden which I have often photographed for inclusion in the blog. I'm very much looking forward to taking a photo of the plaque when it is placed there.

As Ian said at the presentation, thank you Rose for all that you do for us.

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Finally some photos taken by my nephew Martin who was on duty in the RBr on the Fireworks Special (not sure if I got the order taken right).

Initially two at the Racecourse Station.

And then the display.

Finally back at Toddington.