One bumper posting for the mid-week activities to make way for the special Weedlink post.
Please note that Weedlink has now been added to the Special Articles section in the Blog's Main Menu so will be readily accessible for future viewing.
In answer to St Blazey's comment at the end of the Weedlink article, just to say that there is a secured chair on board the wagon. I thought there was a photo which included it but so far have been unable to locate it
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Tuesday
We had 12 attending on a day of mixed weather, which in the end became very pleasant.
With most, if not all, of the pieces for the inner parts 4867's window frames now made, Robert and Chris have moved on to the outer parts.
Newly made on the bench are ( l to r ) two inner sections, a large outer base section and 4 or 5 outer side pieces.
Keith adds a second coat of varnish to the four inner sections, three of which are for 4867, with the fourth for Alan on Thursday for a repair, presumably in Rake 3.
Keith paints the cleaned up ceiling lights, the bowl section in White gloss and outer rim in Silver Hammerite. In the middle are the frame sections previously shown in the Woodshop.
Paul top coating the planks from the Shark Ballast Plough.
Where the repainted blanks will end up.
On to 25451 where Stu is applying the first of the Crimson top coat to Malvern side south end. I was doing a final bit of hand flatting on the north half.
Richard gave all the Malvern side windows a second undercoat.
The Orange Brown top coating on the south connection sliding door failed to cover marks underneath, even with two coats. So the decision was made to apply Cream undercoat over the whole door to provide a consistent base for further top coating. Roger keys the paint surface and then repaints the door.
From the south end the initial top coating is looking good. The temporary barrier will prevent anyone accidentally passing too close to the wet paint.
With the tower brought back round to the north end, Ainsley paints the rain cover and nearby pipework, and then the bellows.
Stu takes a well earned breather. Having almost completed the first top coat on the lower section, he has done a great job today.
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During the afternoon I gathered the team together for a demonstration of our new Mirka dust free sanding system, showing them how to both set it all up and, more importantly, carefully dismantle it.
Richard has a go with the circular sander. It's very light to use and has adjustable speeds. Assoon at it starts the vacumm unit springs into life and completely draws in the sanding dust. Perhaps I should say meshing dust as of course the abrasive surfaces that are mounted are an abrasive mesh.
Now Keith has a turn.
The team were very impressed and all very pleased that dust masks were not required.
The Mirka system was supplied by Restorate Ltd (www.restorate.co.uk) and kindly funded by the GWRT from the Peter Bennett Fund. A number of boxes of the mesh sanding pads ranging from 60 to 240 grade were kindly donated by the firm.
Sam from Restorate had previously visited to demonstrate this excellent system and at the time several of us had a try and were extremely impressed. This was something we had to have, so we are very pleased that we now have it to use.
With today's top coating on the Cotswold side, Stu couldn't paint the centre door as it still needed flatting. I would have happily used the new system on the door with no worries about the possibility of dust landing on the wet paint on either side, because there wouldn't be any! It wasn't done simply because we were more worried about getting paint on either the sander or associated piping and power cable.
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After the morning's showers the day became very pleasant.
Making the most of the Black 5 while it is still with us. It is certainly popular with our passengers. Granted that it is half term and as such we expect to get more passengers, this train had very well filled carriages. I wonder how the take up for the special Fire and Drive day with 45110 is faring?
The train heads back to Toddington and Broadway.
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The late afternoon sun and lengthening shadows. While FK 13326 in Rake 3 stands out, on the right SO 4798 "Christine" positively shimmers!
SK 25451 is also beginning to shape up very nicely. Roger black glossed both the connection interior and face plate and it now really stands out with the rest of the south end nicely undercoated.
I caught 45110 again on the final run of the day. With the hour now on the winter setting it will soon be dark.
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Wednesday
As always, grateful thanks to Gerry for Wednesday's photos.
Upholstery are as busy as ever with Eve working on another stripped down seat base from TSO 4867, ...........
......... Ceri making another bag, .........
......... and Laura doing the essential stocktaking.
Really back to basics with the coach base and bogie of TSO 4867 very much in view. Neil test positions a new doorway threshold.
Neil and Simon positioning a new floor cross beam.
Simon fitting side pieces to the replacement top hat crossmember recently welded in by Nick.
Trevor is fitting new supports for the side panelling.
Rex and Bryan continue the internal rebuilding of the windows.
With the all-round wood base securely fitted, the first of the internal parts of the window frame has been drilled and now ready to be secured.
In the Barn the Cotswold side toilet window is now being reinstated by Gerry in the repaired section at the south end of TSO 4406.
The frame has been cleaned up, but will be fully secured before the glass is reinstated.
The GW Inspection Saloon remains elevated on the jacks while the heating system pipework is being rebuilt by Ken.
Two views of some of the rebuilt pipework.
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Thursday
Many thanks to Roger for the extra photos.
Beginning today with the Indoor Gang making window repairs in SK 24949. The repair was to the base section of the inner frame.
[Photo : Roger] Alan and Geoff prepare the screw holes in the metal frame.
[Photo : Roger]
[Photo : Roger] The new section of frame is temporarily secured and the screw holes marked for drilling, .................
[Photo : Roger] ......... and then taken back to the Workshop to get the holes drilled.
[Photo : Roger] Now back in 24949 Alan inserts all the screws.
[Photo : Roger] Job completed with the replacement fully secured. The overall outer frame will need to be fitted next.
The next job was in FK 13326.
I took this photo just over a week ago showing the centre panel and seat side removed.
[Photo : Roger]
[Photo : Roger] The repairs to reinstate two small side tables were completed.
[Photo : Roger]
Now back to the Barn where Alan has prepared the whole of the left hand side of TSO 4406's south connection ready for attaching one of the two remaining half ends purchased some time ago from South Devon Railway Engineering.
Also at the south end Gerry is preparing to secure the reinstated toilet window frame.
Rex is cleaning up and checking the many screws and related window frame fixings.
Jeff continues the dyeing of the remaining sections of window frame. With the spirit dye drying quickly, he was later to get them all varnished.
Including Jeff, we had a very good turnout for the Painting team today with seven of us attending. As such a lot was achieved with SK 25451 without treading on each other's toes.
Trying the new Mirka sander for then first time, Martin flats the undecoat on the Cotswold side centre door.
Phil later uses it to flat the centre cream panels on the Malvern side north end. It was also his first time. Both Martin and Phil were very impressed with new equipment and enjoyed the freedom from having to mask up.
Tony painted on a second coating of the Express Red undercoat on the main panel from the centre door to the south corner on the Malvern side.
Martin now adds the first top coat to the centre door.
Tim keys the south connection door.
Martin has now moved round to the Malvern side to begin top coating the windows.
With the keying done Tim now applies the Orange Brown top coat. No surprise that the result is proving to be much better. I should have suggested a full undercoat to begin with - some paints cover well and you can get away with a lot, while others don't take to shortcuts.
David was busy adding Black Gloss to the north end.
With the door painted Tim moves on to doing the same at the south end.
David is now very well into his painting and should complete this end, bar the bit directly over the connection for which the scaffold is best to use.
Tim is also well into his end with the Cotswold half completed and the connection currently receiving attention.
The Malvern side completely undercoated with top coat going on.
Tim completed the Cotswold half of the south end and managed to get the Malvern half done as well.
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