Thursday 22nd / Saturday 24th - Two for the price of one

A combined report thanks to leaving my "camera" (redundant phone, but brilliant camera and very compact) at the Works yet again! 

Both days were relatively quiet, now becoming very much the norm with the Covid effect. Thursday could have been entitled "Meetings", with Ian spending pretty much the whole day in our former Mess Room, ending with a lengthy C&W Management Meeting.

Beginning with RMB 1808 in the Paintshop, Richard Budd, one of our two electricians, is removing the redundant battery charging unit now that the new one has been installed.

 

Jeff got his wish and was pleased to do the red lettering on the calor gas bottle boxes. 

As often mentioned, highlighting lettering is one of our most popular jobs. Years ago, I remember doing the red instruction plates at either end of the MICA Van - they are a highlighter's dream!

On the Malvern side of 1808 our Door Team were trial fitting the rebuilt centre door. The result was that some more of the new metal panelling will require cutting back and this was duly marked up by Craig for our Metalwork Team.

Trevor and Craig are using the gibbet hoist, which allows them to raise the door safely, and in very small amounts and so enable very accurate locating.

  

A full view of the hoist. Regular readers of the blog will have seen both this, and the larger version for corridor connections, in action many times.

With the major painting now in its final stages, there are lots of small jobs to be done on 1808, including this one being done by Jeff. The south end corridor connection chequer plate receives a coating of silver Hammerite.

Moving into the Workshop where Dave Hancox is cleaning more compartment door runners from CK 16221. Behind him, another pile of corridor heater covers to clean up.

Phil is continuing his cleaning up of the runner for the central door slider.

The changing room sink proves to be very handy for Alan who is busy cleaning up the grab rail brackets for 16221's corridor.

Another clean-up job for 16221, this time with Tony working on the compartment heating controls.

Our ever important H&S records being updated by Ainsley.

My first photo on Saturday was of P&O on the second train of the day. Alex was TTI for the morning on the first train which was hauled by Foremarke Hall.

In the Woodwork Shop Steve checks the alignment of a new section of ceiling framing for the north vestibule of BSK 34929.

Dave was back on 16221's compartment door runners, with the pile of cleaned ones on the left.

Some of the stuff from 16221 was stored in a box van for quite a few years. Unfortunately unbeknown to us the van had developed a leak with the inevitable rusting of some of the contents, including the runners. As such after a good clean up, Dave moved to the Paintshop trestles to apply Hydrate 80 to the runners, which is a very good rust cure.

The second of 16221's bogies is now undergoing refurbishment.

Parts from the bogie's brake mechanism that Ian has removed for cleaning.

In the Barn, Bob and George (on the opposite side) were back on the preparatory work on 16221. We will eventually finish this lengthy stage, but we need to get more of the team working on this to try and speed it up.

With the gusting wind rattling the Barn roller shutters and spoiling our 11-o-clock break, our relocation of the "Mess Room" to the Paintshop took place a bit earlier than planned. It is obviously a lot warmer there too. Thanks go to Pam for once again providing some very tasty biscuits. With just Steve and myself out of the photo, it's easy to see how our numbers have declined, particularly on Saturdays.

Pam's day began with more preparation of the metalwork on the hooks. Initially she cleaned up and de-rusted the two carriage door drain channels (located inside the base of each door) - they were also brushed with Hydrate 80. The remaining metalwork was wiped with thinners, and then everything coated in red oxide.

With his afternoon plans changed because of the increasingly unpleasant weather and thus able to come in, Alex began the top yellow lining out at the Malvern-side south end of 1808.

Now very much a member of the Painting Team, Pam had her first go at lining out and she made a very good job of it. 

You may think that by taping both sides of the line, you cannot fail - I have to say that this isn't always the case.

With the Santa train headboards undercoated during the week by Maurice and Ainsley, Alex gave the cream side of each a top coat.

Alex is now very much in demand for his signwriting skills. He is preparing another board for Broadway.

The backs of the paper strips will have been coated in French chalk. By going over the shapes of the letters, an imprint of them will be made in the underlying chalk, which in turn will provide the template for the final painting.