Saturday 1st - Do You have a License For Your Mink(ey)?

 Among other things there was great progress on GWR Mink A 124589 today. Before that though, a couple of photos from Ian on Wednesday when the shot-blasters got going:

The actual shot-blasting on the left, and grey spray primer being applied to the first section on the right.

Come Saturday the contractor was back to do the upper portions, not an activity you want to get too close to, Richard peeked round the corner of the barn for this one:

Just before lunchtime, it looked almost brand new, just a little bit left to do:

With the primer still tacky, and the weather looking threatening, Ian and Tony forewent their lunch breaks to quickly shunt it into the workshop. I wasn't feeling so selfless when it came to lunch in the cause of blogging, but Richard took a couple of photos for us. First the P'way BG had to come out...

And then the Mink is hooked on, and both pushed back inside:

Once it was in it was descended upon with great vigour. Paul, Richard and I got the dark grey undercoat out and made a good start on the frame, While Ian and Tony take a look at the vacuum cylinder.

It was almost F1 style here, the old cylinder was hoiked out:

And an already serviced one lowered in in quick succession:

Tony then connected all the linkages back up again:

Done!

Nice work guys! Just the release string to reattach.

Elsewhere there was equally good progress. John and Jenny continued fitting out the compartments of the BSK with seat backs:

Ably assisted by Phil:

And anyone else who happened to be passing by!

Nearby there seemed to be much discussion surrounding the finer points of the locking bar for the double door arrangement in the wheelchair vestibule:

John was grinding one of the plates to shape, and later cleaning up a pin on the lathe:

Work continued on fitting door pillars:

While, with the lino people coming next week, there was a concerted effort to make sure things were ready for them. Chris was tidying up the threshold to the guard's compartment on the left:

While on the right Steve was on the toilet compartment threshold.

Dave finished the day having a good sweep up and getting rid of bits of old screed:

Before that though there were a few finishing off jobs to do on the P'way BG. A few windows needed a bit of sealant, as much to tidy up their appearance as well as to keep the water out:

While Pam followed on with the cream paint.

In between doing other things I found some raised lettering to pick out in Red, That'll teach you to go on holiday Jeff!

Thanks Richard for the photo.

We're having supply problems for our normal transfers, so I also put some numbers and letters on:

Thanks Dave for that one!

And finished:

I could have done a lot more, and still might do if I've got time, but I find the BR font takes me longer than earlier styles more designed with sign-writing in mind. 

While all that was going on Ian and Tony were disturbing the peace making an enormous racket taking a few unnecessary bits of brake rigging off the pair of accommodation bogies:

They were later wrapped up and shunted out leaving the jack road clear:

At the end of the day with little left to do on the BG bar some possible varnishing, Pam moved into the workshop where we're now going to make a concerted effort to get the CK ready for greying up:

We've all been doing bits and pieces on this, now the painting and prep team and have more or less finished the P'way BG, our focus now will be to tie it all together and get it done (from our point of view anyway, still loads to do inside!)

Oh, I nearly forgot, the trains! Foremarke Hall and P&O out today. P&O is out all next week if you especially want a trip, plenty of seats still available here.

It's also been announced that from 17th May there will be opportunities to book trips starting and finishing at Cheltenham and Broadway too, so keep an eye on the website for those.