Monday (again) and Tuesday 8th - A Room with a View

Before Tuesday's activities, Monday with a different hat on, when I and a few others were sitting our guard theory exams upstairs at Winchcombe. At first we complained that there would be no trains to watch, it being a non-operating day, but we were soon proved wrong with a fair amount of shunting taking place. So I popped my blogger hat on and took a few photos. First, the 03 collected the DMU power car and 2 dogfish, and hooked on TSO 4869 which has been sold to the Ecclesbourne Valley, joining TSO 4440 which they had off us a few years ago and which major restoration is progressing well:

Then the TSO was left in platform 2, the dogfish left in platform 1, and then the DMU power car back into P2:

The 03 was stabled back in the C&W sidings, and we scratched our heads as to what was to happen next, as everyone seemingly disappeared. A little while later, all became clear, as the class 45 came and brought down 4 more dogfish for us to take a look at:

 Stabling them at Winchcombe means it's a lot easier for us to maintain them then stranded up in the north headshunt at Toddington and Broadway (and for me to take some pictures to upload to the wagon list, now done!), and there they were parked up:

The peak uncoupled, and then propelled the 2 dogfish left in P1 earlier down to Gotherington to pick up some ballast for a drop at Southam (I think that was the plan!). That was the last we saw, we all passed with flying colours and had lunch in the sunshine on the platform before heading home. Presumably the peak would return with the dogfish later, drop them off at Winchcombe, then take the TSO and DMU up to Toddington on its way back. Did you keep up with all that!?

Tuesday

So on to Tuesday, and back again this time in C&W. Stu was in early and drew the short straw this time in the hotbox that is the former guards compartment in the P'way mess coach:

To finish off top coating the walls, and also do some other bits and bobs like the brake column:

It would be nice to do something about that floor now, Dave did find some suitable floor paint at the back of a cupboard which we might have a go with, it had 2014 written on it so who knows! Dave managed to find plenty of little jobs to keep him occupied, first installing the metal plate insert thingy where the fire extinguisher goes in the end vestibule, then out with the little brushes to tidy up the paint work around the end corridor connection:

Also working on the BSK were Richard and Maurice, who were both doing a bit of extra filling and sanding finding bits that needed just a little more before covering their patches up with paint:

Over in the yard Dave continued the seemingly endless task of sanding down the veneer in SK24006:

Aided by Phil, who cunningly had his bits unscrewed so he could take them into the workshop and sit down!

Back in the paintshop, I was finishing off the loco board for the new building at Toddington:

Which allowed me to watch the trains go by:

The board was loaded onto train 1 to go up to Toddington, but due to the restricted Covid timetable I had to drive up to Toddington to take it off at the other end!

Once that was done I opened up the topcoat maroon to do a bit on the BSK. The paint was a bit bitty so Bob's tights came in handy:

Derek was doing a fine job once again soldiering on with the interior woodwork in CK16221, this time boxing in the south toilet compartment:

 

Finally for today, with the DMU power car taken up to Toddington on Monday, and the 2 dogfish recently receiving atention back from their ballast drop at Southam, there was space in the barn to shunt them inside to make it easier for the welders to do their job. Neil and Kev kindly obliged: