Thursday 17th - The blogger blogged!

Initially a very quiet start with several regulars away, but it did pick up later. A cooler day outside, but we still opened all the doors with the residual heat inside making things somewhat stuffy.

Certainly a high note to begin on, with a fully harnessed Bob and secured Henry doing a great job in vacuuming the very dusty roof of BSK 34929. Just where does it all come from?

Some of the absences today meant that nobody was working inside 34929, so we were able to do some more varnishing of the veneer panelling, this time the outer corridor wall and centre and north vestibules, the latter in effect receiving a second coat. 

A later shot with Bob now well down the corridor. That gleam isn't bad, but we can do better than that, so definitely second coating all round, and maybe even a third in places (the Orient Express coaches have 14!).

With that gleam this is definitely second coating in the centre vestibule.

Ainsley with advice from Trevor fitted the missing section of capping strip for the left of the double doors on the Cotswold side of 34929.

The next job was to fit the rubber door seal. Bob lends a hand.

Meanwhile Des and David are preparing the droplight for fitting in Door 9. It won't me long now before another empty doorway in 34929 is filled.

Welcome back Steve S., another one of our staff returning after a long spell away. With Richard I now absent, Richard II discusses with Steve what they have been doing. Steve holds one of the heat sinks used to disperse the heat from the attached LED lights circuit board..

Some attention to the corridor sliding door in RMB 1876 was being taken care of by Alan. The door was failing to close properly and while stabled in isolation in the nearby sidings had been "locked" with a timber wedge. The door now closes as it should.

A glance around the RMB at the lovely chain link moquette. This was the first coach done out with this design and it immediately received a lot of praise from our travelling passengers and Classic Hospitality who organise the Race Trains. As for us in C&W - we love it!

I guess we ought to take down the Christmas decorations before the rakes are put back to the original formations, though that will now be delayed with the latest situation.

I think this bindweed is trying to hitch a lift via the broken vacuum cylinder drawstring. As it is our part-restored Quainton Road coach TSO 4867 it will be in for a long wait!

Over to the 3rd Rake siding now and our former Main Rake open coaches. Paul and Dennis continue the very lengthy cleaning and general tidying up, with Paul vacuuming the disabled entrace vestibule in SO 4790.

A quick look at the newly re-covered seating in TSO 5042. Our Upholstery Team are doing a great job with about a third of the coach almost completed.  

On to RBr 1672 with Dennis checking out the kitchen area.

Meanwhile Paul has also moved in with the vacuuming. Nearer the time when the Main Rake can run again, our Catering Staff will be back in to restock the coach and get it ready for normal service.

Being on board the train in the 3rd Rake siding provided an excellent place to photograph P&O as it came by on its first run to Cheltenham. We were also delighted to see a very good number of passengers on the train. The second train was similar. Things are definitely on the up!

Rod and Trevor were also present to check the working of the guards door in BSO 9000 and double doors in SO 4790 with respect to the same doors on BSK 34929. Jasper waits patiently, having a well-earned rest.

With less available work for the Painting and Prep Team on 34929 until more of the fitting out has been completed, we will be moving on to CK 16221 a lot more. Following on from the greying up on the Malvern side, Jeff has begun the secondary filling where required.

(Photo: Rod)

The blogger blogged! Rod captured Jeff and myself having a post-lunch chat while watching Foremarke Hall entering the station on its second run to Cheltenham.