Thursday 24th - Almost everything as planned

Oh dear, as the drizzle fell on my way in to the Works, I knew that the planned continuation of Tuesday's epic painting spree on the coaches in the 3rd Rake siding would probably not be happening. As it turned out we could have got away with it as, other than the odd spot, the rain kept away, but it wasn't worth the risk. Last year's painful memory of rain spotted top coat when the 2% chance of rain that had suddenly shot up to 98% was too strong!

Beginning on a sad note, this is probably the last time John H. will be signalman before he departs for North Wales, where he is already training in the Portmadoc signalbox on the Ffestiniog Railway. John was already a member of C&W before becoming a signalman, and having been a Manager of a First Great Western depot, has been a very helpful with respect to standards and procedures. We wish him all the best for the move and for the future in North Wales.

Inside Dogfish 983239 there was the occasional crackle of welding with sparks issuing out of the hopper doors, followed by the sounds of heavy banging.

Later on climbing on to the platform above the hopper revealed Nick, assisted by Gerry, repairing the various rusted holes. All the repairs were successful, but these vehicles are very difficult to work in, so well done both.

(Photo: Gerry)

Nick later completed the welding up of new racking to store our various sized metal pipes.

 

We have often made our own tools to do specific jobs, and the latest is another principle of purpose to see if what we want is feasible. Handling buckeye couplings for servicing and the periodical exams is never easy, largely due their sheer weight, so we are constructing a supporting framework to help with all this. Brian clamps some reinforcing sections of heavy sheet metal before they are welded in place.

Construction completed and with attached note it has ended up as expected on the painting trestles. So, a coating of oxide, cream undercoat and finally yellow top coat will now be added. The tool must then be load tested, checked over, and signed off before being allowed in regular use.

It's great to have a passing train during our 11 a.m. tea break, with Paul kindly supplying the donuts again. Foremarke Hall passes with the returning train from Cheltenham, with the many passengers waving as they go by.

It's not long then until the second train has its first run to Cheltenham with a very contented young guard giving us all a smile. That new hat doesn't fit as snuggly as his old one, so we had better get back to being in the slips again! With his morning turn over Alex later joined us in the afternoon. 

 Tea time over with Ken replacing the rubber piping in the calor gas box on RMB 1808.

Alan had also been checking one of the ceilings in 1808, but had now transferred to RMB 1876 where another section of ceiling was creating a problem.

Internal cleaning by Paul and Dennis was well in progress in SO 4787.

 

While back in the sidings to take the above two photos, a quick check of our would be Bindweed passenger showed that since last Thursday it had now successfully climbed the broken vacuum cyclinder drawstring under our Quainton Road coach, TSO 4867.

A very warm welcome to Eve who is taking over the management of our record keeping. Eve is the wife our our welder Nick. 

LED light conversions are very much in hand here with Richards I and II and Steve keeping very busy.

The lunchtime return of the second train with Dinmore Manor in charge was well received by our happy munchers.

The planned sort out of the P'Way ballast train was underway. It ended up with the vehicles that we wanted to retain stabled on the Workshop siding, which will be the permanent home of the ballast train to enable us to maintain it more easily. The unrequired ballast wagons and two other vehicles were coupled ready for taking to Broadway.

Some more progress inside BSK 34929. I had had another major clear up inside the disabled vestibule, laying out what is likely to be required in the new compartment and removing anything else that was either redundant and could be stored or was rubbish. With more breathing space, Bob K. vacuumed both this and down the corridor to remove the last vestiges of wood shavings and dust.

          

Bob managed quite a bit of varnishing, with some parts now receiving a third coat, and the excellent results show with the corridor outer wall and central vestibule looking very good.

Dave H. was busy adding some filler to the outside of SK 24006. I later joined him, and then helped out S&T who were begging a bit of filler to sort out some holes at the top of their refurbished junction box.