Saturday 3rd - Beginning the moves

A good number attending today with staff scattered all over the site and the start of the moves needed to get our rakes back to normal operational use.

Beginning today with CK 16221 in the Workshop. Secondary filling and sanding is now well underway, with today Jeff and Phil, and at the other end, Russ continuing the process.

A later photo from the north end, with Russ and Phil, and George now in the centre. As C&W's Finance Officer, Jeff had become involved with matters arising and was now in the office.

By the end of the day a lot of progress at the west end meant that this section as far as the steps (indicated by a chalk arrow and note) can now have a second coating of undercoat Light Grey, and hopefully the last until the livery undercoat can be added.

Into the Paintshop and BSK 34929 where the work on the doorways continues. Ainsley and Robert are fitting capping strips to the Malvern side centre doorway. A large pile of strips have been cleaned up and await near where they are working.

Later on Dave H. (taking a break from 24006 work) assists Ainsley with some adjustments to the fitting of the Cotswold side north end door.

The outer liner in the doorway is now fitting well and as such Ainsley is fixing it firmly in place.

Robert is now working on the fitting of the inner liner.

Both Steve and Chris were busy with more internal fitting out. Steve is measuring up a section of beading to fit to the panelling in the disabled vestibule.

 More panelling on both the corridor wall and door backs are now in need of varnishing.

The large consignment of wood that arrived on Thursday is now being moved from the lobby and Woodwork Shop, and stored within our wood container. Cheeky comments about me taking photos and not helping were responded with that it was the Thursday gang who had to do all the initial unloading! 😀

 In the Barn Andy is dismantling a coach dynamo.

Dave H. had been busy again with more sanding of items from SK 24006, this time a conduit for cabling and two compartment door pillars.

The 03 had been heard starting up and not long afterwards a peek outside revealed an empty 3rd Rake siding. Things are beginning to happen with respect to the big shunt of the 19th.

While that had been in progress, Dennis and Paul had been checking the toilet tank situation with RMB 1876. It had been previously filled and but when checked was found to be empty. There is no leak inside, but water is coming from a pipe and there is no explanation as to why this is happening. Further investigation is needed.

The 03 reappears with TSO 4798 extracted from the front of the rake and now being pushed to the end of the siding. 4798 will remain here as it was the only 3rd Rake coach not to be used for the Covid formations. Now looking so much better with its fresh brown top coat, we will have a bit to walk to complete our work and do the small lower line repair.

The "lifesavers" ready for the 11-o-clock tea break. Thank you Paul !

Tea break times nicely with the return of the first train from Cheltenham and on to Broadway. Dinmore Manor passes with a good number of passengers on board the train and happily responding to our waves.

The remaining rake of redundant coaches is returned to the siding. Let's hope all can still go ahead on the 19th and these can be put back into operational status.

A visit to the Upholstery Shop found Dave D. and Jenny having their tea break, and Phil S. joining in. Phil hasn't been too well over the past couple of weeks so it was nice to see him on a visit. Meanwhile team leader John was enjoying a day off and we had seen him waving at us from the first Cheltenham bound train. 

Opting to continue the clean up of the Gunpowder Van, that had been started by Alex, enabled a number of photos from a different viewpoint. Among the planned moves for the day was the transfer of RMB 1876 from in front of the Works to the other side of the yard.

Then it was the turn of the remaining part of the ballast train. Another run-round by the 03 to enable it to re-couple at the north end, return to the yard and then propel the two wagons into the Barn.

Although both wagons had had metalwork repairs done by us back in 2013, some mechanical adjustments are now required.

With one ballast wagon now repaired and moved outside, the other from the original pair now headed the lineup of three. The Barn extension of two years ago is certainly paying diividends with the extra space now available.

Back to the Gunpowder Van with the two right hand panels now sanded down and all loose paint removed. This included under the roof edge and the removal of the old vinyl transfer (the grey rectangle). The next jobs will be to apply filler where needed and then sand the roof, which will be relatively straightforward as it is such a low wagon (compare it with the Royal Main coach).

Working on the vehicles in the station bays is often very enjoyable, especially the Malvern side, and it's not hard to realise why.

And finally, back in the Paintshop.

The cleaned up conduit and compartment doorway pillars from SK 24006 all ready for varnishing. Behind them the many station sandwich boards that Alex has made ready for repainting.