Tuesday 6th - Certainly no hanging about

Even with just a small group in there certainly wasn't any hanging about today, with some rapid progress on a number of fronts.

As usual Maurice, Stu and myself were in early and got cracking straightaway. Maurice began his day giving a second coat of light grey undercoat to the Cotswold side of CK 16221 where the secondary filling had been completed.

The mixed rake of redundant coaches had been pulled into Platform 2 on Monday to enable our catering staff to begin setting up RMB 1876 and RBr 1762 in readiness for the return to operational running. Before the rake was returned to the siding, Stu made the most of the opportunity to add an initial coat of varnish to the replacement veneer panelling in TSO 4614 (reported in the posting for Thursday 1st July). There is still some work needed to finish this off, which I expect will be done this coming Thursday.

Back to 16221 and at the north end Richard removed the old metal sign warning about overhead electic wires, something we definitely don't have! 

Maurice meanwhile had moved on to the next area where the secondary filler needed further sanding.

Later still he began giving more of the gutter a pad sand as he felt that it had too much uneven flakey paint and hadn't been sanded down enough. 

With the redundant metal warning notice removed, Richard now filled in the holes and sanded the area, some of which had gone rusty under the metal plate. He then moved up to the roof level where the metal under the rim needed sanding and a coat of red oxide. All the filling on this end of the coach had previously been very well sanded by George as it was very smooth, an excellent job!

By now Alan had come in and took on the extra sanding needed on the north part of the Cotswold side.

Richard later moved around to this side and did the high level sanding. There is still more to do, but it shouldn't be too long before all the secondary filling and re-greying on this side is complete. Livery undercoating will not be started until the missing doorway capping strips have been reinstated and the lining out tapes put on.

Dave H. was busy sanding more items extracted from SK 24006, all of which are destined for the Paintshop and two coats of varnish. The original set of compartment door pillars and the electrical conduits that had been previously sanded were given an initial coat of varnish by Stu.

Alex's day began with undercoating in grey a number of plank brackets from the "Oxley Sidings" open wagon, which is being repaired and painted at Toddington (as reported in the posting for Friday 25th/Saturday 26th June). They were later top-coated.

The deep sound of a Bullied Pacific whistling had us shooting out of the end door in time to catch the first train of the day passing. The passenger numbers during the day were again very good with lots of happy smiles and waving.

Alex has taken on the job of improving the station sandwich boards. This was initially repaired with the bottom section re-nailed and then any small holes filled to give an overall smooth surface.

Returning later to find that other boards had been given a surround of beading with the top part sectioned off.

 The main areas were then given a coat of blackboard paint.

 The next job was applying brown undercoat.

The undercoat soon dried in the warm conditions, so the final job of the day was the GW Brown top coat.

Stu remained with varnishing, this time giving some new panelling and the backs of two doors in BSK 34929 an initial coating. This will provide a basic protection for the new veneer. When photographed he was very carefully removing a paint spot from the door panel.

In the Upholstery Shop, Dave was rebuilding another seat from TSO 5042. The team are doing a brilliant job which will transform the interior of the coach when completed.

Moving outside to see Bob cleaning up the roof of our Santa Coach (SK 25618) to remove the peeling paint. That LED strip also needs refixing. We need to do something about that faded paint too - the jobs are adding up! The weather spent the day threatening us with rain - there were a few minor sprinklings but the sun followed to dry everything very quickly. We don't want rain, there is too much outside work to be done!!

Remaining outside with the cosmetic work on the Gunpowder Van. Alex and I had already been applying filler and Stu now joins in.

Dinmore Manor comes through the station on its first return run of the day.

We've mentioned it many times, but we just love that early 50s look of the black manor with the crimson & cream coach.

It looks a mess now, but we've filled and sanded enough, and it's time while the weather holds to get the undercoat Dark Grey on, with Stu, Alex and Maurice doing two panels each.

The sun is out again and quickly removing the tiny drops of rain that decided to fall not long after we had started painting.  Thankfully no harm done.

That's a whole lot better, even in undercoat. Maurice and Stu are watching the approach of P&O on its final run of the day.

As mentioned in the Saturday posting, it's great working on the platform, especially where the locos stop. Up close to a Merchant Navy, with the smell of the smoke, hot oil and the general ambience of the whole thing. A loud clunk and roar as the injector goes on, steam locos are living things. Just wonderful!

The last train to Cheltenham comes through as P&O gets ready to leave.

(Photo: Alex) 

Sometime later with just Alex and I left at the Works, a quick check of that undercoat and it has dried quickly in the warm sun. So, let's get the first coat of gloss black on while we have the chance - it really is a battle with the very changeable weather we are currently having.

Alex captures Dinmore on the last run and later remarked that I didn't even look up to watch it go by, as I was so intent on getting the job done.

Alex soon joined in and it didn't take long to finish. Ah, that's a lot better!

The next job will be to get the roof done, and then a second coat of black gloss. Then Alex will be in his element, replacing all the signage.