Thursday 19th - A visitor and a visit

 It was a productive day today, although on my first walk through the works to take some pictures you wouldn't have thought so, sometimes even I wonder if we ever leave our seats between trains!

But we did soon enough get to work. Paul and Dennis had the unenviable job of cleaning toilets in what I guess is now the third rake:

So on the whole I think regular breaks to watch trains are well deserved there!

Dave was having a tidy-up day in the workshop as we realised we'd gotten out of the habit of sweeping/vacuuming with all the various lockdowns, and it was getting inch thick in places:

Although after all the dust was gone, what did he do except go and make a whole load more...

With more bits of trim from 24006. In the coach itself, Robert was in a dismantling mood so more bits came off:

While Bob was doing a spot of ceiling painting in the first 4 compartments:

Back in the workshop, I think Phil is on gasket production again here, but later on he was assisting Paul and Dennis with toilet seats in the third rake:

Kevin was keeping us all on the straight and narrow keeping everything in order, here in the power tool cupboard:

Up on the mezzanine Richard was wiring up a junction box for the back of one of the carriage battery boxes:

I'm not entirely sure exactly where it was destined, but here's what the back of those battery boxes looks like, I didn't know there was all that stuck on the back!

Paul and Richard were in yesterday and the GWR Mink A is progressing well, with the boards on the Malvern side mostly done, and the ends slowly rising from the frames too:

Also from Wednesday, Derek had spent the day cutting the tricky shape in wood to match the curve of the carriage on the left, not easy but he did a good job, that bit is what a lot of other bits are reliant upon so got to get it right:

The second of the woodwork machinery training courses was running today as well, so the rest of our team are now passed as able to use all our equipment again for another 3(?) years:

Progress on 34929 was again focused on doors from the painting and prep perspective; Bob and Jeff both took up the sandpaper:

While I got the paint out, initially top-coating the Cotswold side double doors, then undercoating the malvern side ones once Jeff had finished and painted the edges:

Robert also stayed on after the training course was finished to do some more work on capping strips, here he's got the file out to make a few adjustments:

We were delighted to welcome Ron back for a visit, until he moved to Sussex a regular member of the indoor gang and also a guards inspector:

He was very impressed with all the changes since he left, and it was great to have a catch up.

Finally I thought I'd sneak in a few pics from my short holiday to South Devon where, it will surprise absolutely no one, I found a railway or two to visit...

First up was the South Devon Railway, where we had GWR pannier 1369 in charge:

It's the epitome of a GWR branchline, hugging the river Dart for much of its route:

I was quite taken with the moquette in the Mk1 we travelled in, I think it's actually a GWR design but looked rather smart nonetheless:

Sadly they were still operating under Covid working so there was no chance to get on or off at their intermediate station, Staverton, and it was just the one engine in steam rather than the more usual 2 for the time of year. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to come again!

The second visit was to the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway. We had 5526, on loan from the SDR, on the journey to Kingswear, and she put in an excellent performance over their steep gradients:

On the way back we had the big S160 2253 'Omaha', in a rather fetching red livery, here posing by the impressive overall roof at Kingswear:

On the way bakc we passed 5526 at Churston, again they were operating under Covid working so intermediate station stops were not allowed which was a shame, as it looked like a nice station:

It was also nice to see BR Std 4mt 75014 'Braveheart' in light steam when we got back to Paignton, whether it was having a steam test or is ready and waiting as a thunderbird in case of failure I don't know: