Thursday 16th - A very satisfying day

Another busy day with our metalworking team adding to the number attending today (they move between Wednesday and Thursday according to requirements and availability).

Following the recent delivery of the steel bars, the fabrication of the cross-struts for the Mink van doors could begin. Gerry cleans up the angled cut on this piece.

Gerry and Bryan check the prepared strut against the two hinge bars for the Cotswold side left hand door.

Returning later, the Cotswold side looks almost completed with both cross-struts in place. Nick prepares to do the final bit of welding at the base of the right hand one.

Gerry cleans up the welds for the Malvern side struts.

The end of the day round up of final photos captures the completed job. Well done chaps! The door frames are being made by the Woodwork team and once fitted Richard and Paul can proceed with the door planking.

Earlier in the day, Ben discusses welding with Nick. New member Ben has recently joined our Door Team, but in his time here has already been involved with vacuum cylinders and is now also showing an interest in metalworking.

Later it was back to doors as Rod has found the door locks records that Ben had been looking for. 

Understandably we are still thrilled with discovering the original S R on the original wood planks on the side of the Queen Mary guards van.

The van is going back into Southern Railway livery so it's important to capture the original lettering. Alex carefully traces the outline of the two letters.

A handy temporary store before taking them inside for safekeeping.

Progress has resumed with a small group going in the next day to continue the old paint removal and a general sand down. 

Over to the 3rd Rake to find Alan and Geoff doing maintenance on some of the access cupboards. Paul and Dennis were also busy as usual on the rake. When I saw them it was in the store sorting out some pipe/hose connections.

With the one-o-clock lunch break looming, time to go out and watch the trains.

After a busy morning with us, Alex dashed off to Toddington as he was guard on the Chocolate-and-Cream rake for the afternoon. In charge of a nice rake of coaches hauled by a Merchant Navy, what more can you ask for?

I can hear the cries, don't you mean a nice rake of coaches hauled by a Great Western Hall? P&O is a magnificent engine, but for many Foremarke is still our flagship.

Dave pours a welcoming cup of tea in our makeshift Barn "tea room". Although we could be back in our lovely Mess Room, we are still happy to enjoy the fresh air with the roller shutters raised and enjoy the trains as they pass. 

Catching up with the progress inside TK 24006, co-owners Dave and Robert have been making great strides with quite a lot achieved now. The south end compartments are about as complete as they can currently go and in this one, with the ceiling now top coated, Dave is reinstating the ceiling vent covers.

To help ease the stack of refurbished beading, panel strips, window surrounds, etc, with the corridor ceiling now also top coated, some of the panelling strips have been put back, albeit on a temporary basis.

The inside of the first compartment in the south end of 24006 with the impressive stacks of refurbished items.

When the arms are pulled down to give three abreast, the spacious seating fitted to the Midland built MK1 coaches could be taken for First Class. However the tired Bournemouth Blue moquette is in desperate need of replacement.

Dave shows me where Robert had got to with the sanding down of the corridor compartment walls and subsequent initial coat of varnish. Basically almost to the north end of the coach.

Two underseat heaters that will be serviced and then fitted where needed. These came from Cranmore, East Somerset Railway.

Visiting the Woodwork/Doors shop to see the Slam-lock Demonstrator, which had been dug out to show Ben the action of this important piece of door equipment that had been created by Craig.

Another in-house creation - the name says it all

Now you see it - now you don't ! That pile of shavings and sawdust will suddenly vanish when Rod brushes it closer to the large floor level duct of the extraction system. This very useful equipment attaches to all the main woodworking machines and, with its pipework stretching all across the workshop ceiling, Eddie nicknamed it "the octopus".

One of my last jobs of the day was to undercoat the hopper and brake handwheels on Dogfish 993061. These had been cleaned up of old paint, and then undercoated in Red Oxide by David the day before.

 (Photo: Ian)

Ian took the opportunity to catch me painting the undersides of the handwheels. It doesn't seem to matter what you do with these ballast wagons, whether general repairs, metalworking or painting, they really are the most awkward things to work on.

John had a busy day, some of which was working on these and checking the drawbars. With some vacuum hoses already replaced, this one has also been identified as needing the same.