Saturday 6th / Sunday 7th - A really great weekend

Saturday

The weekend we have long been waiting for arrived and simply judging by the numbers on the first train past the Works, we knew it was going to be a good one and our 40th Anniversary was really going to be a celebration. 

Everything was ready for our first visitors to the Works, with the final bits of preparation literally completed just in time. We had barely returned from putting up our "Works Open" sandwich boards on the station platforms when our first visitors appeared. 

With our usual work still going on, most of the Works is not accessible on Saturdays, although our visitors are able to view the Workshop, Barn and Woodwork/Doors shop from behind tape barriers. The Paintshop is mainly accessible and holds the various displays. On Sundays the Paintshop is open and there is a taped-off corridor running through the Workshop and Barn. In the yard at the end of the Barn we have a special area for viewing the trains, and no surprise that this is very popular with photographers with excellent views of the southbound trains.

A nice treat for the first return train of the day with Dinmore Manor and Foremarke Hall doubleheading.

On to work with Steve doing the final adjustments to the guards door entrance on the Malvern side of BSK 34929.

 

Also on the Malvern side, Phil J. began second top coating the north end door and corner (I mistakenly reported this as having been done on last Tuesday's posting).

 

In the north vestibule of CK 16221 Robert is adding more wood battens to the internal metal frame. Some of this metal is very hard to drill through and even with special drill bits was giving Robert quite a battle to put it mildly.

 

A distinct rumble outside and a quick dash to catch the first of the diesel hauled trains heading back to Toddington and Broadway.

In between talking to our visitors and capturing some of the trains, I was still able to grab some more time to cover our work. Bob is working on one of the sliding windows from the frame that was removed from the CK. We have a problem in that we are missing the correct sized sliders from some of the windows and at least one needs repairs. Also two of the new double-glazed windows that were made some years ago have now blown and need to be sorted out.

Another break from talking to visitors with Bob now working with dad Tony on the main window frame. With the frame now out it is being given a major clean up. It was later taken to the Paintshop trestles for undercoating.

John was busy removing the old cover from this vacuum cylinder sleeve so as to replace it with the new green one by the vice.

Further along the bench Phil S. was working on an underseat heating unit.

 Returning to the Paintshop display area, Tony is helping out with the Meet and Greet.

Steve had by now transferred to the Cotswold side guards door on 34929. This was also completed and, as with the Malvern side door, prep work and painting can resume.

With the painting at the north end completed, Phil moved to the south end of the Malvern side of 34929 to begin the lining out.

Back out to the viewing area to capture Dinmore with the 3rd Rake, which currently has one of the NYMR coaches at the north end and looks very appropriate with the black manor.

I missed the first run of the freight, but managed to see the southbound part of the second run.

The Queen Mary was almost full with many taking the opportunity for a ride on both round trips. The van itself stood out like a brightly coloured jewel,  and the sight of it passing and the lovely comments about it more than amply rewarded all the scrabble and hard work to get it completed in time.

Returning to the Paintshop to find we were in the midst of a major invasion! It was very heartening to have so many visitors, many taking a lot of interest in our work and avidly enjoying the displays, in particular the photo montage about the Mink A van being rebuilt in the Workshop and the write-ups of the current and future work going on in C&W.

The final working photo of the day was of George applying dark grey undercoat to the north end of the CK.

4270 on another southbound run. Being busy with visitors for the rest of the afternoon, I only managed this final photo for the day. Being almost 1700, the coach lights are now on.

Sunday

On the trains Sunday was just as busy, but we had less visitors around the Works which was a shame as we has less restrictions. However we still very much enjoyed the day and with quieter spells our little Meet and Greet group were able to spend more time in the viewing area, still talking to our visitors but able to watch the trains as well.

 I arrived just in time to catch P&O looking spendid with its "Canberra" headboard.

 In the midst of rearranging the Workshop and Barn for through visitor access, time to leap out and once again capture the double header, but this time the sun was shining.

Then a sprint up the platform to photo the token exchange as 4270 arrives with the next southbound train.

Unlike yesterday, I was able to capture all the freight runs past the Works. Dinmore does the honours with the first run south.

Guards Bryony and Alex wave from the LMS van. With the 3rd Rake running, our refurbished PWay Mess Coach was in full view, a very welcome sight in its gleaming crimson and cream.

Despite the main trains with both steam and diesel haulage, the DMU was still very popular, the attraction being the often-mentioned great all-round view.

The Meet and Greet team enjoying the passing trains during one of the quiet spells when we had few visitors.

The DMU moved out of the station and into our headshunt to enable the passing of the straight-through train hauled by P&O. 

4270 looking very much at home with the return freight train.

Alex is now guard on the Queen Mary, having swapped vans for the return journey, and cheerily waves to his fellow C&W staff.

With the double-headed diesel train waiting in Platform 2, and the eager photograpers photographing the approaching freight on its second southbound run, Pam cheefully waves at the happy passengers in the Queen Mary van. 

Alex is back on the LMS Van and, having waved at us, is now acknowledging the signalman. It's a joy to have the freight train running again and to hear the dum-dum-dum of the wagons as it passes.

During one of the quiet spells Keith took the opportunity to do a bit more painting on the new lamp frames for Toddington.

It was now almost 1600 and with just an hour to go before the Works closed up for the day, 4270 heads by with the Maroon set. Our visitor numbers had by now reduced to just an occasional few.

Almost 1700, time to collect the sandwich boards from the station and close up the Works. The station looks very atmospheric as dusk slowly draws in and the only people on the platforms now are those waiting for the last trains north and south.

A really brilliant weekend overall, and a foretaste of galas to come next year. Meanwhile we have our future plans for what will be done in the Works after 34929 has been completed, 16221 progresses and TSO 4790 comes in for a quick repaint. Hopefully another freight wagon or two will also be underway, and not forgetting RBr 1675, a very big job to say the least! 

I wonder where we will be by the next gala?