Thursday 4th - What we've all been waiting for

Today was the day we've been waiting for, when the Queen Mary brake van ventured out of the Works in it's new guise. However on to the rest of the day first, with just 8 in attendance, plus Alex splitting his day between us and Toddington with the creation of the gala freight train.

Beginning with CK 16221, there is now steady progress with this long-term restoration. As Nick reported the day before, the Door Team are back working on the doors, with a trial fit of the Cotswold side side end. Today the Indoor Gang were back fitting more battens to the body sides. Both Geoff ....

 .................... and Roger were making good progress at the north end of the corridor.

Alan was cleaning up lengths of beading from the coach. Much of the original beading has been ditched as it was either broken or in a poor state generally, but we try to save and reuse what we can.

 

In the Paintshop Jeff top coated the frame of the north end door on the Malvern side of BSK 34929. A slight correction to my Tuesday posting, this door and the adjacent corner has not in fact been second top coated. 

Making amends for missing out Dave on Tuesday, two photos of more progress in TK 24006. Dave coats the cleaned up seat bases with red oxide.

 Dave indicates the compartment door runners that had been serviced by Phil the day before.

Ian and Jeff (our C&W HOD and Finance Manager respectively) having a budget meeting, at which I also attended for a while to discuss painting requirements in the light of current and imminent projects. When BSK 34929 is completed and moved out, it is now likely that chocolate & cream TSO 4790 will be brought straight into the Paintshop for a quick tidy up and repaint.

While all the above was happening there was a fair degree of shunting going on following the arrival of the LMS guards van and recently refurbished wagon from Toddington.

The first job on that front was to refuel the 03!

(Photo - Alex)

The Class 37 with the initial part of the gala freight train.

Almost all the remaining vehicles for the train are now propelled towards the original group.

When the two parts of the train have been coupled up, the 03 is detached and is run back into the Barn siding and closed down. The Class 37 then propels the train back to the station where the Queen Mary van awaits.

What we have all been waiting for. A very pleased pair wave from the Queen Mary as the complete freight heads off to Toddington ready for the gala.

A very contented Alex proudly looks back. It doesn't seem that long ago that he and I were discussing whether to refurbish the van in BR livery as before, or put it back to Southern Railway freight livery. If we had decided the former it is very likely that the metal cladding put on by BR would have remained and we would have known nothing about the original cabin planking with "S R" underneath.

Thanks to the Bluebell wagon division for their help on some of the finer points of the SR livery, if you do Facebook they have an excellent page regularly updated which is well worth a follow. Their rapid refresh of their Queen Mary brake van over the summer sealed the deal when it came to picking SR livery for our own as it looked so good! - Ed.)

Brake van rides are first come first served on the day so if you fancy a rare opportunity to do this, come to the gala this weekend.

In the Paintshop the displays are up, and the various sandwich boards and signs are ready to be put out on Saturday morning.