Tuesday 7th/Wednesday 8th - Carrying on regardless

There was probably a film with this title, but regardless of Storm Blankey-blank, we still had a good Tuesday attendance and carried on with all our current projects. The wind persisted for most of the day creating an unholy cacophony with our Barn roller shutters, but the main deluge of rain combined with sleet appeared as we were having lunch, so we had a grandstand view of the yard slowly turning into a simulation of the Great Lakes.

Stu and Maurice appeared not long after I arrived and the three of us enjoyed an early cuppa before starting.

What I hoped to get done today on BSK 34929 was that large Cotswold side panel in its second top coat, even though we couldn't do the last 2-3 feet to the right of the centre doorway. This not only gave us work, it meant that Alex would be able to get the number painted and attach the roundel, and we could get on with the lining out. Stu began the job.working right to left.

The other essential was the guards door, which Maurice took care of. This would complete the top coating here and allow Alex to paint "G U A R D" when he is next in. Maurice then joined Stu on the big panel, starting from the left side.

Meanwhile Richard worked on the back of the north end door (the old Door 10 prior to renumbering). The edge strips on the large panel aren't hardwood so needed the wood dye.                                         

Being spirit based, the wood dye soon dried, in turn enabling Richard to apply the first coat of varnish.
 

With the planned painting on the Cotswold side completed, Maurice transferred to the Malvern side guards door and cleaned up the inner part of the frame. This was duly painted, leaving the final beading cover for varnishing.

With access to the central door on 34929 prevented by the painting activity, Ainsley moved on  to CK 16221 and the Cotswold side central passenger where he checks the area where the door striker plate is normally situated.

He then moved on to the north end door to clean up the striker plate area there.

 

Panel sanding continues. While Bob on the left was cleaning up more from TK 24006, Phil was now doing stuff from CK 16221. There is quite a pile from the latter on the nearby bench, some of which will probably be scrapped if not in reasonable condition and new replacements made.

The excellent work to renovate the bogies from the former Loco Dept Mess Coach continues. The main springs are being compressed to allow John to remove parts of the vertical springs for checking and, if ok, then cleaning up and painting.

The Barn white board with details of what has been done so far and what is planned with these two bogies.

It was very cold in the Barn, but Stu was determined to carry on doing the minor bodyside repairs to TSO 4763. He began by completing the three bits of lining out on the Malvern side, and then moved on to sanding down the filling work I had done last Thursday on the Cotswold side.

While he was there another bad area on the central door was dealt with. Initially the rusted metal was probed. Then a clean up, oxide, filler and finally a coat of cream paint. It's quick but it's a good holding action until the coach eventually comes in for a full refurb. Once the problem door at the north end is fixed and the refurbished bogies are underneath, the coach will go back outside to rejoin the rake.

At the end of the day with repaired Cotswold side areas undercoated. 

Ending Tuesday's photos in the Upholstery shop with Dave stapling a new foam pad to another Bubblecar seat base.

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On now to Wednesday, and as I was there for the morning and Nick isn't in until Thursday this week, then time to capture the essence of what was going on.

I breezed into Upholstery just as they were finishing their tea break. Everyone immediately pretended to be working, hence everyone laughing! They are doing a brilliant job with the Bubble car seats. As I was leaving the Workshop Jenny was battling with another seat back - removing old staples and bits of material from the wood frames would seem to be an easy job, but the reality is very different. 

David had a busy day, initially removing the line tapes from the parts of BSK 34929 that were top coated yesterday by Stu and Maurice. Then a second coat of varnish on the lengths of panel strips and corner sections from TK 24006. When I left he was making a start on the light sockets in the background, also from 24006, and there are quite a number of them.

As for the original batch from Phil S., he was in the process of reinstating the innards with this one.

With the Painting Team away from 34929, Ainsley returned to work on the Cotswold side central passenger door. Saturday's posting reported a problem with the brass plate for the budget lock clashing with the door frame capping strip. Ainsley trimmed the brass plate and is cleaning up the slot.

Job done and the plate now being attached to the door pillar. Just the recess to dig out and, if the lock functions as it should, then the capping strip can go back on. And then - finished?!!!!

I can already imagine the Painting Team hovering with the filler and undercoat Light Grey, just itching to get cracking on this final door 😀

The main focus now for the Door Team is of course CK 16221. Trevor applies Gripfill to the metal droplight bar ready to fit it to the cleaned up glass.

The Woodwork team were also concentrating on 16221, rebuilding the internal windowframes in the corridor. Geoff carefully inserts a corner section on his window.

Further along Colin was doing the same job on another window.

A close up of one of these beautifully made corner sections.

Toward the north end Dave was fitting the top section to another window. He told me how many pieces go into the construction of the inner window framing but it's slipped my mind. I will check tomorrow when I'm in again.