Tuesday 4th - Winter shutdown work begins

Another new year begins in the Works and the Winter Shutdown jobs become our main focus for the next two months. The existing work of course still continues, so a lot to do and not a lot of time to get it all done.

We had hoped to be able to move BSK 34929 into the Barn during this coming weekend's shunt, but unfortunately there is still just that bit too much to complete in time. Overtime wouldn't have helped as paint needs to harden before applying further coats or doing the lining out. There is still internal varnishing to do as well. The Barn is simply too cold to enable any of this to be done successfully and Cotswold side access in there is also restricted.

The most important job today was to get rid of all the accumulated dust on the roof. This is essential before the coach is shunted outside, especially if the day of the shunt is wet! We also needed to do this before applying the first top coat to Door 6 and surrounding area. Thankfully our large scaffold is ideal for this and, with the extension pipes on the Henry, it's easy to reach the centre of the roof. After each session, a final wipe over with bits of towelling and the roof paint gleam returns.

Roger took on the snagging jobs wherever needed. One was to clean up the draught excluder in the doorways where paint marked. 

There are always tiny bits of paintwork to tidy up.

The guards compartment especially needed some extra work. Part of the problem here is that it is a cluttered space and those nooks and crannies are good at escaping the paint brush.

Applying the first top coat to the infamous Door 6 and surrounding area kept me busy near the end of the day. So good to see this at last.

Nearly ready to go out. Then we can get TSO 5042 in for its quick repaint.

Great progress was made with the Mink A van today, with Richard, Paul, Maurice and Stu involved once again. Stu bores another bolt hole in the outer roof plank on the Cotswold side.

It was then the turn of the Malvern side outer plank.

The completed roof. All this tanalized wood will last for very many years.

The next job - the very substantial roof canvas is rolled out in the Mess room. All the tables and chairs from this side are stacked up on the other side. It also meant that afterwards the Mess Room had a good vacuum throughout by yours truly.

Excess length of canvas was purchased to act as spare. Paul carefully measures up the required size.

The "fun" bit is gettting it all centred correctly on the van roof. Having done this myself a number of times in the past, it can be a tricky job. Maurice has harnessed up so that he can use our safety wire and get on the roof. I was busy elsewhere so missed the application of the bitumastic paint to help seal the canvas to the roof planking. Clamps had been used to assist.

On to doors for CK 16221 with Ainsley fitting the lazy tongs to this one. It was quite fiddly attaching the top of the tongs to the base of the droplight and took several attempts.

Ainsley cleans up the insides of this final door for 16221. He would be coming in again the next day, and then on Saturday. Ever busy, he also mentioned that he would soon be getting involved again with preparations for the "Cotswolds at War" weekend, one of our biggest and very popular events

In Upholstery Dave was continuing with the refurbishment of the seats for the bubblecar. I must ask them if the remaining pile of seat backs and cushions on the trolley outside their workshop is the last batch - it can't be far off.

Keith finishes off this set of light fittings from TK 24006, applying a coat of green primer to seal up the inner surfaces.

After that it was varnishing and more varnishing, continuing with the access doors from 24006, which are coming up rather well as more coats are added. One of the stripped down toilet doors yet to have any varnish leans against the far wall.

One of a very large list of jobs to do during January and February is to repaint the guards corridor, disabled compartment and parts of the guards compartment in BSO 9000. To this end Bob has now done the lower (worst) half of the corridor and disabled compartment, and time permitting we will get the rest done.

The next job was to carry on cleaning up the toilet window that Dave H. had retrieved from our stores. This will replace the later BR one in 24006 that Dave didn't wish to have. 

Another very useful job done by Bob was to clean out the gutters of TSO 5042 while it is still outside. Far better to get this done now before the coach comes into the Paintshop for its quick repaint.

A rumbling outside had us popping out to see what was coming by. It was the Santa rake being brought down from Toddington.

A check of the station later on to find the Maroon rake also now with us. Everything is now available for our winter maintenance programme.

Hello old friend! It was a surprise to see the 04 back with us. We used to have both this and the 03 based at Winchcombe until the 04 was sold to another member of the Railway and ended up at Toddington. We will certainly need both shunters to be able to move all the stock around.