Saturday 26th - Double Out-shopping

 Today was the big day for two vehicles in the works to emerge into the daylight, along with another round of general shunting to prepare for the new season. A wander outside the barn first thing showed a perfect sunny dry day, except...

What's that stop board doing there!? It marked the limit of possession for the tamper, and rather restricted what movements we could do. Happily we could still do the main events, so here's TSO 5042 after its 6 week repaint:

Apologies it's into the sun, I'll have another go when it's on the other side of the yard.

And then GWR Mink A 124589 after a total rebuild and overhaul:

It looks fantastic, well done to Richard and Paul who did the majority of the work on this.

It was soon shunted round the back alongside the Toad which is next in, giving a pleasing "before and after"

By now I'd also managed to fit the replica works plates too.

So, on to the toad. The shunting restrictions precluded it being brought a bit closer to civilisation, but that didn't stop Paul, and for a few ours myself, continuing to clear out the ballast boxes of scrap metal:

There's several tons of it, and it's all interlocked and rusted together! But we shifted a fair amount. 2 of the biggest "finds" today were these ratchets, possibly part of a DC brake assembly?

And the smallest was this box of scented snuff!

Back inside, and we have a somewhat unusual sight for more than a couple of hours at a time, an empty paintshop:

There's a gap in our carriage schedule for this space, so something a little different is being lined up for the next project. In the meantime, it was a good opportunity to have a more thorough clean-up than is usually afforded. Dave tried out the new Dyson donated last week, with excellent results:

And Bob cleared out the tracks - it's been a long time since we did this!

A photo I forgot to include on Dave's blog on Thursday was one of him sorting out another temporary door guard on 16221 taken by Richard:

On to 16221 today then, and more good progress was to be had. Simon and Steve carried on panelling the corridor side, it feels like great strides of progress are being made when this happens:

While in the woodwork shop David and Robert carry on production of door furniture, today panels and uprights:

There was still some old panelling for Dave to sand down:

While Dave was refitting some in one of the compartments:

Undisturbed by all the movement downstairs, Laura and Jenny continued stripping down the last of the bubble car seats:

I think they had recovered these by the end of the day, but I'm afraid I forgot to go up and take another photo.

Out in the barn BCK 21092 had its heater pipework finished off by Ken:

Assisted by John and Andy, who admonished me for capturing "The least technical part of the process" in making some brackets for the pipes:

Outside RBr 1672 was having its brake rigging reconnected over the pit, which first required it to be drained, Phil doing the honours:

The dirty gang then moved in, doing one end, pulling it a bit further up, then the other:

And by the end of the day, was replaced in the barn with its sister 1675, yes it's finally in:

This is going to be a pretty major project, initially it's in for a full assessment to be made of work to be done so we won't be jumping in head first just yet.