Thursday 28th - Keep the workshop tidy they said

 Sorry no Wednesday blog, buts lots on Thursday. 

For safety we always try to keep everything tidy and safe, but during a full on day it can be a challenge. The metalwork team would agree on this one, so to start ....

1675 is producing a fairly large amount of debris, this is Gerry with the first clear out of the day.

This is where it goes with Rex assisting, we never throw anything useful away .... trust me non of this was useful.

During one of my many to-ings and fro-ings I came across Robert cleaning a  number of luggage racks. He asked me my name, so after checking the name tab on my overalls  ..... it might be a good idea to write in large capitals our names on our foreheads.

Yes it is Bob K. in disguise flatting down panels in 16221. I think he is smiling.

John V. is getting on nicely with our new trolley for the plasma cutter, as it needs a regulated air supply we will be attaching its regulator to the trolley so it can be used anywhere in the works.

A bit more on the TOAD, Bryan just applying primer around rivet holes. Welding on both sides is now finished, so timber work is next ..... the race is on for the Steam Gala.

Looking good.

photo care of Gerry.

Inside 1675, as stuff comes out ( Bob S. is removing redundant fittings) we move in with steel. The idea is to firstly get as much floor back down in the kitchen area, it makes life so much easier and safer. That is now 3 cross bearers in situ, with a fourth almost ready to weld. Lengthways sections are also going in to support the new kitchen equipment .

A close up of Bob, he had the reciprocating saw fall apart while in use, but he found the bits and I believe he sorted it and carried on.

Still with 1675, Phil is underneath again removing redundant fittings. These spaces will be used for new equipment such as a new generator, and gas storage.

As previously mentioned, keeping the work area clear is essential, so doors, panels and all sorts were removed and stored safely in the Mink. These doors are very heavy and required 3 of us old people to lift them.

Gerry took this one of me, we make the bearer overhang each side, this gives us room to manoeuvre the new upright sections to get a good alignment with the outer skin. Once fully welded it is then trimmed and painted, worth bearing in mind this carriage is 62 years old I think ..... nice to think it will still be around in 62 years time.

Its impossible to get around everyone in the day, but one good way of catching them is at break time .... Paul, Dave, Bob, Dennis and of course Phil.

Apologies for missing anyone.

Tuesday 26th - Better out than in on another beautiful day

Beginning today with a series of photos from Paul E. and the progress with the Toad Brake Van

 

Stu, Maurice and Paul on one of the station's benches - what better place to enjoy the mid-morning break (guess one of the station staff took the photo)

Stu cleaning up more of the Malvern side upper framework

 

 Maurice working in the north veranda.

 The Cotswold side is looking good.

Later in the day and the dark grey undercoat is being applied to the grab rails on the Malvern side

The Malvern side - view of the interior.

The upper half of the vacuum cylinder now undercoated.

The new cabin planking in dark grey undercoat, with more on the right in wood primer.

Thank you Paul for the extra photos

******************************************

Now on to my own photos from the day

Taken earlier in the day, Paul undercoats the primed planking for the Toad cabin. 

The Gunpowder van main painting is almost completed. Ian checks to make sure he hasn't missed anywhere with his final painting of the underframe.

Phil completes the top coating of the Malvern side of the roof. He later tidied up parts of the Cotswold side.

The Malvern side now looking very good. Phil later enjoyed what we all like doing - highlighting the lettering on the cast iron notice. Alex's signwriting looks good - just the big red cross, and remaining lettering to do on this side and at both ends.

Another concentrated effort on the Bubblecar with, at times, four of us busy with the seemingly endless preparation. Most of the effort now involves sanding the door frames, and door edges and backs to remove/ease out chipped and cratered paint. Richard sands down some filler on the bodyside.

Roger works on one of the door frames. Ian and I were doing the same on both sides. Hopefully we should be soon undercoating.

Keith had a variety of painting jobs, initially the little notice board plaques in pink and yellow, and then the two new headboards, all related to the signwriting work Alex is doing. 

A large pile of freshly cut skirting board for CK 16221 awaited us. The edges had to be sanded first to remove the splinters and roughness. Keith was then able to get on with the priming. The backs of these were primed by David A. the next day.

Alan tackled another of the first class compartment luggage racks from CK 16221. It's amazing how these come back up with some good brushing and rubbing with soft wire wool.

 

Bob enjoys the sunshine while priming the cleaned up Cotswold side of the roof of SK 25341.

 Michael, another member of C&W, with his signalman's "hat" on today. He is also a guard, TTI and trainee duty officer. My request for a photo has him in the "I see no ships train" pose.

Foremarke Hall gently simmers on the first return train of the day.

The second train arrives behind 4270.

Lovely to enjoy lunch outside and watch the passing trains on a beautiful day.

The approach to Chicken curve with the Cotswold escarpment in the background.

Friday 22nd/Saturday 23rd - Wagons all over the place

With the gala fast approaching, my mind is firmly fixed on goods trains and wagons in general! So Friday saw me do a bit more on the Macaw at Toddington, although rather remissly I took no photos. The main event was more riveting on the water tank wagon, which although won't be ready for the gala, is progressing nicely. It's always tricky to take photos of this activity when you're involved in it, you can't really pose with a hot rivet while you get the camera out, but I did my best.

Mark was on cutting and cooking duty again:

While I was again rivet runner, and this time remotely controlling the jammer with the handle clamped to the chassis.

This was to allow Mark to get in the rather more awkward areas inside the chassis with the business end of the jammer, without the large handle/switch in the way.

Are you comfy in there Mark? :-)

Ian was on top with the rivet gun, although here he's drilling out one stray hole that got missed when we were doing that:

Despite the awkward nature of what we were doing - one or two we had to have several goes at - with a solid afternoon's work we got another 40 or so rivets in and really broke the back of the whole job. Just another 16 small ones to go in odd places, and a few bigger ones at some point once we've sorted the end stanchions out.

Onto Saturday then, and I decided it was ideal weather for making a start on signwriting the GPV, as this one will be running for the gala:

It turned out the breeze made the paint dry far too quickly and I confess the "Not common user" insignia is not my best work as a result, so you are invited to admire from afar!

Good progress on several other fronts today, RBr 1675's bogies were pushed out into the open:

And given a good clean up by today's dirty gang turnout; Andy, Tony and Bob:

Phil carried on underneath, today's tool of choice was the hacksaw:

While chair production continued apace too:

With this rather nifty tool to pull the fabric tight and pin in down in one easy move:

Plenty of odds and ends done today too, Dennis was sorting out some brackets to hold not to be moved boards in guards compartments, here drilling some holes, while John tidied up the huge drawbar spanners:

Steve meanwhile looked to be unpacking a new toy for the woodwork shop:

Always time for a chat in C&W! Michael had his first day as trainee Duty Ops Officer and popped in on his rounds to say hello. 

On to the Toad then for some more wagon progress, with 4 hard at work today. Maurice got the rotten job of sanding down the inside of the ceiling:

Ken got cleaning up the vacuum cylinder, later taken over by Maurice who understandably didn't want a crick in his neck from too much ceiling work:

Paul made great inroads into priming some of the new planks for the sides:

By the end of the day there was a considerable number done.

Nick made great strides in the replacement metal too, which soon got primed along with the now clean vac cylinder:

Last 2 pics thanks to Paul.

16221 wasn't forgotten either, it all looked very productive with Robert installing more door liner sections:

I think this door must be from the Malvern side, they're working their way round.

Inside the compartments Richard was being very uncomplimentary about the inventor of Formica! 

I'm sure he'll get there in the end and make a fine job of it too.

Pam had a good morning painting and varnishing various internal doors:

While in the afternoon, looking at my fast growing list of signwriting jobs I seconded her as my apprentice and gave her a detachable timetable board to have a go at:

A great first attempt, and it allowed me to get on and finish some of the smaller lettering on the main board: