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: