Tuesday 10th - A very satisfying day

A very productive day despite a number of our regulars being away. It was also a very balmy day, making platform sitting very pleasant and hard to return to work.

Beginning today with TSO 4867 and Dave fighting the taped-up line. Even with a scraper it's very awkward stuff to remove.

Dave is gradually progressing along the Malvern side of the coach, but with so much of the paintwork crazed we could end up having to get back to the metal, very reminiscent of what we had to do with Dave's BSK 21092. 

Ainsley was busy working on the Malvern side south end door of CK 16221 ensuring all was well with the closing.

Also to be certain of working without snags is the communication cord (chain) which runs across the top of the doorway.

We are steadily getting through the pile of luggage racks from 16221. This one from a second class compartment unusually had a bronze coloured veneer which was badly scratched and which Alan was in the course of removing.

Will the chairs from RBr 1675 never end? There are 24 altogether, but it feels like many more. And we have the easy bit! The real skill comes with the rebuilding and Upholstery are doing a brilliant job. There is quite a stack in their storage racks that have now been completed.

Keith gave this one its first coat of varnish and the one behind a second coat. I took another completed one upstairs ready for re-covering.

Three of our Painting and Prep team were away today, and Stu and Maurice are helping with the Toad rebuild, but we still made some good progress. Ian tackled more of the remaining prep work on the Malvern side of the Bubblecar.

As for the Cotswold side the last few bits at the north end were dealt with by Keith, who then got Henry fired up to remove the remaining dust.

 [Photo: Keith]  Keith then captured me sorting out some remaining bits to sand in the centre.

[Photo: Alex]  Following a final vacuum and a good wipe over with thinners, I then cracked on with the undercoating, patch paintng the body side, but fully undercoating the gutter side, door edges and backs, and door frames, the latter aspects having had a lot of work done on them. I later emailed David A. in the team with respect to continuing this the next day [and as I write this David has just emailed to say he has completed the door edges and frames on the Cotswold side, and it sounds as though some of the Malvern side has been done as well - excellent!]

Alex had a busy day, the main job being to complete the painting of the Gunpowder Van. Initially this was the G.P.V. on the Malvern side ..................

................... followed by the same at both ends. Some careful measurement required here! 

It was great to sit and relax with such a lovely day, made even better by the arrival of the trains.

There is so much to enjoy sitting by a working steam loco. 

[Photo: Alex]  The final bit to paint - the big red cross. Job completed and doesn't it all look great - well done Alex! It will look great in the gala freight line up. Not quite finished yet, still got to paint "GUNPOWDER VAN" in white on the LHS, exactly where the top of the ladder rests, so how am I going to do that...! -Ed.

And on that note, back to the Barn to see the progress on the Toad brake van. The penultimate main plank is being set up for the Cotswold side.

The Malvern side almost completed.

Alex assists with drilling and securing. Richard would like it noted that Alex only had to help drill 2 holes to get an extra picture! :-) -Ed.

The south end windows being cleaned up and primed ready for fresh paint.

Maurice undercoats the tops of the tool boxes.

More gala preparations with new display boards now set up in the Upholstery shop. I gave these a wash in wood dye and then a coat of varnish - they will need a second coat before they are ready for use.

We felt it would be nice to have a plaque on our Memorial Wall up the stairs. The plaque was made in Woodwork, varnished in the Paintshop, and now Alex does his magic.

This should look lovely mounted on the wall.