Thursday 15th - A busy day and some more sad news

We begin today's posting with some further sad news with the passing of two of our staff, one current, the other retired.

 

Tony Baker 

Tony was a very skilled and well thought of member of our Indoor Gang. Sadly cancer took him away from regular attendance, although he did manage the occasional day with us. It was only a couple of weeks ago that Tony unexpectedly visited us, so it was somewhat of a shock to hear he had passed away last week. He will be very much missed. Thankfully we have very many photos of him working happily over the years with the other members of the gang, a number of which can be viewed in the relevant Meet The Teams page.

 Richard Unitt

Richard retired from Carriage & Wagon over ten years ago, but in his time with the Department was a very prominant member of staff. Back in the very early days he had even been Head of C & W. His forte was painting and as such he had always been in charge of that section. In a 1989 edition of the Cornishman Magazine, he is in the photograph with other members watching the very first coach to enter the old Winchcombe goods shed, which has been our home ever since and which we now term the Workshop. We were very sorry to hear that he had passed away on Sunday.

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Not many of us in today, but a lot was achieved.

 

A visit to the office means passing through Upholstery and this collection just had to be photographed. 

With two completed backs, three cushions, and now this seat base under construction, the two first class compartments in BCK 21092 will look stunning! Some repainting in the coach is required in the guards corridor, so when we can get around to it, the corridor, disabled area, and guards compartment will be done in the lovely Executive Light Grey (same as we did with BSO 9000).

There was some good progress with CK 16221. All the new footboards were installed, six long boards and one short. Roger assesses whether this is where the short one belongs.

The bolts for one of the long boards are tightened.

Alan and Geoff installed the six remaining threshold strips. Each one had to be cut to fit, as did the bases of the interior doorway beading and rubber draught seal.

Geoff carefully trims this one.

The south end doorways, one strip fitted, the other in the process. The temporary footboard has yet to be replaced.

Jeff top coats the new section of ceiling panel for the south end vestibule. The kickboards in front have been primed. This will be followed by undercoat Dark Grey and then Black gloss.

The base of this compartment door looked somewhat woebegone, so Jeff set about a joinery job to sort it out.

When cleaned up and the top edge of the new piece rounded off, varnishing will be resumed.

Time for some more lining out. Bob tapes up the top line on the Cotswold side north half.

Then on with the yellow. He was later called  away to do some paint repairs in the SK in the 4th Rake, so I continued until he returned. We always add a second coat of yellow even though the first is still tacky, so when Bob had to leave for the day I completed the job.

The bundle of tacky tape- the trademark of a completed lining out session. We never leave the tape on longer than necessary when lining out.

The south end with the initial line tape removed and ready for lining out. With the top coating almost completed and lining out well underway on this side of 16221, it gives a false impression that the coach is well on the way to completion. In reality there is still a comprehensive list of things to be done.

After the focus of attention on Wednesday, RBr 1675's progress today involved just me sanding down the last of the kichen doors.

In the SK in our 4th rake Paul was vacuuming seating.

While Dennis was cleaning the ceiling in this compartment.

The compartment ceiling in the SK that was undercoated by Bob after removal of the cracked and peeling paint..

Squeezed down in Platform 2 bay Richard I was retrieving redundant batteries from the Model Railway coach - power for the coach is supplied directly from the mains.

The end of a good, but also sad day with the loss of two more members from Carriage and Wagon, one current and the other retired.