Thursday 1st - Autumn is here

Before describing our activities for the day, just to say that it's great to be back up and running again. Thanks for all the kind comments after the August Review posting, and to enable Colin Kay to breath easily again, Ben was able to ease the pull bar off the droplight without the glass breaking. 

We had a good number in and it was nice to see a busy morning tea break. Others had decided to have their break up at the station.

You may have been wondering what our electricians Richards I and II were perusing in the previous photo. It looks very complex, but it's actually the 24 Volt Circuit Diagram for RBr 1675. 

Richard II displays the lighting contactor and fuse panel from 1675.

 Also a member of our Elecrtical Team, Phil is removing more redundant wiring from 1675.

The pile of old cables and wiring grows!

Another photo of Phil working on a junction box underneath 1675. A number of dustbins have been constantly in use alongside the coach during all the clearance work.

The north end of 1675 now cleared.

Another new length of underfloor cross-bearer welded in by Rex.

 Rex now inspects the opposite side. 

More cleaning up of the metalwork.

Bryan worked on the north end of the Cotswold side, initially marking out where to cut the metal panelling.

This area is particularly bad.

 Removing the corroded panelling within the marked area.

The next stage is to reveal the bases of the crash pillars and the base plate, and as such Bryan in fact ended up removing all the lower panelling.

When revealed the bottoms of the pillars are actually fine, but not so the base plate. So the pillars will still have to be cut to replace the latter.

On the Malvern side Gerry is setting up the new ribs (Z sections) either side of the doorway. Once again, tools for the job are invented and made. Nick mentioned this in yesterday's posting and Gerry happily displays the tool ("former") used for holding the ribs in place while they are welded in.

Having thoroughly sanded this door from 1675, Ainsley applies the base undercoat of light grey. It is extremely helpful to the Painting and Prep Team to have this already done when the rebuilt door is eventually mounted on the coach. The one of the other bench was similarly done on Saturday 27th, as reported in the August Review post.

Moving on to CK 16221, Alex completed the lower line on the Cotswold side north half of the coach.

Alex also gave a third coat of varnish to the new veneer panelling in the four 1st class compartments.

Meanwhile Dave and Phil were trying to sort out the narrow corridor panels to see which would be suitable.

Some of the ones that had previously been cleaned and varnished, and then stored, are in fact warped and difficult to fit. The bending of the two above is very obvious.

Assessing what can be used was a frustrating exercise.

Following on from David's undercoating yesterday, Jeff applies the black gloss to the north end of the coach. With the left side done Alex can now add the coach data.

With the outer parts completed (bar the top which will need the scaffold tower), I glossed inside the connection.

The Indoor Gang were busy sorting out the troublesome north end corridor slider in FK 13337 "Gillian". With the door now moving freely Alan tightens the supporting bracket.

Geoff and Alan now replace the top beading.

Paul and Dennis, temporarily joined by Alex and myself, take a break from cleaning the 3rd Rake to watch P&O come by with a well loaded Main Rake.

Steve, our fourth electrician, takes a break from his work with LED lighting to fill out a claim form following his latest purchases.

"You are claiming how much?!

Only joking. Jeff, our Finance Manager for C&W, runs down the list with Steve. It's all within current budget limits, so no problem.

And we had rain !!! Well, not very much but still good to see. Ironic after all our moans last winter when it wouldn't stop.

John A. came and collected the final two repaired and repainted steps for the Santa coach. The three large back sections are now fitted. The smaller front steps will be attached when some new brackets have been obtained.

At the end of the day Alex lists jobs for the Painting and Prep Team. Just in case you were wondering, the south end bogie is temporary and so won't be cleaned and painted.