Tuesday 20th - Good to be back

The final week before another Christmas is upon us. Where has this year gone?! Still at least we can get about now that the white stuff has disappeared. Last Tuesday was abandoned because of the hazardous road conditions, so it's good to be back.

Before starting today's post, a big "Thank You" from Steve, Eddie and myself for the many very kind compliments about the Woodworking article. The reader count continues to rise. As with all the special articles, it can be consulted at any time from the Blog Home page now that Alex has added a link. We will continue to issue these at intervals and a request has already been made for one on carriage steam heating. So, as the saying goes, watch this space!

Bob S. appeared during the day with his Santa's trousers hat on again. Instead of C&W he was part of the group looking after our Santa visitors - well done Bob! 

CK 16221 is an obvious priority so varnishing window frames was the job today for Richard. Unfortunately the planned varnishing session on more of the main bodyside didn't happen and with the move out of the coach suggested for the week after New Year, we may have a problem. (We'll work something out! -Ed.)

We had exclusive access inside the coach so we had the chance to get a lot of the outstanding painting of the new skirting boards and beading painted. Stu tackles the south vestibule.

Ian stayed one step ahead of Richard and cleaned more of the windows on the Cotswold side.

Two sets of windows sliders have yet to be put back. This gave the opportunity for Keith and Phil to complete the top coating of these.

Job done. Phil carefully removes the masking tape. The back part of each slider has been kept paint free so that should future repainting mean a change of livery, then the sliders don't have to be removed.
 

More varnishing was done inside the stretcher window compartment, but none further in the corridor. We will need to add more here but suffice to say that, with the skirting now painted as well, the overall appearance inside the south vestibule is very pleasing.

The first class corridor is almost finished now that the compartment doors have been reinstated, though we need to get the windows of the doors cleaned up as they are coated in dust.The corridor heater covers are also steadily going back on.

The north end first class compartment still has the table and light bulbs to fit. 

One of the second class compartments, again needing the table and light bulbs as well as the compartment door. 

It's good to see it all coming together after so much hard work.

On now to other activities, firstly with Maurice topcoating the insides of two of the Vanfit's doors. The outer sides had been top coated by Alex at the end of Saturday. Maurice later cleaned up two more of the largen hinges from the south end of the Mogo.

Later in the day Robert was making a new dropdown door for the south end of the Mogo.

 

Keith had a variety of things to prime and paint, besides helping Phil with the window sliders. In the foreground two of the large hinges from the south end of the Mogo - the two which Maurice cleaned up were later added. In the background are more table brackets for 16221, the metal seats for GWR 2-8-0 3850, and two coach ceiling lights.

The wooden tops for 3850's seats were given a final coat of varnish by Keith, who then gave an initial coat to what will be plaque for "The Hooton Trolley".

Prior to the varnishing Pam prepares the template for the plaque to check that the length is correct.

It was good to see Pam back after a couple of weeks away. She soon got stuck into the penultimate signboard for the lobby area. A careful check to ensure the lettering is correctly centred.

 The French chalk letters are in place. Pam very carefully brushes away the excess powder.

 The end of the day with the first top coat completed.

Robert began the day with a very different job, which was to build a protective box for an external pipe from our adjacent toilet building which had recently been damaged.

We get occasional donations of unwanted paint. I did wonder whether we would ever use the unopened tub of shed and garden fence paint, but I was right to have kept it and it has proved ideal for the new pipe cover.

Alex's list on the Paintshop whiteboard grows ever longer. (Shouldn't it be getting shorter!? -Ed.)