Tuesday 7th - A contrasting day

A bitterly cold start to the day but it did improve later and we were even able to get outside for some essential repairs on the Main Rake.

Well the early day forecast was correct, very cold with mist. 

Good progress with the Mogo today. Paul and Maurice got cracking on the roof section at the south end,

[Photo : Paul E.]  It all looks pretty corroded, so another repair job for Nick and the Metalwork Gang.

The next job was to get the Cotswold side doors off. Paul hacks away at the rusted nuts and bolts.

With help from Ian, one door was removed. Paul now works to release the second, which not long after was also off.

Robert continues building the new doors for the Mogo.

David continues contructing one of the two new battery boxes for RBr 1675.

Derrick with yet more floor edging for 1675 ..............................

.......................... which on the Cotswold side is beginning to look rather impressive.

By now the sun was beginning to break through the mist and creating some striking shafts of light in the Workshop.

The Barn felt like a deepfreeze, so all credit to Stu who stuck it out in there while working on two panel paint repairs on BSO 9000.

In complete contrast the Paintshop was like a greenhouse, made even warmer by Richard's efforts removing the transfers from FK 13326.

He was later joined by Dave digging out cracked paint and filler, and (further along) Bob M. cleaning up and etch priming the roof side.

At the south end Alan was also getting stuck in with the digging out and sanding.

The sun was now well and truly out, and the warmth gave us a chance to do some paint repairs on the Main Rake.

Ainsley also came to look at the sticking south end door on FO 3132 "Mary".

There was a bad section of rusting and bubbling paint by the emergency door on RBr 1672 which I had already dug out and coated in red oxide. With the oxide drying quickly in the warm sun Richard was able to start filling with both fibre paste for the holes and ordinary filler.

I meanwhile raked out more splitting paint and filler under two of the windows on 3132. Then on with the oxide, and later the filler.

Well, it has certainly warmed up as Paul and Maurice can now enjoy lunch on Platform 2. When did we last do this?! Time for our lunch too.

Lunch over. As a complete change from being chilled all morning, Stu willingly accepted the job of sanding down both the under window sections on 3132 and really enjoying the warm sun.

Richard had progressed to undercoating his work area ...........................

....................... Stu had also now done the same.

It's not just 3132 with door "fun and games".  TSO 4986 wanted to add to the joys with its own door problem, this one at the south end too.

It certainly kept Robert busy for a while, needing some trimming to various parts of the door frame and door edges, and more repairs for the Painting team now lined up.

Having blacked up the one bogie on CK 16221, Ian was more than happy to do the same to the new one, which looked as if it had been partially done in the past. What a difference overall!

Well this is one way to warm up the chill air in the Barn - it was a lot warmer outside!

Ainsley back on the BSO 9000 Malvern side guards door, reinstating the back panel.

The new pictire frames for 16221's first class compartments. Following what has been laid down for the original one, Keith applies Georgian Mahoghany wood dye to the ones recently made by David D in the Woodshop.

Pam applies the shading to her new sign.

I think she wants to add another coat of cream to the letters, but when placed next to the "Hooton Trolley" sign, it already looks really good.

The sun is now steadily lowering as Richard finishes off undercoating the brown under-gutter area.

It certainly turned out to be a good day. The late afternoon begins to make itself known with the decreasing sunlight and rapidly cooling temperature. It's supposed to be similar tomorrow - hope so because there is a lot to do outside still.