Weds 1st / Thurs 2nd - The long wait is almost over

Yet another two-day posting, with many thanks again to Gerry for Wednesday's photos.

Wednesday

 Ken R. was working on the sliders on one of the toilet windows from 1675.

 The toilet window at the south end Malvern side of 1675 now back in.

 Phil is removing a wood panel from within the seating area of 1675. 

Ken A. preparing another z section for one of the windows.

Rex making another section of a door frame for 1675.

 Simon and Derek making more floor edges for the ends of 1675. 

Trevor and Ben working on the Cotswold side guards door on BSO 9000 now that it has been put back on.

 Trevor, John and Ben discussing door lock strengthening.

As previously mentioned the two blue trolleys are a real bonus when it comes to moving doors, and on Tuesday the large pieces of plyboard. However with all that weight the wheels take a battering, especially if the trolleys have to traverse rough ground. Ken is busy making a new base for the wheels on the damaged trolley.

David preparing the picture frames for CK 16221.

Thursday

Today marked the changover in the Paintshop and for Clive, who wasn't actually in today, his almost completed coach emerge into the daylight. His decades long wait to see CK 16221 restored is almost over.

As soon as everyone was in we got cracking with the big clear up, shifting everything out of the way and ensuring that the shunt could be done safely.

Andy carefully guides Ian driving the 03 as the linked up BSO 9000, RBr 1675 and Mogo move slowly into the Paintshop to pick up CK 16221 "Abigail-Charlotte".

The combined rake was then taken down the headshunt and gently brought back on to the Works siding. Bar the dirty south end bogie, which requires some work, 16221 looks a treat.

CK 16221 is then detached and left by the Works. It's great to see the coach out at last, but there are still a few things to sort out, including three blown double glazed windows in the first class section to replace and some issues with three sets of window sliders. The seat numbers also need mounting and of course there are the pictures to mount in the first class compartments when they are ready. Finally there is the south bogie to be swapped and then the all-important FTR exam.

After dropping the remainder of the temporary rake, the next job is to couple up to FK 13326 and shunt that into the Works.

As 13326 passes, the extent of the damage caused by the recent extreme cold weather (-14C) can be seen. We don't really know why this should have happened, other than wet getting behind the paint and freezing, but to this extent? Flaking off large areas back to bare metal? As far as I am aware we have never had anything like this before.

As usual when we have a shunt that empties the works, the brooms and bins are put to good use. The concentration was in the Workshop following all the work on 1675, the floors in the Paintshop and Barn having recently been swept and vacuumed. Very dusty work, but the Workshop air extraction was in full swing and all doors opened throughout.

With everyone out of the way, Andy guides Ian as 13326 gradually moves into the Paintshop.

Maurice watches as Andy gets ready to go under and uncouple.

13326 is in for a repaint and general tidy up. I couldn't resist a quick go at some of the "fun" before returning to BSO 9000. The body work above this is even worse, but we have our plans for that and we should be able to keep the coach running for another 4 or 5 years as part of our 4th Rake.

[Photo : Gerry]  With the original Workshop and Barn vehicles returned to their respective positions, it was back to work. Having been rushing about taking photos during the shunt, I made up for my absence during the big sweep and finished off the cleaning up by vacuuming the through part of the Workshop, and was promptly captured by Gerry.

Inside 1675 Rex welds a new z bar section to the base of the Cotswold side kitchen window.

While Gerry cuts another section of z bar.

It was just Maurice working on the Mogo today, cleaning up more of the north end of the main frame and applying green primer. Top coat is already being applied to the south end.

Several of BSO 9000's doors and doorframes are requiring work. Ainsley is ensuring that the handle on the Cotswold side south door is working properly and returns to the correct horizontal position when the door is closed.

Looks like job done as he is tightening the lock screws.

Quite a bit of work to do though on the door frame. The central doorframe on the Malvern side will require even more repair and I spent quite a time giving that a good pad sand in readiness.

More repair work done by the Indoor Gang, this time on BSK 34929 with one of the window sliders having to be replaced. This will mean a painting job and we need to get this done while the weather is relatively mild and dry as the coach is outside in the Maroon Rake.

A selection of jobs we need to get done. There are many more!

With shunting now over, the Dirty Gang get to work on the two bogies currently on the jack road in the Barn. I believe one of these will be destined to go under the south end of 16221.

The south bogie is having one of its wheelsets replaced as the axle is worn. Ian and Andy begin the process of removing one of the axleboxes.

More wheelset extraction on the north bogie. John slowly raises the bogie frame.

The previosly mentioned axlebox in the process of being removed by Stuart (and Richard J.)

16221 now positioned over the pit in front of the Barn. Passengers unaware of the double name will be puzzled when they see "Charlotte" on one side and "Abigail" on the other when getting on and off the trains - depending of course on what platforms are in use on the day at Cheltenham, Winchcombe and Toddington, and eventually Broadway.

A very pleasant sight in the lobby. We have taken delivery of two more rolls of the lovely Horsechestnut Leaf moquette.