Weds 19th / Thurs 20th - A celebration

Two more interesting days to report in our busy life at the Works. It certainly makes time go quickly, especially when some of the work is needed for a number of events which are now looming near. The culmination of these is of course the Steam Gala on the weekend of 12-14 May with the theme "Cheltenham and Gloucester Remembered" and eight locos in steam, five of which are guests (https://www.gwsr.com/galas/steam-gala).

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Wednesday

Many thanks again to Gerry who took Wednesday's photos. 

We start the day with Colin celebrating his 90th birthday. Along with fellow woodworker Geoff, we now know him of course as one half of the Chuckle Brothers!

Speaking to Colin last Wednesday he said he felt a bit nervous about coming in this week, but I'm pleased he did turn up. Many congratulations Colin, you must be the oldest volunteer on the Railway, still going strong and doing some brilliant work.

 "Shall we dance?"

The final repair to the bodywork on the Santa coach. Bob S. is cleaning up the holed area under the roof edge. He cut a very accurately shaped patch ready for Nick to weld the next day.

More excellent progress with FK 13326 in the Barn, with David .................................

.................. and Pat adding more filler where required, before beginning the greying up on this side.

Stu takes a breather while refitting one of the vacuum cylinders on CK 16221 "Abigail/Charlotte". Both cyclinders were in fact ok which is good news. An adjustment was required to allow them to work as they should.

Steve is making a support bracket to assist when replacing the seal on a vacuum drum.

On now to RBr 1675's progress with Rex welding a door support back in place.

With the painting completed around the north corridor connection portal, Ken now reattaches the vertical supports.

Colin, our happy nonaganarian, preparing to make some hardwood window frames for 1675.

David repairing a door support for 1675.

Trevor fine tuning the fit of Door 3 on the Cotswold side of 1675.

 Ainsley and Ben are refitting Door 2.

 More window frame cleaning being done by Chris.

Thanks again for the photos Gerry.

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Thursday

 

We began Wednesday's post with the Santa coach, so doing the same for today, a shot of Nick welding on the section of sheet metal prepared by Bob S. the day before.

Tony prepares a new length of metal that will go above a set of window sliders in one of the second class compartments in CK 16221. 

A little later and the new piece is being screwed in place.
 

Another window repair being done by Ken who is replacing another of the blown double-glazed windows in the corridor of 16221. The vacuum cylinder problem in effect provided the opportunity to get these outstanding jobs done, which would probably have had to wait until the closed season.

With the vacuum cylinders back in place and the necessary adjustments made, time for a test. Ian looks on as Stu prepares to go below and connect up the vacuum hoses. I am pleased to say that the test was successful, so it is planned to return 16221 to the Maroon rake this coming Saturday.

Another glorious day with Geoff, Alan and Dave giving the crew and our passengers a hearty wave.

Geoff and Alan making this door easier to close at the south end of FK 13337 "Gillian". This coach is so deserving of a full refurb, having twice been postponed in the past because of more urgent work. Our 5 Year plan initially suggested this could have been about now, but inevitably this has been pushed back, especially with 1675's major rebuild.

We value greatly our group of trolleys of various sizes. They have a hard life and as such sometimes are in need of repair. We could always do with more, so why not build one? John demos where the handle will be fitted. The wheels have already been bought and stored ready.

Following on from yesterday, Pat completes the greying up of the Malvern side of FK 13326. Some secondary filling will be required, but the coach overall has come on in leaps and bounds over the past three days. The window to Pat's right will be coming out so that the large hole above it can be properly repaired, hence the patch left unpainted underneath. The repair will be done at the same time as the major rebuild of both ends.

One of our urgent requirements for the Gala is to get the Mogo finished and we are not far off now. Maurice's priority for the day was to get the backs of all the doors primed, and despite there being six large doors, in particular the end ones, he did the job with time to spare. He then helped me by completing the priming of the second "Capel Dewi Hall" nameplate, another urgent job.

Bob K. undercoated the insides of the two new battery boxes for 1675.

  Our hardworking Metal Bashers were as always busy with 1675, with Gerry,  ............

.................. Bryan, ........................

............... and Rex mainly working on doorways.

And to end, having taken them, why not include them. Tomorrow the rain is back, so a short sequence of 75014 "Braveheart" returning to Toddington and on to Broadway, during lunchtime on this gloriously sunny day.