Thursday 10th - A much better day

Quite a variety of activities especially as we were able to get back outside again with the improvement in the weather, and thankfully not as hot as predicted largely due to the cloud cover later in the day.

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However, first a little more activity from Tuesday showing some repair work that Robert did on the south end of Tool Van 4. Of particular interest is that the wood used was from the large load that was very kindly donated by Anthony P., who lives in my village. He will be very pleased to know that this is the first of many uses that we will making of it. 

 

[Photo : Robert]

[Photo : Robert] 

[Photo : Robert]

[Photo : Robert]

Robert and Anthony with the truck loaded and ready to return to Winchcombe on Tuesday 27th June.

 [Photo : Alex}  Then the unloading by Robert and myself when back at Winchcombe.  

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Moving on to Thursday's activities and beginning outside.

The Standard 2 arrives with the Maroon Set for the first crossover of the day; the Manor was waiting in Platform 2 with the first train from Cheltenham. What a gorgeous blue sky!

While Alex takes a tracing of "MAIL" in readiness for the day the signwriting can begin, Jeff carries on with the filling on this panel. It's good to be back outside after all that rain on Tuesday.

On the second top coated panel Phil  J. begins the lining out. We need to get some more TESA tape - this particular tape we are currently using isn't such good quality and you don't always get a clean line. However we need to get on, so will have to hope for the best!

Jeff fills down the side of the doorway. A lot more gouging out had to be done on this particular panel where we have had to resort to fibre paste as well as standard filler.

Returning via the Woodwork Shop to find Steven preparing these giant planks for the MACAW, which is in the Usk goods office siding.

His next job was refitting the locking bar and associated bits to the new doors on the Barry Railway van.

The finished doors looking very good. Just need a final coat of paint on the hinges to complete the job.

Dave was also thankful he could get back outside after Tuesday's washout and returned to the Cotswold side of SO 4806 (S&T's workshop and mess room) for more sanding down.

 

Dave asked me to mask up some more holes at the north end of 4806, which I did towards the end of the day. These were then coated with green primer, the whole side now looking so much better after endless years in rusting blue and grey.
       

 

In the 3rd Rake Alan and Geoff were back on board BCK 21092, making use of the disabled compartment to do repair work on a section of panelling from SK 24949.

 Inside the Malvern side toilet compartment on 24949 where the bad leak has caused a lot of damage. Note the new battens in the wall space ready for the repaired and new panelling.

The ceiling above where the leak still hasn't been completely resolved. They can be a devil to sort out at times.

 The resealed and undercoated ceiling in the first compartment, done by Bob K. last week.

 

Missing from the indoor Gang today was Roger, who is also the Department's H&S officer. As such he spent the morning walking round the Works and coaches in the yard with Ian from our C&W Maintenance team, who is also one of the Railway's ladder inspectors and was checking all our steps and ladders..

Chris is making a great job of creating the four inserts that go between the tank and the stanchions on the Creosote wagon. The original two at the north end of the tank were fitted and then taken apart for painting. With this completed Chris now reinstates them.

 He is now constructing the two at the south end.

 John is giving this Commonwealth bogie a thorough overhaul.

 The brake hangers have been completely stripped down, cleaned and regreased.

 A new brake block has been attached to this one.

The pedestal liners removed and checked, and then rewelded in the correct positions, with the exception of the one on the right in the upper photo. John intends to give this further inspection before passing it as fit for use.

 

John S. has been stripping down old, worn out sleeves from vacuum cylinders. The metal parts will be removed and attached to new sleeves (below) made by our Upholstery team.

 

Phil and Richard discussing the fitting of electric boxes in a wall partition to be fitted inside the kitchen area in RBr 1675.

There is obviously a lot more involved than just this, but I didn't enquire as they were deep in discussion.

 I'm not sure what I did, but it broke the spell and gave them a good laugh! 😀

 

There has been quite a lot of electrical work inside 1675, and given the nature of the coach, I guess that's no surprise.

 

Bryan was the only one from the Metalwork team today. Some of his time was spent cleaning up this window from 1675 of old sealant.

Later on he was coating more of the Malvern side of 1675 in green primer. What is heartening is that this side does not have so much old paint to remove.

[Photo : Alex]  Our decision has been to take all the old paint off and Alex captured me doing just this on the Cotswold side. 

The lovely oak veneer panelling being installed by the Woodwork team in the seating compartment of 1675.

Into the Paintshop to catch more progress on Tool Van 4, with Maurice top coating the cleaned up sole bar on the Cotswold side.

Later in the day with a hint as to what the finished van will look like, especially with the darkened planking where the special epoxy primer has been painted on. 

At the south end Alex adds standard wood primer.

It's always a very pleasant time when you can show visitors around the Works. Jeff takes a friend on a tour.