Saturday 16th - A Paintshop swap and a very welcome return

It was quite a day, with a shunt to swap vehicles in the Paintshop, numerous other activities, and the very welcome return of James B-J. for a year.

It's 0740 and visibility very limited. The promise of a nice day? Unfortunately not the case with occasional fine rain during the day.

So, the first big job of the day is the shunt to swap the completed Tool Van 4 with the NYMR SK 25488.

RBr 1675 is connected up to FK 13326 in the Barn.

 Ian signals back the two coaches and 03 ready to couple up to the tool vans, which have previously been connected. The whole ensemble will then be pulled out of the Works. I had to suppress a chuckle while taking the photo as Tool Van 92 in its current state looks quite comical, something reminiscent of an overgrown garden shed!

 

The empty through line and the traditional sweep up, including cleaning out the track channels as far as possible in the limited time available. It won't be long before the NYMR SK appears.

The RBr and tool vans from the Malvern side of the main line.

 

The bogies, orginally on the through road, now temporarily relocated to the jack road. Maurice makes his way through the Barn to watch the activity outside. 

I scurry round the Barn and Workshop via the side road and then back into the Paintshop because true to form, the NYMR SK soon appears.

 That's it, the coach is in place and secured with scotches ready for our attention.

Stu, our Works Manager, is the driver today. Alex, I think we need your magic on the 03 - those number transfers are looking somewhat flakey. The copper capped chimney however still looks good.

Well, 1765 will look nice one day. The refurbished bogies look good though!

Andy guides the 03 and FK 13326 back to connect with the RBr.

Maurice and Alan watch the proceedings. The Toddington train is in Platform 2, with the signal clear for the Cheltenham train.

With the FK once more linked to the consist, No 4 is uncoupled. The few minor bits still to do on No 4 are to black the hoses and paint that central door handle (I'm sure the Malvern side one has been done).

As the consist to be returned to the Works pulls away and up into the headshunt, Dinmore Manor rolls in with the Cheltenham train.

Andy guides the group in with the "garden shed" leading.

No 92 is positioned across the border between the Paintshop and Workshop. The roller shutter will remain up until 92 is finished and taken back out. By doing this we can fit 25488, 92 and 1675 inside the two buildings with plenty of space between each and at both ends.

 FK 13326 is back in position in the Barn, where the rebuilding at the north end can continue.

With shunting completed, we wasted no time and George got going on the general sanding down on SK 25488. This will be a quick repaint, these typically taking on average about 6 weeks, though we have done one in less time (with overtime thrown in of course at the usual "rates"). Ian has given us November 18th as the target date, which is actually 8 weeks away.

George achieved quite a bit in the time he was there. In between my usual scurrying around as a roving reporter, I also got going on the Malvern side.

The line tape is proving to be quite awkward to remove. Much of it is lifting and these bits scrape off easily. The tape remaining will probably have to be sanded off - a hot air gun just converts it to a sticky mess, while a scraper (even the Stanley-bladed type) wasn't very successful. Needless to say, the new lining out and numbers will be painted.

Maurice initially started work on the Model Railway TPO on Platform 2 Bay, but the contrary weather soon put paid to that. Instead he cleaned up the hand rails on the Malvern side of Tool Van 92.

Robert producing part another roof beam for 92.

While in the Woodwork shop I captured Ben sharpening a drill bit, his horologist's eyepiece making the job easier.

Our new welder Alan got cracking on 1675 .........

....... and later on, using the TIG welder, filled the unrequired holes on one of the aluminium window frames from 1675.

Later cleaning up the welds with an angle grinder.

No 92 and 1675 had been left coupled up after the shunt (they will be parted using the pinch bar on Tuesday). This was to leave plenty of space at the north end to enable the corridor connection to go back on. Ian adjusts the lifting frame, with John and Phil assisting.

The heavy connection is back on.

James secures one of the two prongs. It's great having him back, where he will be rejoining the Metalwork Team. He left a few years ago to join the Navy, but he will be with us for a year while his new ship is being commissioned.

The connection is now secure and the gibbet hoist removed.

James works on the top part of the connection. There is still more to do, but it's good to get this back in place.

Robert fitting the lower half of liner to the Cotswold side emergency doorframe.

Later he is working with Ainsley to fit a liner on the Malvern side emergency doorframe.

 After the main shunt, the two bogies were returned to the through road. Ian cleans up the centre ring on the outer one ......

............. before replacing the tarpaulin and restringing it in place.

While outside I took the opportunity of capturing Tool Van 4 with the two tank wagons. It's very likely that the remaining tank wagon will be next in after Tool Van 92 is finished. In the far distance the steps indicate where Dave H. is working on the old army RBr.

It was a very different day for Pam, who replaced the anglegrinder, pad sander and paintbrush with scouring pad, cleaning agents, wipes, Henry, and mop and bucket. With Paul away at the moment she kindly volunteered to give the Mess room a deep clean. The first job was to clean the bits of wall where we lean with dirty overalls (these will have a fresh coat of emulsion on Tuesday).

Next the sink unit, all the tops, tables, windowsills amd skirting boards.

Next a good vac round with Upholstery's Henry, and finally the mop and bucket to wash the floor. Many thanks Pam - a really great job!

With Jenny and Laura on holiday, it was just Helen and John today working on one of the final seat backs for the first FODR contract. The Boomerang moquette is quite striking.

The EODTC enjoying that final cuppa at the end of a long day. Pam brought in some really yummy cake (my piece awaits) bought from a lovely garden centre near Swerford, North Oxfordshire. Alex was at the Severn Valley, so he missed out on the cake - I sent him a photo of the packet instead !!! 😄