Weds 6th / Thurs 7th - Forty, not out!

Two days together again, with Gerry supplying the photos for Wednesday - many thanks Gerry.

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Wednesday

Upholstery now have three new machines. With the contract work now being taken on and the cushion making going well, in addition to our own requirements, they are going to need them. Jenny tries out one of the new industrial sewing machines.

 Simon helps with the hoist taking one of the new machines to the Upholstery Shop.

Laura and Jenny working on another seat back from the first DFR contract.

Downstairs in the Doors/Woodshop Trevor is working on another of the quarter doors from RBr 1675 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 ................ and later working on its parent door on the Malvern side of the coach.
 

Ainsley also working on the quarter door, the same one as above now fitted - it is still without the metal skin ..................

.............. and later cleaning up the edge of the main metal panelling, with the quarter door now back off after its trial fit.

Chris taking out a window on the same side ready for fitting a new ruibber seal and frame alignment.

 Rex and Phil fitting the communication cord mechanism at the north end of 1675.

 

 In the Woodshop Simon improved the machine fit here to reduce sawdust emissions.

Derek working on repairs for the Monster Van. The window glass will need resealing to stop leakage.

 David undercoated another of the window frames on FK 13326.

At the north end of 13326 Steve and Bob were removing the remains of the old base plate.
 

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Thursday 

Two of our members, Phil Jones and Derek Clark achieved 40 years volunteer service with the GWSR. In fact Derek only just missed out on the special 40 year gathering for those members who had been with the Railway literally from its beginning.

Phil

Derek

 

[Photo : John A.]  Also celebrating today was Richard Bates (aka Richard I) who has achieved 15 years.

Before it became too hot, Phil and Jeff managed to get the "M A I L" panel on the Model Railway TPO lined out with the yellow bands (we always do the yellow band first). Phil begins by (very) carefully removing the initial line tape.

Returning much later to capture progress, by now the sun was out in its full strength. The edging tapes were on and the yellow was being applied both top and bottom. We couldn't have got away with this if it had been the main maroon painting, but despite the heat, Jeff and Phil were able to carry on with the lining out.

Chris and Steven were back out on the MACAW, fixing more of the cedar planking.

Any activity inside the 3rd Rake on a day like this was perfect for anyone loving saunas. 15 minutes for Bob and I looking at the restored toilet compartment in SK 24949 to assess the repaint required, and for me to get some photos, was enough for us. For Alan and Geoff who had finished the rebuild today, their efforts were heroic. Well done both!

The same would have applied to Paul and Dennis with the cleaning inside the 3rd Rake.

Bob assesses what will be needed. Alan has left the compartment door off to enable Bob to move freely. The opposite toilet compartment will also be refreshed.

The nicely repainted ceiling in the first compartment done by Bob a few weeks ago.

For anyone working in the shade, it wasn't too bad outside. Alex with red oxide touches up a few places on Creosote Tank 43930 where the sprayed primer is a bit thin.

 Also in the shade was Derek with the continuing repairs to the planking on the Monster Van.

More stuff for storage until needed, with some of the clutter being removed from the Paintshop - all good stuff, but not if left sitting on the tops of cupboards forever gathering dust.

Kevin then spent some time in our store area at the north end of the Workshop, sorting out more drawers. Then showing what an excellent job he is doing as our storekeeper, he was on his hands and knees vacuuming the whole store area, including under all the racks and cupboards. His comments at the end included, "Well, some of that hadn't been done in a long time". Well done Kevin!

Bob continuing the brown undercoating on the Cotswold side of FK 13326, with his friend Paul looking on. While his wife adjourned to the Coffee Pot Cafe on the station, I took Paul on a tour around the Works.

The centre door and portal hadn't been taped up, so I quickly did that to enable Bob to get that painted too.

FK 13326 is beginning to look good in its new guise.

Now in the relatively cooler Barn, Jeff applies the line tapes to the south half of the Malvern side of 13326. I later did the same with the north half. There is in fact no north and south half on this side of the FK as there is no door. The arbitrary distinction has been created by the window in the middle, which will have to be removed because of the large rust hole in the above panelling.

It was this mesh of wires in the kitchen area of RBr 1675 that on Tuesday enticed me to take the series of photos of the excellent progress being made by our Electrics Team. Phil carefully sorts them out - note that all have been labelled up. 

By early afternoon the back of the 24V box had been installed and the cables were being positioned in the correct sequence according to the chart on the left.

The chart for the 24V Indicator Panel Cabling. Phil ticks each one as it is installed.

 The latest plan for the working areas of 1675.

Ian makes further markings on the backboard in the kitchen area according to the chart on his right.

Richard I in discussion with Ian. I didn't enquire but it will almost certainly be about something electrical.

Richard II surveys the front cover of the 24V box, double checking the positions where the various switches will go.

The various holes have been drilled and Richard now carefully cleans them with a file.

Tool Van 4 is now in the final stages of its refurbishment. Maurice went round the vehicle tidying up the paintwork and completing anything that remained to be top coated.

Alex second top coats the Cotswold side "4".

In the Woodshop Steven and Chris are back on the roof beams for Tool Van 92, creating another new one. Their comment was that the two curved sides of the roof were slightly different and so complicating the production of the new curved sections.

 The new beam with the glue drying.

The next job was to attach the replacement footboards on the Cotswold side of 4.

The new skylights for 92 have been given a coat of linseed oil. As was commented at the end of the Tuesday posting, the smell was glorious! Alex and Bob in deep discussion - I took the photo without disturbing them.

Catching up with some of Wednesday's work. Above is the north end headstock on 92 which  David A. cleaned up and coated in red oxide. Below is the completed mechanism on the north end of RBr 1675 for the communication cord and emergency braking.

 

The last job of the day. Ian raises TSO 5042 ready for work on the underframe and bogies.