Monday 30th - A Cleaner's Lot

Sometimes our "finds" are not the best. Kath found this under a table in "Mary".

And the delightful contents were

It was just after the Autumn Showcase (looked well attended, I enjoyed a visit on Saturday) but neither the box or the contents appear to be something we supplied. I don't think it was xxxxxxx!

By the time we arrive Peter and Tim (and Paul behind the camera) are well in to washing rake 1. They were soon joined by David.

Busy day as it was 2 full rakes inside and out and inside the DMU, so no more photos. Once again an excellent turnout of 14, the others were Greg, Jane, John, Lawrie, Lynn, Nigel, Rich, Val and yours truly.

Wednesday 25th - Muscle power

 With most of the Wednesday crew in, muscles were going to be useful. After a couple of mods and measurements the team were offering to raise and fit an end panel on 13326.

Steve and Chris are admiring their handy work, with a bit of cutting the new panel was clamped into place. We have done several of these, so have become used to the problems that show up. The panels are made by South Devon Railway Engineering.

Getting it tacked into place, I have left the major amount of welding for Alan on Saturday  On this carriage we have a door on each side and have to be careful and make sure the door will fit afterwards, and leave enough gap for the wood inserts.

Steve and Geoff who is sporting his mini Hi Viz.

..... then Colin insisted on being in on the act with his Hi. Viz pullover ..... I give you 'The Chuckle Brothers'

Rex and Gerry have been at a pace re-fitting more window frames in 1675, and a fine job they are doing.

Meanwhile inside 1675 David and Colin are fixing new panelling in the saloon.

This is the south end of 13326, Bob is removing the remaining old panel, it has exposed the crash pillars which will need replacing along with the buffer plate. Once that is done we will be fitting new end panels, the finished article will look like new or better.

This last week, Kevin ours store man found a couple of steel cabinets ..... and with some minor adjustments they are being fitted as under bench storage for metalworkers tools and welding consumables. It will be so nice to be able to find stuff and save a lot of time.

Rex on window fitting.

Another view of 1675, it is looking so much better but there is still a long way to go.

Trevor making further adjustments to another door on 1675.

Somewhat later David is fitting new panelling in 1675

And so it goes on, nevertheless a very productive day for all concerned. Remember it is our Autumn Showcase this weekend, if you do visit come into Carriage and Wagon and say hello. We will be only too pleased to show you around.

Most photos by Gerry.

Tuesday 24th - Taping up and undercoating

 

 A slightly wet start to the day soon changed into a glorious autumn one.

The team made some really great progress today with SK 25488 with the preparation almost completed and undercoating started.

Although the Cotswold south end was chalked as complete, there is always that little bit more to be discovered and dealt with. Roger cleaned up a bit more on the centre door hinges before moving to the north half.

There was certainly a bit more attention needed on the south end door which Richard took care of. 

Meanwhile on he Malvern side Stu cracked on with further bits of tidying up. It was looking good - dare we hope that this is almost it?!

Pam had now arrived and took on the Cotswold side north end door. A lot of work has gone into prepping the four openers - they all work well and we want to ensure this remains the case.

Bob took on the sanding and then undercoating of the north end connection slider.

Hey, I like this! Stu is wiping down the Malvern side with thinners. That can only mean one thing - the prep is finished!

Meanwhile the Cotswold side continued to be a hive of activity.

Great! Rod's wonderful lining out tool is in action as Stu marks the positions of the top and bottom lines.

And the tape goes on to cover where the lines will later be painted.

Much later in the day Pam was determined to get some undercoat on the Malvern side.

And she stuck to it and completed the top section, even though everyone else had packed up and adjourned to the Mess Room.

Richard had also wiped down and taped up the Cotswold side south half, leaving just the north half to finish. It's always a treat to get to the end of prep and begin the repainting.

Not photographed was the work Robert did in making some new veneer back panels for the doors where they need replacing. Thank you Robert.

So, a very satisfying end to the day with 25488. 

On now to Tool Van 92 with Maurice managing to get a second top coat on the Cotswold side. It's surprising how long it takes when painting all those planks and ensuring the paint gets into the seams. We needed to get this side done in time for the Gala this coming weekend. The south end will also be done on Thursday for the same reason, leaving the Malvern side and north end for Maurice to paint on Saturday, out of the way of our visiting public.

Alan completed the accessible parts of the vacuum cylinder V19 with Underframe Black. This just leaves the base, or top when under the coach.

Phil S. has mentioned several times that he will get the battery boxes fitted to RBr 1675 if we can get the frames cleaned up and painted. As always there are far too many other things to do, but I was determined that we get this done and then the boxes can be mounted instead of cluttering the Workshop floor. Keith could only get as far as priming. With the cooler weather the green primer was taking longer to dry, so the remaining painting will have to done on another day.

However we could get on and clean up the connection U frames that Alan H. has rebuilt for FK 13326. Keith and Alan shared the work on the first one.

Derek was continuing the repairs to the Monster Van and today recreated part of one of the doors where the planking had rotted. Keith left Alan to continue with the U frame and primed the new wood.

 Keith then coated the U frame in green primer.

Not wishing to leave all the Gala preparation to Thursday, I rebuilt the barrier stands and took them and the relevant plastic chain sections to where they are used. The "What's going on in C&W" information notices were mounted on the display board. Then lots of tidying up and a major vac of the Paintshop to remove all the sanding dust. The internal displays will be less this time as we have the Tool Van where we would normally have these, but there will still be plenty to see.

Monday 23rd - How Many Cleaners?

 All time record - 15! Only Nick missing, and he is recovering from an operation.

It's a while since we had a tea break pic, so here are most of the team (it's the easiest time to catch most of them!)

Greg, Lynn, Rich, John, Kath, Val, Roger C, Lawrie, Tim, Paul and Peter. Elsewhere are David, Jane and Nigel. Only Peter in shorts this week!

Rakes 1 and 2 were washed (that's the outside team returning after completing that) and just rake 1 cleaned inside, as rake 2 was not used last week. It was generally agreed that "Mary" was the worst we had seen it - perhaps there had been a biscuit crumb creation competition? At one stage the team working south and the team working north met those cleaning "Mary", so there was 9 of us in one carriage!

Just after that Roger C and Val completed the window cleaning.

With reduced work load and super numbers two extra jobs were tackled - Jane on carriage racks (she can reach them easily!) and John cleaned the toilet compartment walls.

Then some of the team took the Long Walk down to the DMU. Val, Roger C dodging the camera bottom left, Rich and Nigel.

Next week it is back to the two main rakes, after a week of half term and the Autumn Showcase over the weekend. That will keep us busy. Team leader John is a steward on rake 1 on Sunday, but do not worry. He assures us he is well scrubbed after doing toilet cleaning! 

Hopefully many of you will visit over the weekend.

Saturday 21st - She's back!

 An exciting day as we heard rumour of something extra coming out on the service train, but while we waited with anticipation, we got stuck in as usual.

The rebuild of the North end of the FK continues, James makes some adjustment to the door pillar Z section on advice from the door team. How long before the new skins go on?

Alan was wrestling with a corridor connection section, welding new bits together.

John had a good milling job today, make the round hole in this big lump of cast steel rectangular please!

He paused briefly and removed the guard so I could get a close up. This is for a replacement drawhook for one of the P'way rail carrying 'Elk' wagons, which had a very bent drawhook.

Phil cleaned up the spare we found, it's got a slightly different shank shape hence the modification.

Another day, another picture of Maurice painting the Tool Van, he's doing a grand job with almost the whole thing now in first top coat. The realisation that there was still another to go however...

Dave focussed on the South end of the SK today cleaning up above the corridor connection using the scaffold tower.

While Pam carried on moving the 'Prep completed' line Northwards on the Cotswold side.

Mk2 seat production for the DFR continues apace with Jenny.

John was doing some fiddly bits for it on the sewing machine, definitely some new challenges with this seat design.

Andy was a temporary member of upholstery today wearing his Diesel department hat, with the seat out of the Cl.45 I think he said.

Back down to the RBr, and the doors are once again causing a real challenge for the team. Robert adjusts one...

While Ben fiddles with another.

At least the interior woodwork seems to be coming on with a fair bit of framing in evidence, Steve working on some ceiling bits.

Back in more normal terriroty, Andy assist John in dismantling the drawgear at the South end of the TSO on the jack road, the North end having been done during the week.

It put up quite a fight, but they got it out eventually.

Ok so you've waited long enough, here she is! Doing most of the work, 2807 piloted P&O on the second and third round trips of the day. She looked and sounded superb. A great day for the team involved in the overhaul.

With the end of season gala just around the corner Stuart and I rounded up the last 2 wagons to go up to Toddington for the goods train.

Then a cunning plan was formed, and a few phone calls later, 2807 remained on the back of the last service train, coming off at Winchcombe. We pushed our wagons into P1 with the 03, scuttled off out the way...

And off they went! 2807's first solo train. Not particularly taxing, hopefully she'll get to haul a more substantial goods train soon!

Speaking of goods trains, our Wednesday evening gallop on starfish 30500 has been completed, with a bit of overtime for signwriting.

Wednesday evening say the top-coating completed by Dan and Rich.

And Friday afternoon I popped in before a Trust board meeting to do the signwriting - quite a lot on this one! Ready to go back in the set in time for next weekend looking much better than it did before.

Finally, a reader left a comment on Thursday's blog asking about Richard, who formerly lead on the wagon restorations at Winchcombe. As noted, he moved to Dorset at the beginning of this year, but we still keep in contact and as it happens just this week he sent me a couple of pictures from his new local railway:

Swanage has recently received Adams T3 563 from restoration, and it looks absolutely stunning. I'm a big fan of those ornate pre-grouping liveries, and this is up there.

Thanks for sending it in Richard!