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!