Tuesday 20th - Time is getting tight and some sad news.

We had a good attendance today, which included some of our volunteers who don't normally do Tuesdays.

External progress on RBr 1675 with the painting preparation stages now coming on in leaps and bounds. Saturday's efforts concluded with the south end coated in green primer.

For Stu and Ian it was back to building up the skirt line on the Cotswold side. Tony (Alex's Dad) had done a very good job on Saturday, from which today's efforts could improve still further. Initially further sanding, then more top-up filling, more sanding, and finally a fresh coat of green primer. A review on Thursday will decide whether we add yet more filler.

Pam completed the work on the Malvern side emergency door and then filled around the edges of the capping strips. The screw heads were also covered.

Roger worked on the south half of the Malvern side.

He was later joined by Stu and Ian.

Taking a break! It's tiring work being done mainly by hand sanding with the large pads, ideal when trying to bridge the skirt line and better than using the small pad sanders which can easily remove too much of the filler if not careful. 

 Dave working on more of the oak beading for the seating area in 1675.

Much of the interior insulation has now been installed - the Cotswold side of the seating area, .............

................  the Malvern side emergency door, ..................

 ................ and the corridor.

In the Workshop Ken was drilling the holes in the north end of FK 13326 ready for fitting the heavy wood connection back plates.

The connection which Ken has rebuilt and now ready to be reinstated.

 At the south end of 13326 Derek was attaching the floor supports for the vestibule floor.

The Paintshop trestles where so many individual parts are painted. In the foreground, one of the locking bars from the GW/SR van awaiting a top coat of GW Grey, and one of the grab handles from the north end of 1675 which Keith has cleaned up and primed. On the far side a new roof batten for the GW/SR van with dark grey undercoat. Keith is coating the undersides of the compartment door runners with silver Hammerite, while Bob is painting the spare window sliders.

Maurice top coating one of the Cotswold side doors of the GW/SR van.

One door on the Malvern side is too far gone to leave in place. As such on Saturday Alex and Maurice removed it ready for rebuilding.

While looking for photos from ten years ago, I came across one I had taken on 12th July 2014 of the completed GW/SR van when it was initially refurbished. It will be good to see it looking like this again and running in our Gala freight train.

With Winter Shutdown work now entering the final week or so before the new season kicks off on Saturday 2nd March, it's a rush to try and get done as many of the remaining jobs as possible. Richard repaints the ceiling in the south vestibule of BSO 9000.

Roger began his day in CK 16221 "Abigail/Charlotte" working on one of the sets of window sliders and then moved outside to the 2nd Rake to replace one of the footboards.

 Maurice tries one of the re-covered bar chairs for the Cotswold Halt restaurant.

The pile of completed Mk2 seat parts for the FODR continues to grow.

The spendid new bar counter in the Cotswold Halt that has been built by Alan and Chris. Chris holds up the flap ready for the Del Boy moment.

Chris adds the dowels to provide that finishing touch. Over now to the Painting Team to add the varnish and Danish oil.

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We end today with the sad news that another of our former members, Paul Cowburn, has passed away.

When Paul joined us he soon showed how adept he was, one of his first jobs being the repair work to a window in the Discovery Coach when that was being created. Eddie, our former Head of Woodwork soon grabbed him for his team, but eventually Paul joined the Door Team where he became a much valued member. A few years later we were very sad to hear that he was suffering from cancer. He never returned after the pandemic and we have just heard that he recently passed away. His funeral will be at 11 a.m.on 29th February at Vale Crematorium, Evesham.

 Paul working on the very window described above (4th September 2014)

Painting the Discovery Coach ceiling (4th December 2014)

Working with Mike Blakeman (above) and Derrick O'Brien (below), two more who are no longer with us.

Five photos showing Paul with typical day-to-day Door Team jobs. 

As our coaches get older and older, with the result that a lot more of the bodywork is now replaced, the refitting of coach doors has become ever more complex and we could really do with Paul's skills. Although it is now several years since he last worked with us, he is still much missed.