Saturday 2nd - Here we go again

 First day of trains running, and it was not an auspicious start on the weather front.

Dinmore manor came down ECS with the chocolate and cream set rake 1. The weather varied from cold, cold and wet, to cold and sleet throughout the day, and snow on the ground was reported by some volunteers further afield, none of which was particularly conduce to passenger numbers.

The DMU was the other train out and about, with a slight difference...

Well that's different! It was running in 4 car formation with the spare power car added to the usual 3 car set for testing purposes.

I omitted to mention the big news last week, the entry into the works of the next project! This is Second Open 4798. It last had work done on it in 2018 but that was very much a patch up to keep it going a few more years. This it did but it is now time for a more thorough job. In addition, it's going to get a bit of an upgrade to make it effectively interchangeable with our First Open. The exact details on that are yet to be confirmed, but will certainly include new upholstery and some carpet.

Clive and James made a start at the North end dismantling the panelling to have a look at the metal frame underneath.

Surprisingly not too bad. No need for a whole end job here, just a little new metal requiring welding in at the bottom. An early win!

James also made a start in unloading the seats...

And delivering them to upholstery, up they went on the hoist.

Although that's for another day. Today was more bags from spare upholstery...

And as we pursue zero waste, purses!

Andy was cleaning up another vac cylinder, our new regime sees us remove all the crud from the outside, so not only do we know we've overhauled it properly, everyone else does too!

By the end of the day it was in green primer as Stuart and Ian look on.

To the RBr then, and Ainsley was fitting the oak panelling on the emergency door back today.

Dave fancied a break from the cold and did some sanding on the outside.

While Dave carried on painting the ceiling during the morning.

Later on he went up to Toddington to varnish and oil the optics counter that Chris and Alan had done a fantastic job of.

A great job done by C&W, now over to others for the fitting out.

That just left Robert on woodwork today, who soldiered on with thresholds for the FK.

The GW/SR van is nearing completion. We rehung the repaired door and got that all bolted up. Just some grey to go on the primed bolts now.

Paul captured Maurice on the roof all wired up painting the central section.

While I went round and painted on the letters and numbers. As this is quite a late build there's not much to do on that front here. A little more painting to do but this week should see this wagon completed.

Paul captured Dave braving the cold cleaning the seats on one of the SKs in the third rake ready for the race trains.

While Paul himself was cleaning the carpets in Gillian.

Definitely needed!!