Thurs 21st / Sat 23rd - Doubling up

A two day post with myself covering Thursday and Alex taking care of Saturday's activities.

THURSDAY

A very busy day both inside and outside the Works, including a return to an outside project we want very much to complete.

Beginning with my usual visit to Upholstery. With the new running season underway, we will need to keep the supply of cushions flowing, and we hope the new lines in bags, spectacle cases and purses. Online sales above and shop sales below.

The large delivery of wood reported by Nick on Wednesday turns out to be for the rebuild of the GW MICA Van, sheduled to come into the Works after the GW Ply Van.

Obviously the pile couldn't stay there and so was moved to our outside storage, with Maurice and Alex doing the lion's share of the work.

Progress with RBr 1675 covered a number of aspects today. Beginning with Gerry fitting the quaterlights to the final two windows.

Phil S. removes the sawn off bolts that are rusted in the left hand buffer extender keep.

Rex uses the plasma cutter to fashion another one of the side plates for the new battery box.

A clean up of the edges and then a trial fit.

Ian further sands down the edges to achieve a nice smooth finish.

Another step up with the exterior painting of 1675, with Phil J. and Bob undercoating the windows on the Cotswold side. When the gutter work has been done we will add the line tapes and begin some serious undercoating in brown and cream.

Phil S. uses battery power to test the electrical connections.

The Richards discuss the fitting of the large water heater skid. It was later returned to the painting trestles ready for top coating.

Now over to Rake 3. A repaired and repainted under-table panel fitted by the Indoor Gang.

(Clockwise) Roger, Geoff, Dennis, Alan and Paul take a well deserved break after the repairs and carriage cleaning. In the BCK was a large pile of black bags containing all the collected rubbish and empty disposable cups following Race Week.

Stu brought TSO 5023 into the Barn and on to the Jack Road and, amongst a number of things, was checking the vacuum brake system when I turned up. Alex and Roger look on.

More excellent progress by Dave with his yard vehicle improvement project. There is now a whole area of dried algae to remove off the upper side of the BG before any further painting can be undertaken. A pad sander will be the best thing to sort this out.

Dave's hard work to improve our yard will soon be paying off admirably with the start of the "The GWR Behind Closed Doors - Carriage Edition" tours which begin on Tuesday 26th March. Both this and the two in April are now Sold Out. The guided tours will include both the Works and the yard. There is a further "Carriage Edition" tour in May, after which they change to "Lifting The Curtain" and include the Loco Sheds as well for two dates in June (both Sold Out) and a date in July. Please see the GWSR website (Events and Experiences) for full details.

Alex carefully adds "Bill" and "Ben" to the second pair of Robel ballast tampers.

At last a reasonable chance to get on and complete the repaint of the Model Railway coach. Plenty of nice days but usually not when we are in, or we are simply too busy with other things. Alex and Maurice are well into sanding down the last panel.

Lots of places to fill and then sand. It tried to rain but thankfully nothing to worry about.

It was a good day overall.

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Just before I go, two photos taken by Chris, who with Alan S, did a brilliant job creating the new bar in the refurbished Cotswold Halt at Toddington.

The excellent sign that Chris made at home for the Halt Bar.

A very justified plaque that Alan had made.

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So now, over to Alex for Saturday's activities.

Dave C.

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SATURDAY

So on to Saturday, and the damp weather put paid to any more outdoor work which was a shame, I was enjoying getting back to the Royal Mail coach.

So onto the RBr then, and after doing a little final filling and sanding on the Cotswold side before signing that off as complete, I made a start on a bit of interior painting where I wasn't getting in the way priming the new wood panels in the South vestibule.

On the Malvern side Tony worked on the last panel yet to be greyed, still more filling and sanding here, but nearly there now and mostly on window frames.

Maurice was back on cleaning up the headstocks and out with the red oxide.

Dave undercoated and top coated the interiors of the gas boxes, having first protected the newly installed gas pipes with rag.

Door fettling continues with Ben doing a bit of carving as Ainsley watches on.

Phil was fitting more conduit inside too, the amount of wiring is mind-boggling!

The interior fit-out continues too, Not entirely sure what Dace was working on here though.

Ainsley was on window frame fitting duty, back and forth most of the day cutting bits of wood to size.

In the workshop Ken and Kev dug out some of the radiators for the RBr, a little more heat than normal for a radiator was required to undo some of the nuts.

Onto the FK then, and Simon, Robert and Stuart review the next stages for the woodworking/door work now the metalwork is almost done.

Meanwhile James, ably advised by John, investigated the pipework situation on the roof.

Jenny and John were continuing with seat work for the std 4...

Arm rests now, very comfy chairs for a steam loco!

Helen was stripping the next seat for 4798.

On the coach itself Bob was up on the roof clipped up to the zip-wire with the angle grinder to clean up the central section.

And take off some rotten roof vents, which Ken cleaned up ready for repair.

Finally Paul and Dennis had a shorter walk to their work today as they were investigating the water tanks on 5023 on the jacks. Something wasn't quite right as once the tank was full it then siphoned itself half empty again!