Saturday 29th - Progress, a tour and a new project

 Another busy Saturday with lots going on, too much for me to capture so apologies to those I missed.

Starting with the RBr, with the ceiling strips fitted last weekend, Phil was able to start fitting the lighting on the Malvern side in the saloon, which continues into the public side of the serving counter.

Down below the Richards were in for an extra day to progress the electrics in the battery box.

The servery was still available for painting so Pam carried on with that.

I didn't manage to get a photo of the continuing radiator and grill fitting, but I did get Marcus and Simon cutting some timber for the job on the circular saw.

In other woodworking, Robert was continuing on panelling down the corridor. This piece was particularly troublesome getting it to match the curvature of the ceiling.

Chris went round first thing flatting back the panel pins flush all round the saloon on the oak panelling he and Robert installed the other week.

Chris also brought in this superb mining scene diorama, like many of us a bit of modelling kept Chris sane during lockdown and this was his result!

The door team today consisted of Ben and Ainsley. They spent the morning looking at some of the doors on the third rake outside, I think greasing hinges and suchlike.

In the afternoon Ben turned his attention to sanding one of the door pillars in the FK in the workshop.

SO 4798 saw plenty of action today around the window frames. Alan started early as ever with a bit more welding and grinding.

Andy was on the Cotswold side grinding away old paint and filler along the bottoms of each window to see what work needed to be done.

Tony did the Malvern side, as Stuart and Alan stop by to take a look at the results.

Hmm, yeah... most were on this sort of level.

On the adjacent road Dave (L) and Tony continued the painting in the brake end of the BCK. This job is now nearing completion, and with the electrics now done and repairs to the curtains sorted it won't be long before this goes out.

On the wagon side progress has slowed on the Mica until we can capture a welder. Hopefully soon. In the meantime John started to get his head round what we'd need to fabricate some new handrails. Steel bar will be on order shortly but a bending jig will be the order of the day, so John dug out this old one used to form DMU corridor connections as a starter for ten.

Seeing as the wagon team are a bit stuck for work and the weather is good, once Stuart and I had reattached TSO 5042 onto the back of rake 2 on its first run down, having solved the braking issues yesterday and Thursday, we moved the Open C a bit closer to get started.

Job the first is the strip all the old wood out, Paul and Maurice got stuck straight in, Steve briefly got involved too.

Progress by the end of the day, a little bit lighter now!

As I mentioned in the comments on Thursday's blog, this wagon will be joining the main running set once complete. Schedule of works is strip it down, grit blast it, a few metal work repairs, new corner plates fabricated, replace missing brake gear parts from spare chassis, add through-pipe for vacuum, paint, cut and bolt in new planks. Easy! :)

In other news we were very pleased to welcome a delegation from Keighley & Worth Valley Railway C&W to show them everything we get up to. Always good to welcome and chat to other C&W departments to compare notes. Ian and Dave did the honours on the tour, thanks to the latter for the photo.

Finally to mark Armed services today, 2807, itself a veteran of 2 world wars having played a pivotal role in the 'Jellico specials' in the First World War, was in service today wearing this rather large poppy.