Tues 2nd - Thur 4th. Lots of outdoors too

Well, we certainly created a sensation with our planned change of livery, so I guess it's no surprise that our statistics displayed 916 visits to the blog on Tuesday, 803 on Wednesday and 1258 on Thursday. On average the daily count is about 400 - 600. Alex also put the news on Facebook, which in itself invoked a considerable number of comments. Overall the news has been well received with many favouring the Crimson & Cream livery.   

Saphos Trains run a rake in this livery and there are a number of excellent photos of it on the Net.

Having three refurbishments on the go, which of course includes our long running project with RBr 1675, and bearing in mind that refurbishments now take a lot longer to complete, space hasn't allowed the quick repaints that we used to do. However we are now making plans to begin some urgently needed repaints and we hope gradually restore the external appearance of our rakes to what they used to be.

Now on to the last few days, both at the Works and at Broadway, with a considerable effort going into outdoor activities.

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Tuesday

Painting and varnishing is still restricted with parts of 1675, either due to not having exclusive access or because of incomplete jobs, and there are times we wonder what we can do. However we can get on with the roof, which has already been undercoated, starting with the Cotswold side which at the moment has better access - the Malvern side of the Paintshop is cluttered following the clearout of the coach for the recent flooring work. Richard begins vacuuming the roof to remove the accumulated dust and then wipes the cleared area with white spirit.

A little more sealant is required in this bit where the gutter abuts the roof.

Then on with the painting and making a good start with the Flint Grey top coat.

Pam gave a final coat of Exec Light Grey to the electrics cupboard door.

Then it was back to second top coating the servery shelves and under the counter.

Progress in the corridor with panelling now the focus of attention.

Robert and Chris are now well stuck into the job.

The "hands off" notices are in place! All this part of the coach will go into Exec Light Grey.

The 240 volt main control and distribution panel in the kitchen now completed and with temporary labelling.

Bob and Pete, our flooring contractors, have finished off the base of the counter area, and similar areas in the saloon, with marmoleum and black vinyl.

Excellent progress has been made with the luggage compartment and guards corridor in BCK 21272, and even with undercoating it looks so much better. With the newly top coated ceiling above, Dave improves it all very nicely as he applies the Cream top coat to the walls.

Besides all the running around, I managed to get a decent amount of painting done, including the front of the window grill from the luggage compartment.

Also done were four footboards needed for Friday, so a rush job. The undercoating dried relatively quickly and enabled one side to be top coated (seen in the background in the previous photo). The fourth very long footboard was painted in the Workshop. The boards are to replace some rotten ones on coaches in the two main rakes up at Toddington.

The final crossover of the day.

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While we were busy in the Works, another group from our regular Tuesday attendees led by Alex were at the Broadway Caravan and Camping site near the station working on the LSWR display wagon. The wagon had been refurbished back in 2008 and I was one of those involved. It had been owned by John Randall, who used to be Head of Upholstery before retiring.

So over now to Alex.

So five of us went to Broadway to see what was what with the LSWR open wagon.

This was the condition just after getting started. Everything needed a good sand down, and a few planks needed replacing entirely.

After I'd traced the big letters, we got going and Maurice sanded off the plastic sticker numbers.

One plank to remove was this bottom one, Keith took a saw too it as although some bits were poor, other parts were still rock solid.

It's all go as we get a bit of paint on in the afternoon. The facing side most of the paint had gone so we had to start with wood primer, but Paul had the undercoat out on the end.

Towards the end of the day, by the end all the body had had a coat of paint of one sort or another. Hopefully back next Tuesday weather dependant. Alex

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Wednesday

Many thanks to Nick and Alex for today's photos. Gerry, who normally takes Wednesday's photos, is enjoying a lovely holiday in Italy.

[Photo : Alex]  Another 15 year celebration this time for Colin, who at 91 is our oldest member and I believe the second oldest on the Railway. Congratulations Colin!

It was just Eve today in Upholstery. More of the seats from the Dean Forest Railway are being stripped of the old moquette.

The lithium battery box is nearing its final stages with a flame retardent lining being installed.

Rex now prepares the main support under the Cotswold side of RBr 1675 before the box is inserted.

Photo taken by me the next day showing the box now in place with the flame retardent lining secured.

More construction, this time for the south end of FK 13326. Alex gets ready to lend a hand if needed as Ken winds up the hoist chain, while Stu steadies the heavy corridor connection.

Have carefully wheeled the hoist and connection down the Workshop, Ian places the metal plates over the rail so that the wheels don't drop into it. 

The connection safely in place but not yet bolted up tight against the end of the coach.

On now to the MICA van where the metalwork repairs have been started and some of the corroded sections cut out.

 

 

Finally a look at the Open C wagon where more of the old planking has been removed.

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Thursday

Beginning Thursday with a photo of more superb woodwork from Steven, who has built the new door frames for the MICA van at home in his workshop.

Now a series of photos showing the gradual clearance of the remaining planks on the Open C wagon. Alex was joined by Maurice, Stu and Derek.

[Photo : Alex]

The final photo taken at the end of the day. The metal frame now needs the attention of the grit blaster.

Derek is making a good job steadily repairing the planking on Monster Van 600.

Always a cheery smile from Paul as he cleans the disabled area in BCK 21092.

[Photo : Paul]  The floor of RMB 1808 now lovely and clean. Paul declared Rake 3 cleaning finished and ready for the Diesel Gala in a week's time.

Well, here it is, SO 4790 in Rake 3 and the first faded coach identified for a quick repaint into crimson & cream.  No, it's not maroon, but it is a coach in good condition and, with it's extended disabled area (a conversion we made many years ago), one we would very much like to put back in one of the two main rakes.

Paul and Dennis, having completed their cleaning in Rake 3, take a break and watch the DMU on its way back to Toddington.

[Photo : Roger]  The Not To Be Moved signs located in the guards compartment of each of the brake coaches have gradually worn away the marmoleum, as can be seen in BSO 9000. Roger and Alan took the Cheltenham train so that the repair could be made.

[Photo : Roger]  The solution is to locate one of the yellow painted plates underneath the sign. Roger carefully screws the plate down tight.

[Photo : Roger]  The result not only covers the worn area, but will provide a permanent solution.

[Photo : Roger]  The Indoor Gang have now put the plates in all four of our brake coaches.

Bob was back in BCK 21272's luggage compartment and continuing the cream top coating. Stu mentioned that the owner would be visiting soon, so it will be nice to show the improvements that have been made.

A final shot of the luggage compartment at the end of the day.

Rod carefully sands the back panel on the north end Malvern side door of FK 13326 prior to adding another coat of varnish.

As expected there was a lot of activity both inside and outside RBr 1675. Richard I and granddaughter Nicole were working on the large skid in the pantry.

Phil was also busy in the pantry.

The 240 volt control panel in the kitchen under construction.

Richard II was back in the electrics cupboard working on the main control and distribution panel.

Moving outside where Phil is now working in the distribution and fuse boxes under the Malvern side of 1675.

On the opposite side Dave is re-securing the rubber threshold draught strips.

More external painting was done where access was available. Jeff top coated more windows on the Malvern side ..............

.......... and ended up at the centre of the coach by the end of the day.

Phil lightly sanded some of the south end and then added a second coat ...........

.......... before moving to the north end to begin glossing here.

On the Cotseold side Bob resumed the roof top coating started by Richard on Tuesday.

Phil and Jeff take a quick break to watch 2807 on a southbound train.