Thursday 29th - Quieter, but busy

It's been a very busy month with this one nearly gone and September just around the corner. As for today it was relatively quiet for a Thursday with a number of our regulars away.

Many thanks to Roger for the photos on board RMB 1808.

Beginning today with Jeff undercoating the first of the MICA van instruction plates that fit high up on the ends. This will be followed by red top coat and then the white lettering, which he will be delighted to do.

Keeping to goods wagons, at the end of the Barn and enjoying the pleasant day is Maurice cleaning up more parts from the Open C.

Returning much later in the day to find the parts being coated in Red Oxide. The labels identify each part.

An update on the wagon itself, which is currently stabled on the Works siding, the grit blaster has been booked for 24th September.

While in the Barn a chance to catch up with the window repairs in SO 4798. Gerry carefully clamps a section of inner frame ready for securing.

Later in the day the glass for that window is carefully taken on board.

Meanwhile Bryan is working on one of the repaired windows on the opposite side.

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]  Three photos of the next window repair on RMB 1808, the bottom section having previously stained and varnished in the Paintshop. Roger added a final coat of varnish to complete the job. 

The braking system repairs to SK 25451 were concluded today.

There was still a niggling problem with the vacuum system so Stu sets up the vacuum pump. In the end it turned out to be a porous vacuum hose.

In the Workshop Geoff and Alan are cleaning up the thread on the communication cord vacuum pipe from 25451.

Later Roger, Alan and Geoff, assisted by Stu, refitted the pipe at the north end of the coach. Just needs a bit of paint to finish the job.

Having successfully tried the clear lacquer spray on two of the cleaned heating pipe covers from RBr 1675 on Tuesday, David now gives the remaining covers numerous coats of laquer. These will now be taken on board the coach for fitting.

Inside 1675's kitchen and pantry the insulation for the water pipework is now being fitted.

Underneath the pantry sink with the water heater skid pulled out. The insulation is now in place top right.

Richard I is constructing a gland plate. To allow for cabling to pass between the Victron inverter/charger and lithium batteries, gland plates are in the process of being made for the flooring of 1675 and the roof of the battery enclosure sited directly under the sole bar.

Going on board 1675 to find that Richard and Phil were back under the pantry sink unit. Phil later appeared with an array of copper pipework he said needed adjusting.

Once again we end the post with the excellent progress being made on SO 4790. Alex discovers an old paintwork bubble that has somehow escaped all the sanding down. So a quick dig out of the flaking paint, followed by a bit of filler.

Meanwhile Jeff has now moved on to the north end to remove some old runs that have occurred under some of the drip points. These were more noticeable under the new undercoat.

Then it was up on the scaffold tower to undercoat the repaired corners.

Top coating the Cotswold side was Alex's aim for today. Here he is well on the way with the coat of Cream.

Next the Crimson. It has all gone on beautifully using a 3 inch brush and following the light sanding of the undercoat. With our old style quick repaints it would have been just the one coat. Looking hard at Alex's work it is tempting to do just that, after all it will be varnished. However two top coats it will be.

There was one window still in undercoat. Jeff soon sorts that out.

I love taking these final end-of-day photos, with all the steps cleared away.  It gives a real sense of achievement.