Thursday 7th - Another grey day

No doubt this miserable anti-cyclonic gloom is trying to get us all down, but in fact we had a good day at the Works on Thursday. Not forgetting the wonderful range of Mess Room goodies and warm cups of tea and coffee which soon bring back the cheer.

I was certainly happier when Stu told me that the deadline for getting the Bubblecar seat frames painted was actually a lot further away than I initially thought. We are making good progress with our tidy up of TSO 4772 and I didn't want anything stopping that.

This was the pile of seat frames stacked up in the Barn at the end of Tuesday after the grit blasting contractor had finished with them and Maurice had begun the painting . As shown in Nick's post David took over the painting on Wednesday.

The Barn has too little room to do the complete job, so Maurice and I began the day by spreading the frames around the Works where space was available. The single seats are now lined along the Paintshop wall, the small double seats are in the Workshop, and the large doubles remain in the Barn.

Above Maurice is well into the Workshop allocation at the south end, while at the other end another two of the small doubles await attention.

Two of the large singles ended up on the paint trestles.

The trestles had various piles of items awaiting preparation and painting. The non-urgent stuff was removed, but the two connection pillars destined for SO 4798 were however dealt with as they will soon be needed.

A wander up the yard to see what was happening in the Rake 3 coaches, and while there a look back at the Works and distant Langley Hill. 

Next over to see progress with our recent acquisition and on the way noting that PWay have now reconnected the siding.

General tlc continues with FO 3127 with Gerry preparing the south end toilet compartment window for a pane of glass. Currently a sheet of hardboard keeps the elements out.

Also outside on this bleak day was Derek sorting out more repairs on the side of the Monster van. He's done well with much of this side now fixed, including a new gutter. As can be seen, undercoating is also underway. 

Richards I and II continue the various setting up of the electrics linking the lithium batteries with the interior workings in RBr 1675.

In the saloon Alan and Roger are making adjustments to the curtain pelmets.

Finally back to the Paintshop for progress with TSO 4772. 3850 enters the Paintshop in just over a week's time, so the days remaining for work on 4772 are rapidly diminishing.

Interior jobs are just about done now so Paul has washed the floors. The backs of the doors need a fresh coat of Exec Light Grey.

Efforts resume on the cutting paste activities, with Martin on the Cotswold side and Phil and Jeff on the Malven side. All were working on the upper half, with Martin and Phil also including the gutter panel.

The job really is paying dividends. Just look at the reflections in the chocolate panels.

The sole bar, headstocks, corridor connections, and various bits at each end have been largely given a coat of Black gloss, so why not repaint the connection chequerplates.

As mentioned above, just over a week to go, so we have got to get a move on to get the coach finished with what we hope to do.