Tuesday 26th - What a contrast

After the departure of Bert (hate this naming thing) and the ruined weekend, it was good to be able to get out and enjoy what turned out to be a very nice day. And to add to that, we had a good number attending for a Tuesday.

Beginning  the day with some essential outdoor repairs on BSKD 34929, the Malvern side guards door had been sticking. Chris T. (formerly with the Door team and now with our Friday Maintenance team) had planed down the door frame and left a message on our paint trestles that attention was needed. Richard does the essential paint repair. The door back panel needed some varnish but this has been left to another fine day. 

While working on the BSK Richard noticed some areas of cracking filler on the side of the Discovery Coach that had broken away. With the limited time all we could do for now was a quick patch repair. 

Later in the day Richard was able to get the filler sanded smooth and paint it over, going straight to top coat. You need good dry days in the Winter to get this type of outdoor job done. We must see if we can get the Discovery coach repainted next year - it will have to be done in situ.

While on Platform 2 we saw Rosie and Ian from the FOWS doing some gardening. I meant to get a photo of them when they very kindly helped us on the day of our major power cut by endlessy supplying us with jugs of hot water. So it's a pleasure to make amends and include them in today's post.

While outside, a look at the recent outshoppings in the form of TSO 4772 ..........

.......... and SO 4790.

Meanwhile there was still some final effort required in BCK 21272 with some leather straps to be reinstated and the remaining protective sheets, painting rag, etc to be removed.

The passenger corridor with the bloom on the varnished wood now polished away.

The repainted guards corridor and luggage area.

The repainted guards compartment with the seats in new blue moquette.

Pam with the new almost completed strap which will be replacing the bit of rope holding up the guards tip-up seat.

Further along is FO 3127, now with temporary primer patching.

The interior with lots of sorting out still underway, mainly by Dave H.

One of the single seats has been brought into the Works. This will be taken upstairs to the Upholstery shop and stripped down to enable an assessment to be made as to whether we can do the job ourselves. The seats for FO 3132 "Mary" were reupholstered by outside contract.

Now into the Paintshop and FK 13326, which is in to complete its refurbishment. It is also just like old times with Richard J. sanding the Cotswold side south door and its frame. Richard was Head of C&W for 18 years before becoming our Plc Chairman. He is now a free agent and as such is occasionally seen back in the Works, recently helping out in Upholstery.

With the work on the south corridor connection already underway, Ian begins sanding down the north end connection slider. The amount of grime on the door confirms that 13326 has been at the north end of the rake and hence immediately behind the engine when the train is on the Cheltenham-Broadway run.

Back to Richard who is now greying-up the door and its frame. It's quite some time since he last painted and I could see he was thoroughly enjoying the job.

Phil took over from my former efforts on the south end connection, completing the filler sanding and then painting the door in cream undercoat.

On Saturday Alex had done a good job straightening the bases of three of the four new end panels and then cleaning off any roughness. Ian carefully went over the three to double-check they were clear - a few minor bits were found and removed, leaving the edges completely safe to touch.

Pam took on the north end door on the Cotswold side, adding filler on the frame where needed.

Back to the south end connection with the slider undercoated and Phil now painting the new wood section in dark grey undercoat.

Both sides of 13326 have already had an initial coat of gloss paint, with the lower brown panels sanded ready for the second coat. Richard finishes his day sanding some of the cream section on the Cotswold side.

More progress with the MICA van as Maurice undercoats the metal frame at the north end.

Chris tackles more of the inner planking, initially cutting back some of the existing boards ......

...... before inserting some new ones. Head torches are becoming increasingly common amongst our staff.

Keith primes the mini planks on the children's seat and then progresses to the supply of footboards.

The orange army! Well not quite at the level of Network Rail repairing storm damage at Dawlish.

It was service day for all our woodwork machinery with Stuart attending. He is well used to our set up having previously visited us when with Tewkesbury Saw. Stuart has set up his own business now that his former firm has closed

Painting and varnishing inside RBr 1675 is definitely on the home straight. Stu wasn't completely happy with the painting on these two areas to the left of the counter, so after a light sand a second coat is added.

The upper part of the central passenger door was still in undercoat, so this was also painted in Exec Light Grey.

Excellent results!

In the saloon Roger is attaching the catches for the pelmets.

With respect to the varnishing, with the exception of the pelmets, all the oak in the saloon and counter area has had three coats of varnish, not two as previously reported (thanks to Jeff for the correction).

Phil has done a great job tidying up the raw edges of the panelling and frame in the south entrance. The connection door needs further painting before it can be mounted. The electric cupboard door is ready for reinstating, but will be left off until Richard II has completed all the work in there.

One of the doors for SO 4798 is to be replaced with one of our spares.  Ainsley is looking at this one, which had been originally installed on an EMU.

Taking advantage of the excellent weather, to end the day Maurice and Paul begin top coating some parts of the Open C wagon.

Looking across the south side of the yard to the Cotswold escarpment. Let's hope we get some more days like this instead of all that wind and rain.