Saturday 15th - Crammed full

A very busy day with a lot achieved.

8

We begin.the post with John fabricating more metal parts for vacuum cylinder gators

Further along Alan is using the plasma cutter to make new sections of sheet metal for repairs to the Cotswold side toilet compartment window in SO 4798.

Here he is cleaning up the cut out areas where the old rusted metal had been removed. 

Working on the south end behind the large screen is James completing his repairs to the roof area.

James has now moved to the Malvern side of the south end, initially removing areas of corroded panel. The bases of the connection support pillars look rusty - futher assesment will be made as to whether replacement with new lengths of pillar will be required.

The Malvern side toilet floor was in a pretty poor state!

Over the years we have received many donations of tools as well as bolts, nuts, scews, etc. Ken is cleaning some of the nuts in the tray below.

I like to include a photo of the number of the coach being worked on, but the state of FK 13329 externally nearly stopped me displaying this. It's certainly a coach in need of some t. l. c.

However there was plenty of activity inside with access ladders set up in the doorways at both ends

Simon and Alan were busy replacing panelling and supporting lengths of woodwork above the heating covers in the corridor.

[Photo : Robert]

[Photo : Paul W.]  With the extraction of RBr 1672 from Rake 1 the gap had been closed up. The connection slider of the temporarily connected coach was particularly filthy so Jenny set to and cleaned it.

Wih the required Paintshop job on TSO 4986 well underway I managed to escape to catch some of the activities outside. The rain had eased making it a bit pleasanter. I managed to catch Jenny returning to the Works 

After last week's shunt to reorganise Rake 1, recently outshopped FK 13326 is now at the south end.

Paul and Dennis make their way down Platform 2 to the north end of the rake.

The gleaming  coach at the north end of Rake 1 is TSO 4772.

Phil was attempting to fit a new lock keep to replace the missing one on the corridor slider, but has no joy.

When it came to staff attendance today (27) as far as the Mess Room at lunchtime was concerned the title of this post very aptly described it. It's a while since extra chairs were in use at the ends of tables. The shunting team had their lunch in the Upholstery shop.

In the Woodwork shop Dave was sorting out brass screws as he wanted to secure some of the removed and varnished items inside his coach TK 24006

Ainsley is preparing a new door liner for SO 4798.

A visit to Upholstery found Laura and Richard investigating a problem with this sewing machine. Hopefully it was able to be resolved.

A length of moquette ready to be cut out to re-cover more seating for SO 4798.

Two of 4798's seats being rebuilt.

The piles of completed seating for the coach are now considerable.

Two more new members of the team joined today. Peter, who is very knowledgeable with respect to sewing machines, ...............

.............. and his wife Jane, whom Richard is helping.

Alice joined last Wednesday and has already settled in well.

The team now numbers 9 members.

Kevin's project was a bit of a mystery. However what he was doing was building a waterproof platform on which a small chest of drawers would be standing.

While Ian readies the 03, the two Andys look out at the falling rain. There was quite a bit of shunting planned for today, which included extracting RBr 1672 from Rake 1.

A walk out into the yard reveals the misty Cotswold escarpment. The rain had eased a bit by now.

I returned later to find the GUV being removed from its usual place on the PWay siding.

 

1672 was now in the Barn and having its vacuum brake system tested.

The vacuum pump chugging merrily.

RMB 1876 had been moved outside while 1672 was in the Barn.

Meanwhile the 03 has crossed to our side of the yard and NOW brings in the GUV. 

The bogies are to be swapped and roof leaks fixed to make the GUV fit for PWay to use.

Robert and Chris attach lengths of wood on the Malvern side of the MICA van to which the canvas will be attached. The Cotswold side was dealt with last Tuesday.

Finally on to progress with TSO 4986 with plans to get varnishing completed today. The first coat of varnish needed to be lightly keyed with 240 sandpaper. Maurice tackles the lower panels on the Malvern side, while I took care of the opposite side.

Tony then began the second coat of varnish at the north end of the Cotswold side.

Bob had arrived and began varnishing at the opposite end.

Maurice's follow on job was black glossing the sole bar and headstocks.

Tony later moved round to the Malvern side.

Maurice black glossed the Malvern side sole bar.

While Tony concentrated on the upper half, Bob moved round and started the lower half, while I also began the lower half at the north end. It wasn't long before all the second coat of varnish had been applied.

So on Tuesday we will do a number of jobs to really bring the coach up to match the other recent repaints as far as possible.

RBr 1675 in the Workshop. The plan is to bring the coach into the Paintshop to complete all painting and varnishing, although there now may be a change to this plan. Watch this space!