Thursday 6th - Getting ready

Another gloriously sunny day in which to get the Rake 3 coaches sorted out into their final configuration. All this of course in preparation for next week's Cheltenham Races. Ian, Tony and Clive were busy for much of the day.

The 03 scurries past the Works, through the station and to the points beyond the roadbridge so as to change tracks and propel the coach waiting in Platform 1.

D2182 sits on the Works siding awaiting the next move. Alex, if you have a few spare signwriting moments ........

We're off! Not sure how far the reorganising had got to, but a lengthy portion of the rake appeared to be in place.

Looking somewhat woebegone, TSO 4867 sits on the jack road. Restoration will include a new accessible area, so a lot to do when we get started on this coach.

Also enjoying the fine weather Dave, having brought in a tin of dark grey undercoat, added some extra protection to FO 3127 and in so doing making yet another improvement to the look of the yard. It will be some time before we can begin the major restoration of this coach. However situations can change from week to week, so be prepared for anything.

Derek was also painting, adding undercoat to more of the repaired parts of the Monster van. A roof leak has also been fixed, very necessary as this is an excellent storage vehicle.

Moving into the Workshop where good progress was being made on board SO 4798. Bryan and Gerry were attaching more of the inner framing which clamps the window in place.

Also attending to internal window framing, this time the outer frames, were Alan and Geoff.

On now to RBr 1675 and a visit by Christine, Head of Catering, and Alan to discuss where the various signs and first aid kits are to be placed.

On the Malvern side Alan and Geoff were fixing the budget lock receptacle to this quarter door.

Roger, the third member of the Indoor Gang, was in the electrical cupboard filling the gap above the communication cord pocket.

With the top coating it was more catch-up work. Phil and Geoff painted the cream section of the door and doorframe edges (the brown sections had been done on Tuesday). While Phil tackled the servery exit, Jeff started on the doors where Alan and Geoff had previously been.

There was quite a lot to do on the servery exit door, including top coating the front. I expect somebody was working underneath this point when the adjacent cream panels were being painted.

The main brown panels on the Cotswold side were the largest section still needing the first top coat.  Bob begins with a light sand using 240 paper.

He made good progress, getting as far as the servery exit where Phil was working. He then moved to the north end to complete the cream section.

A number of small internal paint jobs remained which I tackled which included parts of the connection door frames, and the wood tops to the corridor heating pipe covers and adjacent skirting boards.

A dirty gang job that could be done with 1675 while it is in the Paintshop was the removal of the redundant dynamo. John carefully positions the pump trolley so as to ease the weight of the dynamo while removing the securing pin.

The electric cable was first cut. Some further adjustment of the trolley and then a liberal squirt from the WD40 can by Phil to help free the pin.

It was then a case of walloping the end of the pin with a lump hammer numerous times to try and free it. More WD40 followed by more walloping made little progress. In the end the job was abandoned for now.

Towards the end of the day, with the shunting completed, Tony was keen to have a go. Hopefully the WD40 would have sunk in even further and improved the situation. With the help of a length of heavy pipe, Tony and I took it in turns with the lump hammer.

Initially there was little progress but the repeated efforts by the two of us began to have an effect. The pipe was definitely moving inside the support and the end of the pin began to appear on the far side.

Suddenly the pipe shot forward and the pin was out. A slight adjustment of the pump trolley and the dynamo could be pulled out. It was then taken into the Workshop. The pin was replaced in the support, now sliding in very easily with the weight gone. With all the wet paint on the coach, sweeping up will be done on Saturday.

It was a good end to the day, which by now had turned somewhat cloudy. There was even a bit of rain on my windscreen as I drove away. No planet spotting tonight!

Wednesday 5th - Inside work

 Once again a very small number in attendance, however it enabled indoor work due to the barn through road being vacant. With a list of jobs on the white board, we ganged up on the Open C wagon.

First job was to weld the diagonal braces into position, after grinding Tuesdays paint off ...... sorry guys.

...... Then to undo the draw hook retaining nuts, The south one came undone with a hefty blow of a sledgehammer on purpose made spanner ...... unfortunately shown here the north end was having non of it. It did start to move after receiving a great amount of heat, and a block and tackle attached to the spanner. Ken has soaked it in penetrating fluid and will attack it again on Saturday.

Bob is here marking out for cutting and welding, all four corners are now complete ......

John followed us round with the paintbrush.

That big nut by Ken's left hand unscrewed easily!

Meanwhile Rod is helping with window fixing .....

Bob is invasion ready ..... not really he was cleaning out some rather dusty seats.

just 2 in upholstery today, Eve and Chris are continuing with 4798 seats ..... still waiting for the DFR next batch to be delivered.

Then it was lunch time .......

..... back to it for Gerry and Rex rapidly getting towards the end of window fitting in 4798.

Ainsley and Trevor working on 4798 north end doors.

Nice to see Dave on a Wednesday, putting touches to windows on 1675.

Back to bench for Ainsley, looks like the door capping being cut to length.

One final shot of the Open C ...... looking better by the minute.

Many thanks to Gerry and Eve for the pics.

Tuesday 4th - Glorious weather

 A quiet day with 12 of us attending. No mid-week service trains until April, but next week it's Gold Cup week and all three rakes will be passing with the Race Specials.

Another glorious spring day, with the Barn roller shutters fully up to let the warmth in!  For some lunch would be back outside again.

Robert and Chris assessing the next stage in the reflooring of the Open C wagon.

The first two planks temporarily fitted. The undersides have rebates to allow for the diagonal braces. The space around them is to allow for the side and end planks.

Two more planks are wheeled through to the Barn.

Maurice and Paul were busy top coating all round in GW Grey.

Looking like a large garage sale, the stripped out contents of TSO 4867 (ex-Quainton Road), the next major restoration.

One of our storage BGs was being reorganised by Kevin and Dave to make room for the contents of 4867. Having taken the photo I then joined them. The little 4-wheel trollies were borrowed from Upholstery to help shift the heavy seats, though the little devils have a will of their own and frequently go off in different directions!

Derek once again making the most of the fine weather with some more replanking on the Monster van. When this is completed, the next project will be the Elephant Van.

For RBr 1675 it was a day of tidying up loose ends. Richard concentrated on the doors and doorframe sides, and sections of gutter that had been left out due to other previous work on the coach. Keith completed the painting in Black MIO of all the underframe parts that had previously been cleaned.

Keith removed the battery box covers and overpainted them with the MIO.

The end of the day with the Open C wagon looking good in its overall coat of GW Grey. The areas where further welding needs to be done have been left clear.

The Malvern side of 1675 with just some of the windows left to complete the first top coat.

On Sunday the weather was equally fine and the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal at Saul looked like a mill pond. With one of the nearby road bridges out of action, the only passing boats seen all day were from the Wycliffe College rowing centre. 

Sadly it looks like this glorious spell of weather is gradually drifting away. Thankfully the clear skies have made the planet alignment spotting a real joy.