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!