Saturday 28th - Back to full strength

That's better! With 25 attending the Works was very busy again and good to see after the recent lengthy quiet spell.

With the Open C wagon nearing completion, it was time to check the remaining three buffers, the initial one removed having been found with a broken spring. The next one removed turned out to be fine.

Maurice begins chipping away the underlying rust.

This one needed a little heat to loosen the nuts but on removal it was also found to be fine. Thankfully the remaining one was also good.

Alex begins cleaning away the fine rust.

Paul followed Maurice to complete the cleaning up using a grinder.

All the rusted surfaces were given a coat of green primer.

The primed bolts for the door buffer plates were top coated.

Alex meanwhile prepares the templates for the wagon number and weight.

The French chalk outline of the wagon weight on the Cotswold side ready for painting.

And finally, the Cotswold side with the signage in place.

A busy Upholstery shop. Peter is making one of the popular spectacle cases.

The two sides. The tops will be folded back with the spring opener inserted.

Jane and Laura are making more headrest covers for the current Forest of Dean Railway contract.

Alan and Andy - welders in discussion.

Andy continues his rebuild of the Malvern side south end corner on SO 4798. When chatting to him I discovered that his recent guidance from James was actually a refresher as he had done welding in the past. No wonder he was doing such a good job.

Grinding down the latest weld.

On the Cotswold side at the south end Ken was reaming out the bolt holes of the corridor connection to ensure adequate clearance.

Inside the Cotswold side toilet compartment Simon is preparing to rebuild the internal window frame. I must find out was decorative scheme will be required for the toilet compartments, especially as we are upgrading 4798 to a pseudo first class - will it be varnish or Executive Light Grey paint?

In the saloon Phil is beginning to reinstate the side lights, initially reattaching the varnished wooden bases, one of which seems to have gone missing.

Now into the Barn where Alan is back on the patch rebuilding of the south end panelling on RMB 1876.

The Malvern side with the cutout sections cleaned up.

Vic makes the final adjustments to the pieces made by John last week.

Returning later to find Alan now fully welding the Cotswold side patches.

Two photos taken at the end of the day with the Cotswold side completed and Malvern side spot welded. Excellent progress!

Underneath RBr 1675 a pile of insulation ready for fitting.

In the region of the south end bogie, the main steam heating pipework now fully lagged.

A little further along and below the lagged steam heating pipe, the corrugated plastic pipe holding electric cabling.

Dave discusses an issue with his coach BCK 21092 with John.

John fitting another length of insulation.

Clive inspects the bogies to ensure all the split pins are in place and secure.

Jenny has done a brilliant job cleaning the kitchen and pantry ready for the installation of the cooking and related equipment, and has now moved into the servery. Those shelves are very dusty - (rhetorical question) where does it all come from?!

On my way out to Rake 3 to find Paul and Dennis, a quick shot of Stu and Vic under what will be the weed spraying wagon. I later found out that the brake mechanism is now being reinstated.

The whistles of both P & O on the Cheltenham train and Foremarke Hall on the Toddington train sound almost together as each sets off. I poise ready to acknowledge with a wave when Foremarke whistles to warn me as the train approaches.

I climbed up into BCK 21092 to find that the cleaning has been completed and they are taking a break before returning to the Works.

The next stop was across the yard to TSO 4867 where Dave is cleaning up the bare metal frame underneath the windows.

In the Woodshop Robert and Chris are using their recently made jig to prepare a new windowframe base for 4867.

In the Workshop Kevin is sorting out taps and dies.

So where are we with TSO 5023, now the Painting and Prep team's top priority? Richard sands the secondary filling on the north half of the Cotswold side.

Bob completed the greying up of the window frames on the south half.

Returning later to find Richard now greying up the bottom section ..........

........ and then moving on to the corner.

On the Malvern side George added secondary filler to the rivet line and then concentrated on digging out an area where the existing surface was found to be unsound.

The 1100 tea bell has chimed and I join the queue for the changing room sink.

It's good to see an almost full Mess Room again. Even then not everyone attending today was there.