Well that was a good four days. We had generally dry and sunny weather on Friday, some drizzle for a while on Saturday, and cloudy skies on Sunday, but that didn't spoil the overall event.
There were good numbers on the trains, and although I haven't captured as much activity as usual at the station when the trains arrived, there was a general swarming off the trains to get photos of the locos and keeping our crossing monitors very busy. This was certainly the case on Friday and Saturday, but it was noticeably quiet on Sunday, with other events taking place as well as football on the tele.
All the photos are in the order taken, so a mix of both work and the gala exactly as the four days unfolded.
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Thursday
Just a few photos with Gala preparation taking up a lot of the day. It's great having Keith on board now with the setting up, not only because there are now two of us to halve the effort involved, but also because it doesn't rely on just me knowing how everything is put in place.
Many thanks to Paul W for the three extra ones.
We made more good progress with TSO 5023, with Bob undercoating the bottom section on the Cotswold side.
Maurice worked on the south end, initially completing the preparation and then continuing the black glossing.
Martin undercoated the door and corner at the south end and in effect this completed the Malvern side
[Photo : Paul] Bob now well on the way to completing the bottom section on the Cotswold side.
The black glossing is also proceeding well.
[Photo : Paul] Phil on board RMB 1876 where we are removing the flourescent lights and bringing back the earlier circular lighting.
[Photo : Paul] The SR Queen Mary brakevan has been brought down from Toddington ready for the Gala rides. The Indoor Gang were fixing bolts to one of the doors to replace the screws that had come loose.
Well done Bob, nearly finished!
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Friday - Gala Day 1
And what better to start the first day of the Gala than with the 03 and the Queen Mary passing on the first run with passengers.
Class 47 47105 passes with the 4th (I think) Rake.
Alan with the "Full House" bap - bacon, sausage, burger, cheese, and onions. Nothing like one of the excellent griddle baps to keep you on top form for the day.
"Where's Pam with my biscuits?!" We often see the same visitors at the various galas, and it was nice to see this couple again with their friendly little dog. Happily he did have his biscuits treat as they returned next day when Pam was in.
D6700 the first of our visiting locos with Rake 2. English Electric Class 3 D6700 (later Class 37 37350 in the TOPS renumbering) was built at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows in 1960.
I, like many of our older members who remember when the diesels first came in, usually prefer the original green livery, hence D6948 is our favourite in our home fleet.
And talking of green diesels, here again is D2182 moving out to the main line ready to pick up another group of passengers waiting on Platform 1.
It's a shame the Cotswold side of the loco has faded so badly despite having had two coats of varnish when it was last repainted. Unfortunately Alex didn't have time to replace the crumbling number transfer.
How the 03 looked immediately after our last repaint when it even received a copper capped chimney, a fun addition as it was built at Swindon and based at Horton Road shed (85B), Gloucester.
A family playing with the special light display set up by our electricians Richards I and II.
The display demonstrates the amazing difference between LED and tungsten bulbs. The LEDs shine brightly on low power, while the tungsten are nigh on useless and require much greater power to be of any value.
The day had by now turned out to be quite hot and was eventually over 25C at Winchcombe. D6948 passes on the Cheltenham train.
Our second visitor English Electric Type 4 D421, which became Class 50 50021 "Rodney" under the TOPS renumbering in 1973, passes with the Broadway train.
The taped barrier through the Barn, with RBr 1675 on the left and RMB 1876 on the right, and in the photo below the Workshop, with SO 4798. The floors in both access paths were thoroughly vacuumed.
It really was a glorious day.
The Class 50 and Class 47 double-header goes by with Rake 2.
The other end of the Workshop with the barrier tapes in place.
Paintshop visitors looking at the displays on the wall during one of the quieter periods. Friday was generally busy with a steady flow of visitors.
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Saturday - Gala Day 2
Another busy day with, as expected would probably be the case, even more visitors.
The Works set up has now been changed to limit visitor access to Upholstery and the Paintshop only. Our visitors can view the Workshop and Barn from behind barriers but not enter either while we are working.
Painting can continue in a limited way in the Paintshop. As such Jeff completed the undercoating on the two remaining windows on 5023.
As previously mentioned we are returning the ceiling lighting in RMB 1876 to its original form. Phil has asked John to make a new fitting.
At the north end of 1876 Alan and Vic continue the metalwork repairs. While Alan cleans up the cut edges of the sheet metal, Vic chisels off the rusting scale to give a clean surface.
Nobody present yet in the Viewing Area, but that will soon change, especially as the bit of drizzle has now passed. The crew for the brake van rides are getting ready for the day's running.
The changeover from the tubular to the old circular style lighting in progress in 1876. I couldn't find Phil, but later discovered he had been hidden in the vestibule working on the electrical connections.
Into the Woodshop which our visitors can view from behind a chain barrier. Chris finishes off another side piece of internal window framing for TSO 4867.
Robert is working on another window frame base section.
Simon is busy repairing a chair - a private job? I later saw him taking it up to Upholstery.
A well patronised brake van ride which will soon be off towards the tunnel. The ride returns on the Platform 2 side, on through the station and beyond almost to Chicken Curve, and then finally returns to Platform 1.
Father and son, who were very interested in our work, viewing the Workshop activities from behind the barrier.
Laura, Peter and Eve busy in the Upholstery shop. Visitors can view activities from behind a chain barrier and of course look at the displays surrounding the access area.
Eve explains our sales of cushions, bags and glasses cases to an interested visitor.
Upholstery is very popular as can be imagined, and frequently a surprise to our visitors, especially with respect to the size of the shop, and the amazing amount and excellent quality of the work. This is particularly noticeable during formal tours when the interest is so high that it can be quite a job getting the group out and around the rest of the Works!
Andy wasn't in today as he will probably be second man on one of the diesels, but James carried on with the sheet metal repairs at the south end of SO 4798.
On the Malvern side George continued his major efforts with the general filling and sanding down of the body side. It's good that we can maintain the momentum on this very lengthy Painting and Prep Team project with all the higher priority work needed on 5023 and 1876, and when we can get back to it, the Discovery Coach.
At the south end of 1876 Ken measures the correct positions for refitting the heavy corridor connection.
New sections of base plate for welding at the north end of 1876.
The cleaned up section that Vic had been working on, now ready for its section of new base plate.
The weed spraying wagon temporarily relocated to the siding during the Gala. This not only frees up the Barn entrance for the Viewing Area, but also provides a handy anchor point for the barrier chain "gate" to the yard, as well as the extra chain needed to block off the open area to the sidings.
D6948 passes by, but only C&W and the Brakevan Ride staff are present.
Back to the Paintshop where Bob begins top coating the Malvern side of 5023.
In 1876 this is where Phil was '"hiding" when I went to capture him working. New wiring for the south end electrical connectors.
James chats to Roger, our blogger for the Monday Cleaning Team.
A lovely couple from Essex who were very interested in what we do. They spent a long time in Upholstery, then talking to Jeff about our painting, and finally to Nick and I about all aspects of C & W. They have already been to several of our galas and would love to move to the Cotswolds. Please do guys, you would be very welcome to join us.
Ah ha, another template in the making. Alex carefully spreads French chalk to the back of this one. If I remember correctly it is for the two ends of RBr 1675.
Pam ensuring that our four-legged visitors will be very happy.
Nick and Pam watch our visiting Class 50 passing on another Cheltenham train, and then the Class 20s doubleheading the Broadway train.
Pam chats to the owner of two happy dogs, who no doubt have enjoyed their treats.
Keeping Eve busy, three more visitors to Upholstery. It can get quite crowded up there when we get gluts of visitors arriving.
The day's activities are now winding down as Pam watches the paired Class 37's on one of the final trains.
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Sunday - Gala Day 3
A complete contrast to Friday and Saturday, a good subtitle would have been "Where's everybody gone?!". I later heard that there were a number of events taking place that could have affected the attendance, including football on the tele.
D6948 passes on an early train while I finish resetting the Works to allow through visits again.
Eve and Nick fit the smaller of our two main signs to the yard gate, the two sandwich boards have been set up on the platforms, and we are now open for the day. The giant banner on the side of the old Workshop remains there for the duration of the Gala.
Alex is in during the morning and then TTI on Rake 4 in the afternoon. Time to get the numbers on the ends of the Open C wagon.
With the French chalked template firmly in place, Alex runs over the outlines of the numbers with a pencil.
The resulting chalk outline is complete and the numbers can now be carefully painted.
The south end completed, now to do the north end.
Maurice and the Brakevan team watch the Class 45 go by. I would love to see this in the plain green that was their livery when I watched them come through Cheltenham in the early 60s, and when they were simply called Peaks.
On the Broadway train D6700 looks really good.
I love the learner plates now mounted on the back of the 03.
Nice to see this model railway back again, especially with the diesel hauled freights. Roll on when we have sufficient BR wagons restored and we can perhaps have a diesel hauled freight running in Galas.
A shout from the train and there is Roger from our Indoor Gang enjoying a day out. His daughter Briony is guard on Alex's train.
Maurice had biked to Racecourse Station and then boarded a train to come in for the day. Time to catch the train home. "Rodney" arrives with Briony and Alex's train, so he is in good hands in the disabled compartment in BCK 21092.
Having seen Maurice on board, Pam chats to one our catering team at the griddle tent. The various baps on sale here really are good. Remaining ones were now being sold at half price. I was tempted, but having enjoyed three during the day, I felt I had had enough!
Another lucky four-legged friend enjoying a treat from Pam.
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Well, that's it - another Gala comes to an end.
Two down, and two to go with the Railway 200 celebrations at the end of September and the popular Autumn Spectacular at the end of October.
