Tuesday 28th - Back to normal

With the gala now over it was time to dismantle and put everything back to the usual storage locations. Many thanks again to Keith for helping with the setting up and taking down again, and to Nick, Eve, Pam, Roger and Keith for helping to look after the Works and talk to our visitors over the two days we were open. So that's it for this year. The next opening will be the Cotswold Festival of Steam at the end of May next year.

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Now on to today's activities.

The day started well. The moderate breeze hadn't gone away but thankfully the chill had.

Richard did a brilliant job throughout the day by getting almost all the line tape on RMB 1876, leaving just the few areas around two doors that still needed some work on the frames.

David completed the windowframe undercoating on the Malvern side and then moved round to the other side to continue this particular job. 

Pam concentrated on the south end, continuing the filling and sanding that Tony had started on Saturday.

Richard completing all the top line taping, leaving just the doorframe.

The Malvern and Cotswold sides with the lining tape almost complete. We can now get going on the main livery undercoating.

Out to the Barn where Alex, Paul and Maurice are working on the Mink D van. All the lamp brackets are being removed, Alex working on the first one.

Alex later sorted out planking remaining from former wagon rebuilds.

Paul joins Alex in the removal of another lamp bracket.

Maurice begins the removal of the heavy iron roof end .........

......... which was cleaned up and the internal side coated in red oxide.

The Cotswold side of the van at the end of the day.

Phil sorts out the wood supports for the heater covers from SO 4798.

Both newly made and old supports being hand sanded outside.

More supports being pad sanded to remove the old varnish. The square blocks I couldn't identify in a recent post are actually supports for the overflow pipes from toilet tanks.

Numerous items being varnished and painted by Keith.

Later in the day with the weather now much brighter.

Rose hiding behind a large bunch of honesty ....

[Photo : Rose]  ...... some of which she later made into a lovely wreath.

Betton Grange drifts into Platform 2 .....

........ and waits for P & O to arrive with the Cheltenham train and the token exchange.

The attraction of both Betton Grange and P & O, especially with the final days of the latter before she disappears, has brought the gang out.

Betton Grange heads back to Toddington.

Quite a number of us enjoying a final cup of tea before heading home.