Saturday 8th - A glorious day

We had a large attendance with the day's count of 27 and it was a lovely day too!

The roadrailer is now down the yard, leaving the intended goods platform scene once more on display for our travelling public, with that lovely tree to complete it. Wonder if that blue box will disappear too?!

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First a brief catchup from Phil J. about the painting being done on RMB 1876 during Thursday 6th: -

• Ainsley and myself working on opposite sides to finish the roof, which is largely now second coated with light grey M.I.O.
• Jeff and Russ were top-coating window frames
• Bob was progressing the lower Malvern side in red undercoat

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On now to Saturday's activities.

More moving around with a shunt.

And while the Workshop and Barn through road are empty, time for a sweep up.

The object of the shunt was to get the Mica D van relocated to the crossover area between the Paintshop and Workshop. The van is slowly moved into the Workshop. 

SO 4798 and BSK 35308 were put back into their old positions, with the Weed Spraying wagon now located just inside the Barn entrance.

John continues the very lengthy job of creating small, medium and large pins for the Open C wagon, which is now part of the freight train. .......

......... and then painting the heads in GW Grey.

Alan plasma cuts measured lengths of sheet steel for replacing badly corroded panelling at the south end of BSK 35308.

Some adjustments required before offering up the long steel section to the coach.

With the original piece now tack welded in place,

Alan checks the replacement corner section is correct.

Later in the day I photographed the completed job, very neatly done.

This was the famous corner that had the huge lump of filler, which was needed because of a deep dent. I must check to see if Alan has cut out and replaced that too. It might still be there!

The note says it all ! It was quite a few years ago now, with the repair being done on a warmish day when the two main rakes were based at Winchcombe during the Winter Shutdown period. I started the job early, almost as soon as I got to the Works. The recess was initially sanded and coated in oxide, then filled and sanded, undercoated, and finally top coated and very carefully lined out. It was done in stages throughout the course of the day, with the unseasonable warmth enabling everything to go off quickly. Happy days! 

Another door removed from 35308, with Phil assisting Andy and James

James and Andy appear to be test fitting one of the door skins on 35308 that we obtained a long time ago.

Almost all jobs are essential, even Phil repairing a broom.

In Upholstery it was just Laura and Peter stripping down another of the DMU seat cushions.

Enjoying the lovely day, Jenny and Paul are cleaning the Malvern side of TSO 4986.

While I was there Jenny was very good, though it must have been terribly tempting to flick the wrist just a little to the right.

[Photo : Paul W.]  Earlier on it was the turn of BCK 21272.

[Photo : Paul W.]  The south end of the rake looks good after all the attention.

Having the Mica D's old planking being stripped and the frame cleaned up next to RMB 1876's repaint is not really ideal. However Paul and Maurice have said that they will try and keep the dust down as far as possible. It will only become really crucial when 1876 is undergoing second top coating, lining out and varnishing. 

Maurice and Paul cleaning up the stripped metal frame ........

[Photo : Paul E.] ....... and then coating it in red oxide.

[Photo : Paul E.]

[Photo : Paul E.]  Near the new WSMD garden Maurice gets riđ of the old planking.

While passing the weed spraying wagon, a look at one of the sets of newly made removable frames.

George continues with the filling and general sanding on the Cotswold side of SO 4798.

A nice surprise was to hear a steady beat approaching and on rushing outside see 3850 drift by to collect Rake 2 and return it to Toddington.

That tree and the little goods train from a different angle and the lovely view towards the escarpment.  We could do with a few more days like this, but rain seems to be on the menu quite a lot over the next week or so.

Now on to work on RMB 1876 which at times had almost too many of us competing for space. Robert and Chris were trying to sort out the replacement base of the doorliner at the south end.

Inside the Malvern side toilet compartent Andy was cleaning up much of the rusted metal frame. The base of the window didn't look too clever either.

With no floor Andy was standing on the bogie frame.

Alex flatted the undercoat on the main lower Malvern side panels.

Ainsley undercoated the centre panel at the north end. I meanwhile was trying to sort out the door problem but let Ainsley have priority to be able to add some extra filler where needed.

Simon continued the replacement of the floor inside the north end, here adding Creosolve to some of the wood fittings in the connection corridor before fitting them.

The mystery person that Gerry photographed in the toilet compartment on Wednesday was Simon, not Jim from S & T as I thought.

On the Cotswold side Bob top coated the centre section at the south end, having completed the gutter and top panel.

Pam meanwhile was top coating the gutter and top panel at the north end.

Ainsley moved round to add more filler to the north end on both sides of the connection ......

...... as I needed to give Alex priority to top coat the lower panels that he had earlier flatted.

Later a shot of Simon sorting out part of the Cotswold side toilet compartment wall.

Pam was doing a great job on her section having not done any coach top coating for quite a while.

Ken completed the fitting of a new rain cover over the south end connection.

The door problem at the north end where I was working. Robert has fitted a new section of beading, correctly sized and positioned, yet the door refuses to close completely. The grey tinge of undercoat on the beading shows were the door is rubbing.

The new box for RBr 1675's kitchen to hold an instruction manual and essential tool kit. The box will be located in the cleaning cupboard below the electrical panel. Pan completes the light grey undercoating as far as possible. 

The first of the heater covers from SO 4798 has been de-rusted as far as possible and is now having a coat of silver hammerite.

Jenny and Pam watch 3850 leave with Rake 2 for Toddington.

Much later Rose and Tony watch the well filled train head for Cheltenham to the big fireworks display at the Race Course.

All the train tickets were sold.