Tuesday 20th - Moving up a gear


Today was Stu's formal return to work and what a delight to have him back after over a year away.

Stu was straight into several urgent jobs on the trestles. The two halves of the primed battery box cover were given a coat of dark grey undercoat (not sure which coach needs this). The other "urgent" job was undercoating the new wider base for our  new Mess Room boiler - very important! 

[Photo : Paul E]   Old times again when Stu occasionally helped the Wagons team.

[Photo : Paul E]   A pensive Maurice beginning the long job of priming the many door catches and other components from the Mink D van.

[Photo : Paul E]

Later on it's back to planks.

[Photo: Paul E]  More top coated planks are being mounted.


With more varnishing needed in RMB 1876 it was time to remove all the seat protection as the covers would impede what we still needed to do. We would just have to be very careful.

All loose items were removed from the two compartments. Richard then vacuumed through both.


Stu then went through the whole coach varnishing the seat side panels and table legs, and Stu being Stu, he certainly didn't hang about! The fresh coat of varnish made a huge difference.


Richard carried on with interior door varnishing and cleaning. 


Now looking so much better, these are now ready for remounting.


Taken at the end of the day, the repainted ceiling and  new varnish nicely reflecting the coach lighting. The general colour tones in here blend in very well.



Now into SO 4798. Phil continued reinstating the heating pipe covers. 

It was then that we learned that preparations for the carpet laying are planned to begin the next day! I thought we had another week before this was going to happen.

One of the supports for the heating pipe covers is missing and as such the central under-window panel had to be removed.


Robert and Chris have done just that and installed a replacement support.



The central panel was reinstated and Phil was able to mount the cover. The panel was revarnished.


Pam returned to the Malvern side toilet compartment to resume the varnishing she had started quite some time ago. All that remained was to add a third coat to two of the walls.


Having had the unwelcome revelation about the carpeting starting earlier than expected, we moved up a gear. The walls in the two north compartments, some of the windows, and all the seat side panels needed a fresh coat of varnish.


While Richard and Pam concentrated on getting the remaining varnishing done on the walls and where needed the window frames, Stu took on the varnishing of the seat side panels.


Thankfully it was all done. Two other jobs remain but certainly one of them will be out once the new carpet is in place.


The large south compartment (above) and two small compartments (below) at the end of the day.


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