Tuesday 3rd - Catching up

With 13 attending, what a good day we had all round with a number of outstanding jobs either being cleared up or further progressed.

With much of the rebuild of the toilet compartments in RMB 1876 now completed, and today having full access, Stu got the first coat of varnish on the veneer panelling in both. It was quite a transformation. He also got one of the ceilings primed.

Robert concentrated on the narrow veneer panels beside the door frames at the same end of the coach.

Some of the ceiling beading in the south vestibule needed a bit of paintable sealant which Richard duly applied. This will be top coated on Thursday.

Russ was in his Railway Catering Services role and in the process of descaling the water urn.

There are still minor bits of painting required. In this case the side of the doorway into the servery counter area.

Two of 1876's bogie sides have already been cleaned up and painted in Black MIO. 

With main bodyside painting and varnishing completed we could now do the remaining two sides of the bogies. David begins cleaning up the Cotswold side of the  north end bogie using a stiff wire brush and scraper. With the grime being dry and not greasy we are able to make a reasonable job. Bogies that are too dirty and greasy wouldn't be considered for painting.

It was good to see Ian back with us. Ian tackled the other underframe parts on the Cotswold side. Again cleaning up was done on the face of each only, wiped over with white spirit and then painted with Black MIO.

Roger got going on the Malvern side of the south bogie.

With a lot of the grime removed David gives it all a quick vac to removed all the loosened dirt and then wiped it all over with white spirit.

Now much later, half the bogie has been painted and looks very much better.

Roger has almost completed his painting.

Later still I undercoated in white the axlebox covers on the Cotswold side. These will be top coated in yellow.

Richard attached 1876's data plates at both ends and then gave them both a fresh coat of gloss black. Previously he had done some more cleaning and varnishing on the toilet doors for SO 4798.

Stu flashes over the ceiling panels from 4798's south vestibule with a fresh coat of Gloss White.

Dave does some more sanding of the areas of filler in Zone 1 on the Cotswold side of 4798. Hopefully the team will tackle and complete the chalked zones (gutter to bottom) in turn and enable us to know exactly how we are progressing.

Lots more banging at the south end of the Mink D van by Paul and Maurice as the top section is being rebuilt.

The ventilation grills are going back in.

At the end of the day the south end looks complete. The top planks will need top coating.

Two of the large footboards now undercoated.

**************

Robert brought in a length of track and some more locos and trucks.

This was a real treat as one the two locos was a tiny Andrew Barclay fireless engine with full (and real) sound effects.

The other loco was a Holden class J67 or Buckjumper as they were called, also complete with real sounds. We loved the glowing flickering fire seen with the cab roof removed.

Sorry about the blurring. I should have checked the photo and taken another.