Saturday 28th - We are almost there

Today was it as regards getting everything ready for the new season and very importantly Rakes 2 and 3 ready for Race Week. It was touch and go with respect to getting a signalman, but John M, who is Head of our Monday Cleaning Team, is also a signalman and very kindly stepped in to help us. As luck would have it he was at Winchcombe anyway as also being a member of RCS he had intended going to their annual meeting in the Tim Mitchell Building, so thankfully it all worked out very well. Thank you John!

Many thanks to Paul W. and Alex for the extra photos.

It was good to see Graham back in, one of our two professional loco and coach painters who have joined us as volunteers. Graham's approach to resolving the uneveness on the sides of SO 4798 was to apply large swathes of filler vertically.

All sanding was done by hand. Earlier in the week I had thought correctly that pad sanding these large swathes would remove too much of the filler. 

The end result appeared to be just what we wanted. It will be interesting to see how it all looks now when further grey undercoat is applied.

On the Malvern side of 4798 Ainsley was cleaning up the south doorway ready for greying up. The coach body in the foreground looks nicely undercoated and ready for more filler.

With still plenty of activity in the north end of RMB 1876 prior to it being shunted out today, Bob transferred to 4798's north vestibule to prepare the ceiling for top coating.

With the edge taped up he began painting and soon got the job completed.

Another milestone for 4798, the reupholstered seating could now start going back in. Tom pauses for the camera with two more seat backs.

Getting the various parts reinstated can be quite a battle as Andy and Tom were finding out. Dave H was also assisting with this job. 

The snapdragon moquette looks really nice. The seating has been stored for quite a while in the Upholstery workshop so it's good to see it finally coming out.

Being very tall has its moments! :-)

And of course someone is bound to follow suit! :-)

Yes there are curtains going into 4798. Jane is busy ironing some of the recently made ones.

Thank goodness Peter is so good with the sewing machine servicing and fixes. He seems to have to do a lot of this.

The luggage compartment door with the new skin now mounted on BSK 35308.

The Mink D van really is a big beast.  You could probably fit a skittle alley inside.

Paul and Maurice were securing one of the ventilators at the south end of the van.

Two of the very large footboards now top coated.

Maurice producing cut-outs at both ends of this plank to allow it to be fitted.

[Photo : Paul W]  Some urgent upholstery repairs being done by Peter and Jenny in SK 25488 in Rake 2.

[Phito : Paul W]

[Photo : Paul W.]  It's nice to see Jenny back doing her old job, even if it's just repairs in the Rakes.

Jenny had previously been busy giving yet another clean inside RMB 1876.

Robert reinstating more items in the rebuilt toilet compartments in 1876.

Jenny giving both compartments another vac, while below Paul is ensuring the sinks are nice and clean.

With 1876's north vestibule and toilets now clear, Bob begins the remaining bits of painting and varnishing. Not everything could be completed, so hopefully we will be able to do this on Tuesday.

There were also various bits under the sole bar that needed brushing with Black MIO, and even part of the north end headstock, all of which I took care of earlier on in the day.

Now on to the main job of the day - getting RMB 1876 into Rake 2 to replace RMB 1808, and getting Rake 3 properly set up with 1808 incorporated.

Moving FK 13326

TSO 4763, with its replacement bogies, being attended to by Andy and Alex.

SK 24804 destined to rejoin Rake 3.

Time now to extract everything from the Works through road, beginning with the weed spraying van. Next were 35308, 4798 and the Mink D in a linked group.

While waiting for the 03 to collect 1876, Alex has a rest. Shunting is tiring work as I know from doing it myself in my early days in C & W.

At last it's the turn of 1876.

[Photo : Alex]  It's always the reward after months of hard work. 1876 positively glows in the sunlight and very much highlights the fact that crimson & cream totally dominates the scene.

[Photo : Alex]  4798 in its temporary grey livery.

[Photo : Alex]  The Mink D giving an early impression of what it will look like when completed.

4798 has now been shunted into the Paintshop.

Alex guides the Mink D and 35308 through the Barn and into the Workshop.

Getting Rake 2 finally together with 1876 leading the front half as it is propelled towards the rear half.

Finally the GW Inspection Saloon is brought into the Barn.

No free for all with this coach. Absolutely nothing is to be done until expressedly advised by Stu T.

Graham is back to work on 4798.

To finish off the day, Rake 3 comes past the Works with CK 16221 and six crimson & cream liveried coaches. We are almost there with our aim to recreate a full crimson & cream rake.