Saturday 7th - What weren't we doing?!

The title just about sums up the day with the variety of activities undertaken and, what with the Youth Group in as well, the number signing-in for the day took up an entire page. I wasn't able to capture everything, such as some ballast repacking on the Toad brakevan being done by Mark (from the Loco Dept) and Ed, with assistance from Stu, and a bit of shunting. It was also the first day of running for the 2026/27 season, but it was much later in the day before I was able to photograph the trains.

Grateful thanks to Robert and Paul for the extra photos.

To start off, as promised two photos of the almost completed weed spraying wagon with its yellow and grey livery.

Alex showing the wagon to one on the Youth Group.

When leaving RMB 1876 on Thursday I noticed that we had missed repainting the heating grill under the bench seat. With Rake 2 still in the yard we had the chance to put this right.  Bob came to the rescue and put on a fresh coat of Silver Hammerite.

That's better! Rake 2 should be back at Toddington by the time we are next in.

[Photo : Robert]  Back to the buffer extender saddles, John has a change from his usual area in the Workshop and uses the Woodwork shop lathe to turn the five pieces of wood ready for the next step.

[Photo : Robert]

Beautifully turned, the blocks are now ready for cutting vertically in half and then finally part-drilled for fitting.

Also busy in the Woodwork shop was Jim, who normally comes in on Wednesdays. Jim started his time in C & W in the Painting team and then later transferred to Signal & Telegraph, and was with them for a number of years before returning to the Works and joining our Woodwork team. He is finishing off some very sturdy stands that are going to be used for holding wheelsets.

The stands were transferred to the Paintshop and given a coat of Creosolve.

On to his next job, making plaques for staff names.

Also woodworking is Robert working on the back panelling on the Malvern side south door on SO 4798.

The chequerplate at the north end of 4798 had been set too high and needed to be lowered. Robert trims down the wood base to the correct level.

The metal U section will also need to be slightly extended.

At the south end one of the tank filler pipes needs to come off as there is an issue with the top part. Andy frees up the top connection.

John now cleans up the removed pipe. This had already been done in situ as far as possible by Ainsley, but now with complete access a more thorough job could be done.

The job completed with a coat of red oxide.

Continuing with 4798, Richard does some secondary filling on the Cotswold side, in particular alongside some of the windows.

Bob arrives and joins in, again concentrating mainly alongside the windows.

Sanding completed, time to add extra Light Grey undercoat. The two end sections on this side still need some extra filling, but we should soon be able to flat this side ready for adding the line tapes and livery undercoating. 4798 will remain in Chocolate & Cream.

There was an amazing hive of activity today in Upholstery. Getting the reupholstered seats back in position in the seat bays can be quite a tough job and all the heaving and pushing showed that to avoid wrinkling the moquette, it would need tightening.

So with help from the two Andys and Dave H. who were gradually returning all the seat backs, Laura, Carol, Jane and Peter, the four members of the team in today, plus Ian and Clive, got cracking.

The staples securing the moquette were removed .....

....... and then, using the special tongs and a lot of strength, the moquette was pulled up really tight and then quickly restapled.

I think the job involved just the double seats, but I could be wrong.

The south end of the coach. Again I'm not sure whether these are waiting to be adjusted, or have already been fixed. Hopefully it will be the latter.

The Youth Group with Alex and Richard in charge were back in. Two members were involved with further top coating on the Mink D van.

The remaining members with Alex were polishing the Inspection Saloon with some excellent results. Preparation of the saloon for use this year will be limited to cleaning and polishing, clearing up the interior, and all the necessary mechanical maintenance and safety checks. The current plan is to do a full repaint with lining out next year.

With so many C& W staff in today, the Youth Group have their lunch break earlier.

Completed sleeves for vacuum cylinders on the metalwork bench. The material was sewn in Upholstery.

Kevin sorts through some donated tool boxes. Although we have stacks of tools and a large variety, donations are always welcome and very much appreciated. It's surprising what goodies sometimes turn up.

[Photo : Paul]  Andy contemplates his donut. Now will she allow me to eat it? :-)

Hopefully it was consumed and enjoyed, and they are now happily washing up.

Alan repairing another door from BSK 35308.

Ken is setting up the new hardwood supports for the south corridor connection on 35308. These will be trial fitted and then removed for priming and painting.

Maurice chisels out a rebate to enable this plank to fit on the north end of the Mink D van.

The north end is now looking complete, but the new planks will have to be removed for priming and full painting. Maurice drills through one of the painted planks ready for the nut and bolt.

I forgot about the afternoon double header. 3850 was the train engine today, with 2807 having a run in after the winter break. However it was good to capture them even if running backwards. Two black 2-8-0s make a very pleasing sight.

It's a treat to see the Bubblecar out at last and looking really smart. Must get a ride on it, even if just to Broadway and back.