Saturday 11th - Vintage

Events are certainly piling up this year. Having got Easter done and dusted, it is now the Vintage Weekend with all sorts of things going on. That didn't stop our Works being busy with 21 attending.

With another packed mess room, it was just as well we had all this lot to enjoy throughout the day! This included more yummy cakes made by Rose.

Starting off with more progress on the preparation of BSK 35308 for its eventual move to the Diesel shed for a repaint into blue and grey. Andy finishes off the current door under repair with some anglegrinding over the new central section.

And the next! Looks like my timing was spot on as Andy and James were manipulating the next door for repair and I was able to assist.

A quick move to the Cotswold side of 35308 as the door is slid out.

James makes a face through the droplight which roughly translated would probably say, "Never mind taking photos, how about lending a hand!".

Which of course I promptly did.

Later on Alan has assisted James with the careful folding of the two shaped sections to replace the corrosion at the base of the droplight frame.

Moving on to SO 4798 where Alan is sorting out the missing section of gutter at the south end of the Malvern side.

Holes are drilled through the new bit of gutter and in the replacement section of roof.

The new piece has been welded to the existing gutter and Alan now grinds the welds flat. The job will be completed with some sealant along both the top and underneath the new piece. We can now get the line and demarcation tapes on this part of the coach, and the painting in this area can then catch up with the rest of the coach.

Ainsley resumes the first top coat of Light Grey MIO along the Malvern side of the roof.

On the Cotswold side Bob has started the first top coat of GW Brown along the gutter section.

I meanwhile was further along the coach keying the undercoat. The final central section is still not in Cream undercoat so top coating had to end just prior to this part.

With his roof painting completed Ainsley moved on to window undercoating. We will be aiming to get the roof painting completed as soon as possible.

With the gutter panel painting completed as far as possible, Bob moved on to the Cream section, making a good start with top coating this.

It was to be a day of surprises and what a treat to have a visit from John Hill, our former head of Upholstery, here receiving a hug from Jenny, who of course was originally in the team. John says he regularly reads the blog to keep in touch with our progress.

In today's Upholstery the making of cushions, bags and spectacle cases is now a major industry where spells of intense working are necessary to maintain the supplies to our shops at Toddington and Broadway. Piles of precut moquette are ready to make cushions and bags. A bundle of bag handles sit ready on the right.

On a side table another pile of folded precut moquette ready for seat backs. As this moquette is Bournemouth Blue this will be for the NYMR DMU contract.

Laura is marking segments for both cushion backs and bag interiors.

We were visited today by a nice group from Birmingham Transport Museum led by John Mayall. Initially it was just going to be a walk through the Works, but in the end I was able to give them a proper tour and describe the many aspects of our work. Amazingly one of them was an old friend of Paul W., while another knew Stu when he was at Tyesley.

Maurice and Paul E. had a right royal battle with one particular plank today in the Mink D van.

All the top planks have been tricky to fit with the ribs of the roof requiring careful measurement for the cutouts.

One of the vacuum cyinders from the GW Inspection Saloon is being cleaned up by Clive using the tungsten carbide scraper.

The job completed with a coat of Black MIO.

In the Woodwork shop Simon is building a new unit for the kitchen in the Inspection Saloon.

New wall panelling gradually going up in the kitchen.

Chris prepares new wall panelling in both mahogany and sycamore veneer for the saloon's corridor .......

....... and then shows where it will be fitted.

Another section that needs replacing.

The new veneer panels with a first coat of varnish.

Despite occasional showers, even a brief one with hail, it was generally a sunny day.

James took photos of the Toddington - Winchcombe shuttle hauled by 24081 and one of the service trains hauled by 6880 "Betton Grange".