Weds 6th - Fri 8th - A busy time

Three more very busy days, with Thursday being occupied with preparation for the annual servicing of our fall arrest system. 

Wednesday

Another fine selection of photos from Gerry and also one from Rod.

Testing the vacuum braking on SO 4798.

Rod undercoating in Dark Grey the north end of 4798.

[Photo : Rod]  Almost completed. We need to move the scaffold tower here to get the top section done.

Rex and Bryan repairing toilet tanks (for 4798?)

The next six photos are of the continuing work on PWay's people mover. Today this involves stripping down the braking system for servicing.

With the carrier safely propped up, Bob is able to gain the access required to remove the various inaccessible parts.

Cleaned up and freshly coated in green anti-corrosive primer.

 Nick

Bob

Nick again.

Nick, Stu and Bob.

Now on to doors with Trevor and Ben working on the final one from BSK 35308.

Simon making a table top for the GW Inspection Saloon.

Mike and Neil preparing a top for the Saloon's sink unit.

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Thursday

Many thanks to Roger for a wealth of photos taken during the day.

Walking down to the yard roller gate to let a lorry out, I couldn't resist fussing Dixie and Sally, two delightful Alsations who are guide dog mum's. They are owned by a member of the Lineside Drainage team.

A sequence with Betton Grange leaving for Toddington. Other than a Gold Fire and Drive on Friday, this should be the final day of the shortened weekday journeys as I believe the work on the embankment slip south of Gotherington has been completed.

She comes past with that crisp Great Western bark. Music to the ears!

Now on to today's efforts, beginning with BCK 21092 in Rake 3.

[Photo : Roger]  The pull bar at the base of the droplight on the Malvern side double doors was rotten and needed replacing.

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]  Repair completed, just needing the painting.

[Photo : Roger]  Alan repairing the striker plate fitting on the central passenger door on the Cotswold side.

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]  The missing section of beading has been replaced in the First Class compartment ceiling where the leak had occurred.

[Photo : Roger]  The adjacent section of corridor ceiling had also been affected.

[Photo : Roger]  The Painting team haven't yet been able to make the paint repairs with so much else to do in the Works and with various members away (health issues and holidays, and I'm about to join in on the latter aspect).

Phil completed the flatting of the top and central sections on the Malvern side of SO 4798. This side is now ready for its second top coat.

Bob K. Cleans up part of the corridor panelling ready for fresh coats of varnish in the GW Inspection Saloon.

[Photo : Roger]  With some rain expected on Friday, when the stock on the entire through road in the Works will need to be shunted out for the fall arrest system servicing, I went round BSK 35308 ensuring any bare metal resulting from the various repairs was coated in green primer.

[Photo : Roger]  Definitely a small brush needed for this fiddly bit behind the passcomm down pipe.

In the Barn Dave removes the old roundel from the Cotswold side of SK 25451. Much of the lower half on this side has now had a basic sanding, with the lower triple banded lower line completely obliterated as this will be repaced by the standard double band when we do the repainting.

Later in the day 25451 and 35308 were shunted out and stabled in the Works siding. That sky looks threatening.

The Mink D van will be next . The van and SO 4798 were moved separately.

Paul and Dave watch as the 03 moves back in to extract the van and temporarily move it to the other Barn siding.

The 03 then went back to pull SO 4798 out of the Paintshop and into the Barn as far as possible, leaving enough room for the Mink D to be shunted back in. 

The Barn entrance with the Mink D back in.

Doing all this today will save a lot of time tomorrow, especially with the fall arrest system engineer arriving at 0900.

[Photo : Roger]  The empty Workshop and Paintshop with yours truly already vacuuming and sweeping the floor in the latter. 

[Photo : Roger]  Swept and vacuumed, though it doesn't look like it, but we have been in here just over 12 years now.

With the paint trestles and everything cleared away, the Paintshop is now ready for when the scissors lift is driven in by the servicing engineer.

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Friday

The Mink D and 4798 are now outside while the fall arrest system is being serviced. 4798 looks good in the pale sunshine. Thankfully the rain kept off and all the stock was shunted back in still dry.  I then restored the Paintshop ready for use on Saturday. 

It's been a while since I photo'd Rose's brilliant efforts with the yard garden. So much has happened with the veg patch extended and dug, another table and chairs set up, and a wealth of very contented plants absolutely bursting with life.

Rose has begun setting up the hanging baskets for the station canopy.

Her wildlife area, full of wild flowers and importantly plenty of bees. She has set up a low filled trough and you can watch bees landing for a drink. She is a saint!

As for the rain? It tipped down on my way home.

That's it from me for a while. A holiday beckons. I'm back on Tuesday 19th and straight into gala prep. Should be an interesting one with the variety of locos running this year.