Saturday 27th - We're back, and it's still hot

It was a very hot week, and so not only were trains cancelled, but the works were closed too. It really was just too hot to do any work. Apart from anything else, the paint would have dried before it even left the brush! But we were back on Saturday, although as the temperatures were still high we took it gently.

The big tie rod on the Mink D had a kink in it. I deliberately didn't take it out so it would still fit when we came to bolt it back on. I tried bolting it back on, and it didn't fit anyway, so Andy and Ken gave me a hand straightening it on the press. 

Now it fits! Looking for some gentle work in the still considerable heat, I went round with a box of split pins too on various bolts.

"Upstairs" Maurice and Paul carried on removing flaky paint from the underside of the roof.

A quick look outside saw Betton Grange on rake 2. Still pretty hot on there, but at least both steam locos out today had open cabs, deliberately chosen.

It had been a few weeks since I'd looked on progress in the saloon pantry, it's looking really good!

Then the usual occupational hazard of a blogger "Ah, perfect timing, hold this!" from Simon as we fitted the upper shelving unit.

Andy too found a gentle job for the morning, cleaning up a box of grotty bolts.

John had a nice little milling job with the V bar from the fly press got distorted and needed milling flat again.

Phil was overhauling some spare parts for gas systems I think.

25451 is coming along well, Alan had a big hole in the roof to deal with today, having removed the old patch repair.

On the other side Ian carried on with some initial sanding to remove the old waist lining.

Back in the paintshop, Graham was on varnishing duties.

Friday was extra time for me as guard and shunter doing a couple of deliveries. The first move was our latest arrival, TSO 3961 from Carnforth, which needed bringing to Winchcombe. It looks a bit of a mess, and truth be told, it is, external bodywork wise. But it's got a good underframe and bogies, and the interior is complete, and even better is a nice early example with wooden paneling and flying saucer lights. 

The return working was to bring the dogfish with the leftover type 1 back to Toddington to be used as infill for the platform extensions currently ongoing. In 30 degree heat, this was as close as we got to air conditioning! It was actually a pleasant breeze as we rattled along, but the shunting at either end was hot work.