Tues 30th June to Thur 2nd July - Holiday season

The holiday season has now well and truly kicked in, so not so many photos for the three days, and as always it isn't possible to capture everything going on.

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 Tuesday

It was great to see Stu back after holidaying in Italy and then having to be absent with more health issues (not from the holiday!). Stu took care of some snagging with the cream painting on SO 4798.

During the initial varnishing the brush must have picked up some very fine dust from the lower window edge (despite our cleaning) which showed as slightly darker smudges. Stu carefully overpainted these and in effect made an invisible repair. When viewed the next day with the paint dried the repairs had blended in perfectly.

After Bob had top coated the south vestibule ceiling it emphasised some thin gaps in places along the various lengths of beading. On Saturday I had fixed these with paintable sealant. Roger gave the whole ceiling another coat and it all looks really good now.

After Robert's adjustments to the top part of the cover for the Malvern side battery box, Ian had resanded the back and repainted the undercoat. The other side will be done on Saturday.

Inside the Mink D van Maurice and Paul were continuing the ceiling repainting. 

Rose has created a lovely display under Bob Mack's memorial and it's now maturing very nicely. On Saturday Gillian Mackintosh had visited with two friends to see the memorial and I subsequently gave them a tour of the Works. Gillian was particularly interested to see the progress with SO 4798, especially the interior now that it is almost finished.

So, not many photos of Tuesday's efforts, but a nice finish with the two guest locos running today.

As ever 45110 is always a big draw and, if we are able to pause with what we are doing, that deep mournful toot will have us dashing outside to see it go by.

Late in the day there was also the chance to get up close with "Manston".

It was a another warm day, so it was pretty hot on the footplate.

Clive was acting inspector for the day looking after a new fireman.

With Driver Geoff back on the footplate, it was time to leave the engine.

"Manston" sets off for Toddington for the final time today.

We will be sorry to see this fine engine depart. It's been a treat to have it here. It's due to return to the Swanage Railway sometime this month.

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Wednesday

I was due in today to give a Works tour and discovered that Gerry was on holiday in Italy, so in his absence my phone was in action again.

The group from the Freedom Day Centre began their tour with a look inside the signalbox. Being a quiet period Robin was able to give them a very full demonstration of the day to day workings of the typical signalbox that was once so common throughout the railway network.

Our final painting job for the Weed Spraying wagon. Bob S. has left the intructions manual box to be painted in Executive Light Grey.

The kitchen rebuilding in the GW Inspection Saloon is a real work of art and looks superb. I must take some more photos of the overall view.

Neil is currently making a hatch to box in the cupboard for the overhead watertank drain pipe.

New shelving now in place. We are going to need a lot of varnish for all the new woodwork so I must include a few tins in my next paint order, especially as we still be using a lot of what we have left to complete 4798's varnishing.

In the Woodwork shop Mike makes alterations to the worktop to accommodate the new saw, which is replacing the work weary original.

Ainsley in the process of reclaiming the droplight from this spare door. We need a stock of handy spares to cover for any breakages.

Now into Upholstery. As I am always photographing the Saturday group in here, it's nice to be able to capture the Wednesday group as well. Laura is absent, but the others are in.

Chris is stripping down one of the seat cushions of thr batch so far removed from our newly acquired TSO 3961.

Eve has almost completed another cushion. We can't make these fast enough. Glyn, who now looks after our shops, was in again on Saturday for more of our goods, including the new door stops. 

Ceri is making another bag. The quality of these is superb. 

And as I was in Upholstery, a quick visit to the office to see Rose who is busy with more of our general admin work. I need some notices with respect to our yard gate (these were promptly done and were waiting for me the next day, nicely laminated and with corner holes punched).

I turned up in the Barn at a very handy moment as I was able to assist John with lifting and positioning the window frame so that a few screws could be correctly located. Once secured he could then continue with the rest on his own.

To the left, the next window frame had been removed by Rex that morning in preparation for the repairs to the underlying panelling. After this one further window on this side could be removed but the hole in the panelling under the righthand corner is small enough to be treated and then filled with fibre paste (bridging filler).

Returning later John has now reinstated the glass and is trimming the heavy black sealant.

Seeing all this faded maroon, it will be good when SK 25451 eventually emerges in its new crimson & cream livery.

With respect to the comment at the end of Monday's post regarding Charlotte/Abigail needing another coat of varnish, it's a question of when this could be done with respect to both current and planned work. There's so much else needing our attention.

At the south end Ken continues his work on the corridor connection. It looks as though for once we can make the necessary repairs without having to take off this connection. Part of the U section has been removed with the underlying support now on the Paintshop trestles for repainting.

He's back and I forgot to bring in the doggy treats. As soon as you enter the changing room Jasper's tail starts flapping against the floor. He'll be out for a walk soon. His bowl of water and ball are under the bench.

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Thursday

Another quiet day with much of the work concentrating on SO 4798. I wasn't able to capture anything else going on, the remainder of the Works feeling like the Marie Celeste.

The Indoor Gang were busy with a number of things inside 4798. Alan (and Geoff) were completing the fitting of remaining lengths of beading.

This included the sides of the tops of the new cupboards in the central vestibule. The door knobs and magnetic catches were also attached.

Roger went round all the tables ensuring they were completely level.

Phil lowered the ceiling lights in both vestibules to apply a fresh coat of silver hammerite.

With Phil doing most of the job, both he and I gave the north half of the Cotswold side a good rub with scotch brite. Being that this was on the first coat of varnish it was hard work to make an impression.

The south half main section and centre door needed the first coat, so Graham taped up the line as he would be doing the top and bottom halves seperately. However Bob did turn up so in the end the tape wasn't needed; Bob would be immediately following on when Graham started.

Graham got going on the upper half, while Bob waited as it wouldn't take as long to do the bottom half. 

Returning a bit later with the first coat now well on the way to completion.

Bob and Roger watch Graham secong coating the end section and door at the south end. Neither took very long.

Finishing off the second coat on the north half, the bottom section was a joint effort. Well done both, and particularly Bob who stayed on beyond his normal time so we could get the job completed.

So one more coat on the south half and the Cotswold side painting and varnishing is finished.

The whole of the north side has had its first coat of varnish so Phil began rubbing with scotch brite, the first job to get going on Saturday.

The Weed Spraying wagon had had another test run yesterday, which I must have missed.

45110 heading north with the Midlander headboard.