Meet the Teams - Third Rake Maintenance
Third/Fourth Rake Maintenance Updated 5th September 2022
As the title states, this covers the small team that looks after the cleaning and interior maintenance of our 3rd and 4th Rakes, which are based at Winchcombe. Our main Friday Maintenance
Team looks after the mechanical aspects of the Winchcombe rakes as they do for our
two main rakes. All this is particularly important both prior to the special events, and of course afterwards. Christmas decorations in particular will leave little bits strewn about to be vacuumed up.
As usually happens there is the inevitable cross-over from other teams and 3rd/4th Rake Maintenance is no exception, with members from the Indoor Gang and Painting Team becoming involved when repairs and tidying up of the paintwork and varnishing are required.
During the winter shutdown period, when we often have the two main rakes brought down from Toddington and stabled in Winchcombe Station, the team will extend their activities to these as well, while our regular Monday Cleaning Team are taking a break until the new running season starts.
Just prior to newly refurbished coaches going out, they will also give these a thorough vacuuming and a clean up inside, again with assistance from others.
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The core staff for the team are just two: -.
Paul
Dennis
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The four regular members from the Indoor Gang who assist with internal repairs: -
Alan
Geoff
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When it comes to painting and varnishing repairs, it is often down to our professional painter Bob K.
Then other members of the Painting and Prep Team as required.
Ainsley doing a paintwork repair on FO 13337 "Gillian" (he is now Head of the Door Team)
Maurice, Stu, Phil, and Cheryl (now retired) preparing the lower panel of one of the 3rd Rake corridor coaches for a repaint prior to the creation of one of the two Covid rakes (note the spacing!)
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Former members
Pat Niblett
Pat has now left C&W and does charitable work elsewhere. He was very skilled at what he did and is much missed.
Tony Baker
Sadly serious health issues have forced Tony to stop volunteeering. Always a skilled member of the team he is much missed. We hope he will still be able to visit us from time to time.
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The regular team at work
Cleaning items gathered in the trolley and all ready to go.
Off to the yard.
They are in there somewhere, probably doing an initial inspection prior to beginning the cleaning.
Dennis looking for any problem areas. A faulty light?
Looks like the floor is going to be cleaned.
All the seating has a thorough vacuum.
Not forgetting under the tables.
Batteries only - makes it a lot easier!
Corridors as well as compartments.
The tools of the trade.
Cleaning the outside
Off-train activities occasionally include washing seats ...........
............. and light shades.
The 3rd Rake is used for special events requiring all our running sets. Dennis proceeds with the watering up of the toilet tanks.
The hose connected to one of the filler pipes.
Alan doing some repair work under one of the tiny compartment tables in FK 13337 "Gillian".
Tony repairing the base of a window frame - probably checking the drainage pipes.
Pat sorting out a loose table.
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The winter shutdown period when the main rakes are stabled at Winchcombe.
Inside FO 3132 "Mary" in our Main (Chocolate & Cream) Rake
A nice place to enjoy lunch!
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Our 3rd/4th Rake Maintenance team do a great job looking after our Winchcombe based coaches, and those of the two main rakes during the winter shutdown when they are also stabled at Winchcombe.