Posts

Thursday 16th - A Welcome Visit

 A quieter day with not so many in as the Christmas period begins to make itself felt. 


It was however very pleasant to have a visit from Eddie and Val. Eddie, our former Head of Woodwork, retired early this year after a very long time with C&W. Val had made some delicious mincemeat goodies which went down very well during our morning tea break - thank you Val.


We also met Willow, Eddie and Val's new Labrador, who was very pleased to see everybody, although I suspect it was really wanting to know who has the biscuits !


Beginning with BSK 34929, Richard continued working on the Cotswold side central passenger door and surround where he left off on Tuesday. Jeff carried on with this later in the day. It shouldn't be too long now before the preparation work is finished and we can begin undercoating this final area.


On Tuesday the yellow hadn't covered very well on the this lengthy section of line despite two coats, so Jeff added a third which was a big improvement.


Mostly you win, but occasionally you lose and this was one of those times. The removal of the tape took off some of the second top coat of the maroon paint and messed up some of the yellow lining out, accompanied by some very blue airings. Very annoying after all the hard work put in by Roger, Jeff and myself, and especially as all the other lining out on this side had gone on so well. So some corrective work to do before we can add the central black section.


In the Barn TSO 4763 has been lowered on to the refurbished bogies. Ian and John are doing some adjustments to the bogies now that the weight of the coach is on them.


Over to the Third Rake siding to see how the Indoor Gang are doing. Lots of things happening with FO 3132 "Mary", but where is everyone?


Ah ha - here they are, having a well earned break, and a good laugh!


TSO 5042 is one of the possibles for a winter shutdown quick repaint. Some repair work has already been done internally at the north end, while all the seating has been completely re-covered by the Upholstery Team.

Richards I and II were once again doing an upgrade to the battery charging equipment. Richard I informed me that when this has been completed, every one of the running coaches in all three rakes will have been dealt with. Well done both, an excellent job!


If 5042 does come in for a repaint, I think we will need a new battery box as well!


Finally into TK 24006 to see the progress there. A photo of Bob K. undercoating one of the compartment ceilings at the north end of the coach.


In the corridor, Dave is re-attaching one of the many panels that have been cleaned up and varnished. The re-fitting isn't permanent - all these will be removed again once the coach eventually comes in for full restoration, but as Dave says, putting them back now does mean they are out of harms way with respect to other on-going work.

Other things going on today included Nick and Bob  S. doing preparatory work with respect to creating a waste oil bund and setting up a shelter for both this and our heating oil tank. More painting was done with items on the Paintshop trestles, including the restored scotches and the various parts of the new axlebox tool.

Tuesday 14th - Roof building

Tuesday tends to be mainly preparation and painting, but today a new building phase began with the Mink A van. When it comes to roofing a van Stu and Maurice take a break from prep and painting and temporarily join Richard and Paul.

Paul stands by with more planks for trial fitting, measuring and cutting to size. 

 Maurice watches as Stu on the steps moves the next plank into position.


The prepared plank is clamped into position ready for drilling the holes and securing with the nuts and bolts.


The end of the day and some very good progress made.


 The main door frames made by the Woodwork Team are ready for fitting.


On to BSK 34929 and the final door. Richard was first in so he started the lengthy job of filling, sanding and general tidying that will need to be done to both the door and frame before we can begin painting.


The bottom line on the large Cotswold side panel still needed doing so Roger set to taping up. It's a long slow job, but the excellent results make it all worthwhile.


We always apply two coats of yellow. After Roger had left, I applied the second coat, but it still looked in places as if it could do with a third. Yellow is a notoriously difficult colour to put on with respect to good coverage. It needs to be as good as that on the completed lining out on the door.

On to the work in the Door Team area where Ainsley is updating the diagram for an aluminium door.

 

 

While not busy taking photos, getting rid of the recycling, emptying bins, handing out work, and all the usual leaping about, I sorted out the Paintshop trestles, moving on completed items and progressing others. Amongst the latter was finishing off the corner units for the toilets in TK 24006 and undercoating the various parts of the new axlebox tool.

I was also pleased to be able to sort out my latest delivery of paint, varnish and thinners from Williamsons which had arrived just a few hours before. Amazing when considering I had ordered it literally only the day before.


In Upholstery the long running refurbishment of the Bubblecar seating continues. Dave vacuums the protective cover for the seat base springs.


Returning later to find the seat base reconstruction progressing well. 


The electric bread knife in action again.

 

It was another very pleasant day with the chill wind thankfully a distant memory and an ideal one from that point of view for some internal repainting in the rake.


Following our recent assessment of all the coaches on 25th November, one of the aspects that I wanted to get done was to repaint the Guards corridor in BSO 9000 and if we have the time some of the Guards compartment. Bob made a very good start on this and, if the weather doesn't become too cold, I hope we will be able to complete the job.

Monday 13th - Cardboard Coffins

 The usual 8 for Carriage Cleaning today, in a balmy 12°C.

Now that the DMU is also in use for Santa Trains it was time to take the cross country walk to the end of the sidings to find the train. And a good job we did!  First up is Kath with the Gtech on the First Class carpet - in dire need it was. She then moved on to windows.


Next up is John brushing seats before he also moved on to windows at this end of the train. Yours truly with the Ghostbuster reaching the parts other cleaners can't reach. But good to see it has had lots of customers. All clean now for the next set of visitors.


While we were down the DMU Paul, Phil and Roger O were washing the Cotswold side of rake 2 (maroon set).

After that it was back to the station to find some of the others already at Tea Break. L to R Roger O, Paul, Phil, John (he was speedy back!)


And today's topic was - Cardboard Coffins! (How do we get on to these subjects?!) Apparently you can now get a cardboard coffin and have a photo printed on the side. Your favourite loco taking you on your final journey.....?

Whist we were discussing this important topic Greg was still hard at work


And out of site Nigel P was also working.

After tea break we all helped finish off inside rake 2. 

Just one more session for us next Monday until the trains start running again in March. Will we have some new starters then to boost our numbers, that would be nice!

Saturday 11th - Ring the bells !!!

Indeed it was a day to celebrate but more on that later.

Beginning today in the Barn with the final work on the two bogies destined for TSO 4763, which is sitting on the through road..

Using two spanners Andy Tu. is undoing the nuts securing one of the brake hangers on the north wheelset of this bogie. 

Alan meanwhile has removed a hanger from the other side of the bogie and is preparing to clean it up.

In the Workshop John had been requested to make some disks that would be used to ensure that the brake hangers were centrally located i.e. the brake pads rubbed the centre of the wheel tyre, not the inner edge or the rim. The circular cutter made a noise somewhat reminiscent of a Sci Fi "B" movie.

One of the old disks used as an example.


A vertical view of a brake hanger on the south wheelset.


Andy Th. uses the pressure oiler on the south bogie.


John has taken some sample disks to Andy Tu. for trial fitting. Meanwhile Alan and Clive continue working on the other side.


Disks were required at different thicknesses. However the inner circle cutter began to give up and as such John resorted to the lathe to do the job.


 Some of the disks made by John.


Much later in the day Ian fired up the 03, the refurbished bogies were pulled out and TSO 4763 transferred to the jack road.


The end of the day with the coach body raised, 4763's original bogies in the foreground, and the refurbished ones under the coach. The original ones will in turn be refurbished and then used to replace those under TSO 4798.

The Toad Brake Van has also been brought into the Barn, where stripping down will continue in the dry.

 

The rebuild of the Mink A Van continues with the three recently painted end planks now going on. Richard inside the van positions each plank in turn and Paul carefully drills the necessary holes ready for the bolts. With the securing bolts pushed through the plank and metal frame by Richard, Paul can add the nuts and proceed to tighten each one.


From the busy activity in the Barn and north end of the Workshop, in the quiet of the store area our indefaticable store keeper Kevin continues doing a great job, here sorting out a quantity of new wire brushes. These soon become gunged up with all sorts of muck when used on bogies and undersides of coach bodies, so need regular replacing. Everything is so much easier to find nowadays - all sorted out neatly and labelled. Well done Kevin, a cracking effort!


On to Clive's CK 16221 where George is quietly continuing his work on the coach ends. Now cleaning up inside the north end vestibule, George has made a great job on the ends, with some very good undercoating in dark grey.


Inside the south end of 16221 Dave E. is preparing one of the corridor skirting boards and giving it a trial fit.


Some more adjustment is needed, so back to the Woodwork Shop. The cutouts are for the bodyside ribs.


Ken is attaching new springs to the sliders from one of 16221's corridor connection doors. This is a very good job because these heavy sliding doors can become very difficult to move, especially when they have been left in the open position for a long time.


 

Working with the aluminium doors from 16221, wooden inserts are essential. Ainsley carefully trims another section prior to glueing it inside the door edge.


Towards the end of the day Robert had taken over the job. These inserts provide the means of attaching the various parts of the door where this is no longer possible with the normal locations - steel screws are notoriously difficult to remove from aluminium, the two metals in effect "welding" together.

Dave H. was back on sanding panels from 16221, leaving Robert to work on inside their coach, TK 24006.


The pile of sanded panels and beading from 16221 for varnishing continues to grow at the end of the Paintshop. The larger ones on the left are the remainder of the original batch from 24006, as are the ones on the trestle which received their second coat of varnish today (note the reflections in the wet varnish). Other items visible on the trestles are some more cleaned up scotches for internal use, and the dismantled axlebox tool described in Thursday's posting, all primed ready for painting.


I'm sure Father Christmas would be happy to oblige if he could! This was discovered inside the blue notepaper box (on the trestles in the preceding photo).


Walking through the Paintshop a familiar black triangle of folded up wings was spotted on the floor. This little fellow had no doubt been woken up from hibernation by the warmth from the Workshop heater. Attempts to find him a nice quiet place inside failed and when the opportunity arose he flew out of the open lobby doorway. 


On the Paintshop wall and in the lobby, our new C&W Carriage Component Reference Scheme describes the new way of identifying the various parts of the coach. As a common reference point the position of the dynamo has been selected. It means that should our coaches be turned the references in the coach records will be consistent. So, Malvern and Cotswold side, while ok for the transient nature of blog postings, will disappear in records. Some door renumbering will be inevitable, but it is hoped the long term advantages will overcome this.


Upstairs in Upholstery Laura, Jenny and John are tackling another seat back from the Bubblecar. As described in Wednesday's posting, the removal of the old staples and bits of material from these is a very fiddley job.


We keep the Meet The Teams section of our blog up to date, hence a lovely photo of new member Laura with which to update the Upholstery Team section. Last Saturday Alex had already provided a great photo of Laura's husband Simon, and the Woodwork section has now been similarly updated.


It took me a while to find Simon, until Steve said he was working in TSO 4763, repairing a table leg fitting.


Steve was gradually working his way through our currently out-of-use Open coaches in the 3rd Rake siding and identifying what needed attention. I imagine it will be quite a list. I already have several things that I have identified for a repaint, one being the guard's corridor in BSO 9000. 


Further along the rake Dennis had moved to FO 3132 "Mary" with his vacuuming. This is inevitably a job that needs doing a number of times with all the traipsing in and out while repair and maintenance work is taking place, but it does mean that the coaches will be in a good state when the normal rakes are reassembled prior to the 2022 running season.


As it's a Saturday, you may have been wondering where Alex was. Today he was guard on Train 2, very ably assisted by TTI Islay. Both of course are attired in the traditional Christmas jumpers and festively attired caps.

So why are we ringing the bells? I think the notice below says it all !!!


At long long last, the doors on BSK 34929 are finished. It has been a very long hard road for the Door and Woodwork Teams, but Ainsley's email the day before indicating that Door 9 (old number) was finished, was confirmed by Steve who checked it this morning.

At last the Painting and Prep team can complete the exterior repainting of the coach. We are going to be very busy next week.

The big smile from Robert after all the efforts with the door frame. Well done team, a great job!