Thurs 24th/Fri 25th - Gala time again

Well, it has certainly been an interesting week! This post includes the activities in the Paintshop when 2807 was brought it for its repaint into black.

Thursday

It certainly was a busy time for me with all the prep needed with the third and final gala for the year almost upon us. Many thanks to Gerry for all the extra photos and to Roger who helped me retrieve the gala stuff that we had stored outside in our vans.

[Photo : Gerry] With lot of the top coating completed in 1675's saloon, I was very keen to remove all the masking tape, some of which had been on a long time (thankfully the yellow Tesa tape is very forgiving). Just the door left to top coat and a small area of ceiling just above.

Photo : Gerry]  A very cheery Richard I working in 1675's kitchen.

[Photo : Gerry]  Meanwhile Richard II was removing the covers for the lithium battery boxes. Richard estimates that they have about a month's work left to do on the electrical side.

Alan and Geoff check the back of the Malvern side passenger door, tightening it up as required.

[Photo : Gerry]  Rex assists Richard II with the metal press. I dont know what this was for.

[Photo : Gerry]  Phil working hard at his bench.

Now I do know what Maurice was doing. It's actually a bit early to mount the lower planks on the sides, but at least they have been neatly fitted and can be easily removed when the metal handrails need to be fitted on the ends.

[Photo : Gerry]  I hold the plank firmly in place while Maurice carefully drills the holes.

[Photo : Gerry]  Later on Maurice cleans up one of the steps from the van.

[Photo : Gerry]  In the Barn Ainsley is working on one of FK 13326's doors. 

[Photo : Gerry]  Roger, with his PASMA hat on, does the weekly check of the scaffold towers. There are three of us qualified to do this.

Gala preparation was now well underway. Richard II sets up the light display which shows the power usage difference between old style light bulbs and LEDs. The intensity between the two types is very different and particularly noticeable when the power is reduced.

Laura has set up another lovely display of cushions, bags and spectacle cases. Nick told me that one of the bags is now in Canada. Sales by the way continue to be amazing with all three items doing very well.

The weather was nice, making lunch on Platform 2 very desirable. The arrival of P & O prompted a brief cameo of the loco, especially as the train restarted on its way to Cheltenham.

Friday

Today we were having our much needed Working At Heights course which our instructor Mike modified to include the training/retraining for our Fall Arrest System. As such I also came in to complete the Gala prep around the Works and nearby yard - overall a very big job.

The general information board in the lobby detailing the vehicles currently being worked on.

Part of the set up in the Paintshop. At the far end the course has moved into the area to allow the practice fitting of the harnesses and for Mike to explain all the essential information relating to the safety wires.

With the sun behind cloud came the chance to get a good photo of recently outshopped SO 4270 against the dark building.

3850 was doing some test running after sorting out some problems.

This also meant that the Rake 3 coaches could be put into Platform 2 ready for the Gala.

Returning to last Saturday (19th)

When SO 4790 was shunted outside it was replaced with something a great deal heavier.

2807 was brought down from Toddington by the 04.

The 03 took over and shunted the loco into the Paintshop.

2807 had already been prepped and undercoated at Toddington.

It was professionally painted over the next few days.

[Photo : Alex]  It was completed and shunted back out on Wednesday 23rd and returned to Toddington.

At the time we were asked not to publish anything in the Blog as they wanted to have the first public viewing at the Gala.

2807 was not the first loco.in the Paintshop. That honour goes to 2-8-0T 4270 back in 2014.

In two weeks or so, it's the turn of 3850 for another coat of paint and then varnish.

Wednesday 24th - Warm enough to work outside

 The weather was looking good, and with most of the team on window fit in 4798 I started on a list of structural jobs on the Open C wagon. 

With 2 squares anchored to the chassis, it was clear just how far these were out of the vertical ......

..... with Stuart's help we attached a large ratchet strap to each opposite upright, then with heat provided by Oxygen/ Propylene each one was pulled into the vertical.

By lunchtime all eight were sorted and cooled .....

After a couple of welds were repaired, Ken kindly painted all areas affected by the heat.

Meanwhile the door team hard at it in the workshop.

Ainsley changed the nuts and bolts around so the nuts were inside and welded captive, on 4798.

Another job completed.

Ken is removing emergency vacuum brake linkage on 4798, ready for the very corroded end sections to be removed.

The upholstery team hard at it, Eve is stapling covers to the Bluebell railway seat set ......

Chris enjoying his new role and using a sewing machine .....

...... and Laura using the other machine.

Simon in the carpenters shop, not sure what he is sorting ....

It had to be something to do with 4798 and panelling.

Dave is tidying the outside of 4798 and for now will be in green primer .... there is much to do with this vehicle.

John is under 4798 working on the vacuum brake pipes.

After lunch a shunt took place to re-arrange everything ready for the Autumn showcase this w/end.

Many thanks to Gerry and Eve for the photos.

See you all at the w/end.

Tuesday 22nd - A very varied day

A quiet start soon changed as more arrived and the day progressed with overall a lot achieved. Many thanks to Paul E. for the photos of the Open C wagon.

It was dull initially, but the weather continued to improve. P&O rumbles past the Paintshop and newly outshopped SO 4790. 

I was lucky to get this shot as it was a last second decision. I quickly pointed the phone and hoped my finger hit the virtual button correctly to enable the camera to function - it doesn't always!

Paul and Maurice sort out the next set of MICA van planks .........

...... which Keith now primes.

Chris checks the width of a new door plank.

Later in the day Keith is back with more planks to prime. The backs of the planks will have wood preserver.

The final batch for the MICA van was the comment from Chris to me about the large pile of planks he had created during the day.

[Photo : Paul E.]  In gleaming red primer, one of the Open C wagonl's wheels.

[Photo : Paul E.]  Alex had left a lengthy list of jobs: -

• Various bits of grot and scale inevitably missed by the grit-blasting need tapping off with a ball peen hammer and/or cold chisel; particularly check from inside. Also remove the remains of the number plates and bolts on the left hand side of the solebar either side.
• Where the above has been done, spot prime in red primer, along with any other bits where paint has been missed. Check particularly underneath.
• If you're absolutely sure all the remains of the scale and grot have been knocked off and missed surfaces have been primed, you can get the undercoat Dark Grey out.

[Photo : Paul E.] Maurice above and Paul below tackling the items in the list. The Paintshop now has quite a pile of fully painted parts from the wagon that await eventual refitting.

 

[Photo : Taken by Maurice with Paul's camera]

Also enjoying the better weather Derek replaces the roof batten on the Malvern side of the Monster van.

The better weather had encouraged Dave to do some outside cleaning up on the Cotswold side of FO 3127.

Ian had taken over the dismantling inside the coach and was busy removing the curtain rail.

The tables are being removed but currently not the wall supports.

The pile of seat cushions and backs is beginning to stack up.

Pam has now fitted her re-upholstered seats in BCK 21272's guards compartment and they look a treat. The tip-up seat has been held up by a bit of rope. To replace that Pam is making a new tie out of the same blue moquette. I missed taking a photo of it before she took it home to sew up and complete with eyelets.

Everything is very carefully measured. No shortcuts here!

We had a really good session inside RBr 1675.  Richard started top coating the Malvern side ceiling. In the background Stu began top coating the areas painted in undercoat Cream with Executive Light Grey, while Phil completed the ceiling in the counter area and then added further top coat in the corridor. The light in the corridor is poor and as such you sometimes end up with patchy painting. We have all struggled with it and extra lights don't always help.

Roger did the ceiling on the Cotswold side.

While Richard completes his bit of ceiling, Stu had completed all his top coating at the south end (public side of the counter, both sides of the partition, and the end wall) and was well into the north end walls and side panels. Just the door remains.

I'm very keen to get all the internal painting and varnishing in the saloon completed  Then the curtains, heating pipe covers and tables can be installed.

Richard completes some of the painting both inside and outside the north end corridor connection.

When moving the cupboard for Broadway signalbox we noticed that the back had been top coated. Unfortunately the nicely painted top, and we think the sides as well, had been overpainted very patchily, much to Keith's consternation as he had previously made a good job of this. So Pam sanded the top and sides, and then repainted, getting it back to it's previously good condition.

Catching the late afternoon sun, P & O comes by on the last train of the day. Next and final stop. Toddington.