Weds 28th / Thurs 29th - All coming along nicely

Wednesday

As always, many thanks to Gerry for another great set of photos for this day.

Beginning with Upholstery, Chris and Ceri were continuing the reupholstering of the DMU seats.

A new project for Laura with the start of the curtain making for SO 4798.

Russ takes the easiest option for working on the bottom shelves in RMB 1876's servery.

The servery urn needs to be checked too.

The entire coach will now have new marmoleum, not just the through route, vestibules and customer area in the servery. As such Ainsley and Bob removed all the tables.

The old lino will now be taken up in the bays. It's more work than originally planned, but the overall result will be much better.

Mike, our new woodworker, gathers unwanted strips of hardboard and other bits of wood in one of the rebuilt toilet compartments.

The work to rebuild these must be nearing completion and we should soon be able to get the new veneer walls varnished and ceilings painted. The connection corridor rebuild outside the toilets appears to be complete and the same should be possible there.

In the Barn a major effort by John, Ken, Bob and Gerry to swap wheelsets to put those with good treads together on a bogie, with those not so good ones fitted on another. This would enable the latter bogie to be sent away for the wheel tyres to be turned if required. We usually send two bogies at a time.

Bob top coats in Rail Grey more of the parts for the weed spraying wagon.

Rod and Ben are drilling holes in this new door skin for the door lock - the drill looks to be in that position.

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Thursday

Thanks to Roger for the extra photos in SO 4798.

We were very pleased to have a surprise visit from Gillian Mackintosh. It's just about a year since Bob's passing and she wished to have another tour in his memory. She particularly wanted to see Upholstery again as she found that very interesting.  She also asked if we were working on any coaches for which Bob had painted the roof. I believe SO 4798 is probably one he did and if so may have been his final one as we have not had do any roof painting on that.

With Phil away, Roger and Alan took on and completed the fitting of the remaining heating pipe covers. Roger begins with this Malvern side cover.

Now a series of photos showing Alan setting up more heating pipe covers.

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger]

[Photo : Roger] The bay with the partially fitted seating that was done for the table size tests.

[Photo : Roger]

The new veneer toilet walls in 4798 now have three coats of varnish, so time to prime the ceilings with Bob doing the job.

Ainsley was back to the filling and sanding that he has done a lot of on 4798.

Dave also took on some under window sanding.

Now on to RMB 1876.

Bob took on the remaining area needing the first coat of varnish on the Malvern side of RMB 1876. This was the north door and end section. Almost all the rest of the side has been keyed with scotch brite ready for the second coat. Hopefully the whole side can be second coated on Saturday.

Bob next varnished the back of the Cotswold side north door.

The chiller is now in and Richard II, with Richard I, is setting up the remaining wiring. 

 

The north saloon with the tables removed. This will soon be a hive of activity with the old lino being taken up.

John is cutting a packing pad for a BR1 bogie spring. This enables a spring to have some remaining give and not be screwed down completely flat.

Tuesday 27th - Ten minus one

Thanks to Paul E for the extra photos.

We had ten names signed in, but unfortunately Stu had problems with his car lights, so was eager to return home to get them fixed. It was a shame as he had only just returned last week following a long spell away.

However, although now down to nine, we made some good progress on both projects featured today.

Firstly RMB 1876 which is coming along very well with a number of smaller jobs completed today or well on the way.

Richard painted the Cotswold side grab handles. The Malvern side ones were painted on the hooks and won't be reinstated until the varnishing is completed.

Richard had previously reinstated the metal fire extinguisher holder. The next job was refitting the various supports and straps.

Roger cleaned up the remaining two aluminium wall sheets in the central vestibule. Bob had done the ones on the other side last week. 

Last Saturday Alex was unable to complete the first coat of varnish on the Malvern side of 1876 because he found that the top coating was incomplete at the north end section and door. As such today, Phil added further crimson along the top gutter panel and some cream on the window.

Richard gloss blacks a droplight and door stop that had been missed.

The remainder of the Malvern side that had received a coat of varnish could now be keyed with scotch brite.

Richard goes round each doorway screwing down the threshold strips. These must be iń place before the new marmoleum is laid.

Richard moves to the north end to continue the top coating in gloss black.

Phil leaves a note to say how far he got with the scotch brite keying on the Malvern side.

The north end of 1876 at the end of the day. Still some more yet to do but it's generally looking a lot better. The passcomm mechanism still has to be completed.

 

On to the Mink D and a modified plank being primed on the serrated edge by Paul.

Robert and Paul discussing the fitting of the painted planks.

Another section completed.

Finally the saga of Maurice's missing glasses on Saturday afternoon. 

My early photos that day had him definitely with his glasses on. Much later he was anglegrinding and so had eye protective glasses on. 

When he went to retrieve his proper glasses they were not to be found. We hunted high and low, all over the Works and even in places where he hadn't been. We finally had to give up. 

Then today, after a few more brainwaves came to naught, Paul gave a sudden yell. He'd found them and in a place that explained why we didn't spot them despite all our efforts.