Continuing in our series, over to Dave... Ed.
Otherwise known as the Paintshop Team, we currently have 25 members, including myself as team head. It would have been nice to have a group photograph or even several with smaller groups, but with the sheer number in the team, attendance on different days, and the pandemic to consider, the easiest option was to collate individual photos taken over the past two-three years. I have tried to pick the best for everyone.
Although we are the largest team within Carriage and Wagon, in reality a number of our members have other skills within the Works and/or are also involved with other departments and aspects within the Railway. As to be expected not everyone is available all the time and on some days, in particular Saturdays, we sometimes have no more than 2-3 attending.
So let me introduce you to the team. Regular readers of our blog will recognise them all. They are in no particular order.
The final two photos of Malcolm and Jim I felt I had to include. Malcolm was forever photographed painting our coach roofs hence the many blog references to "Malcolm on the roof". He has since retired as one of our roofers but still occasionally attends and helps out with painting. Jim is now mainly with Signal and Telegraph, but also occasionally still helps us.
So what else do some of the team do within the Railway? The range of activities is varied to say the least: -
Chez Newman is also in our Cleaning Team and used to be with the Railway's Meet & Greet team, welcoming and looking after visiting coach parties.
Bob
Mac (Mackintosh) is also a Guard, Signalman, one of the Railway's
Finance Team, and when not with us, will often be found strimming one of
the embankments.
Bob Slater is also involved with engineering.
Alex
Caulfield is also a TTI and training to be a Guard, he looks after the Guards/TTIs roster, and is now very
much in demand on the Railway for his signwriting skills, in particular
by the Loco Department and the Broadway Group. As you may already know, Alex set up and looks after our new blog.
Ainsley
Killey is also a member of our Carriage and Wagon Management Group as one of our Health and Safety
representatives, one of the Railway's PAT testers, and is very active in the Wartime-in-the-Cotswolds team. He was also a TTI.
Russ Smith and Richard Hoy are also with Railway Catering
Pam
Brown is also a metal worker and, to help out for a short spell, in
Upholstery (she used to have her own business refurbishing the interiors of period cars and light aircraft). She is also the Snowman at Toddington when we run our Santa
Specials.
Jeff
Brodrick is also our Carriage and Wagon Finance Officer, chief organiser of the
Fish and Chip Specials, and currently training as a Station Assistant.
He was also a TTI.
Bob Keyte is a professional painter and as such our number 1, though he is being rapidly caught up by the youngest member of the team!
Others also actively get involved with other jobs as they arise within the Works.
Our home is of course the huge Paintshop, a long wished for dream that became a reality when building began in 2012 and, along with the Upholstery and Woodwork shops and Mess Room, is all thanks to a wonderful legacy left by Bill Ellesmere who was a member of Winchcombe Station staff and one of the Friends of Winchcombe Station. Two excellent photo-shopped pictures by Des Adams are mounted within the building, one of which is below.
In reality the team will be found working wherever needed and so no surprise to find those attending on the day to be busy in the Workshop, Barn, and even outside in either one of the stabled coaches or even in the open air (weather permitting!) if the demand is there. The level of skill varies with some members doing mainly preparation, even preferring to go no further than undercoating, while others are either naturals or rise to become top coaters of the coach bodysides. All aspects are equally important - the excellent top coat can only be so if the prior preparation has been thorough. Training is always provided when required.
As can be seen from the list of names above, everyone has the opportunity to expand into other work within the department and even to other departments on the Railway. Some of our painters now mainly work in other jobs within Carriage and Wagon, but are happy to come back to the team when needed.
At the south end of the Paintshop are the trestles used for all sorts of painting and varnishing, so we are not limited to just coaches and wagons.
FO 3132 "Mary" during the final stages of restoration. In the foreground is one of the new battery boxes made by our Woodwork Team and being primed ready for painting.
The work within the team is very enjoyable, although at times we all sigh when the preparation stages appear to be endless. The big reward for all our hard efforts is when the completed coach stands outside the Works ready to go into service and then later is seen within the train as it passes by.
A wonderful story; it triggers my own memories of that time. Thank you very much for sharing this with us.
Thank you Geoff. It was very enjoyable to write up, bringing back many happy memories. The two subsequent Vintage Trains excursions, in particular the first one, had me in awe. The North Wales line is quite a speedy section and the Earl certainly wasn't hanging about. I wish I could remember what pulled my friend and I as we sped along that same line in 1963. Also of course, on both VT trips we went via Crewe bringing back even more memories. Crewe in fact was the regular stopover and sometimes engine exchange with other VT excursions to Carlisle and Chester.