Latest News

Latest News, well its difficult to create a lot of news out of rubbing down and painting a coach, it just repeats what we have already carried out with 4777.  I am pleased to report however that 4477 progresses well, the cream finish has been applied, the next is the crimson undercoat.  The coach is pictured below.

 TSO Kitchen car 4331, remember the vestibule floor picture, the entrance step that needed attention which is pictured again below.

Well this has now been attended to, the new floor has been fitted and is pictured below.

The lino was then laid, covered by plywood, to which a number of brake blocks have been placed on the top to ensure it sticks down properly.

A few days later the ply and blocks have been removed, revealing the new lino covering.  This lino has a non slip covering as the staff will; be passing to and fro with all sorts of pots or crockery.

Richard has carried out a repair to the door frame and panelling.

Another view of the repaired door entrance step.

The centre door replacement has also progressed well, here the hinge pillar insert has been fitted.

The door internals have been fitted.

The door from the outside.

Some of the internal panels have now been fitted.

Painting 4777

The painting of TSO 4777 continues, here the cream has been completed and the grey undercoat applied.

The end of the vehicle after rubbing down.

 

Dave rubbing down the end panel.

 

Dave again, applying some paint.

 

The finished vehicle, minus the lettering and numbers, being shunted over to the storage shed.

 

An end view of the finished vehicle.

Safely stored inside number 7 road.

The next vehicle in for the painting treatment is SO 4477, seen here being shunted into the repair shed for rubbing down.

Kitchen car, converted TSO 4331 and utilities vehicle, former postal vehicle 80433, originally 25150, are seen in the yard at Aviemore during the shunt.

 

03.11.2014

Mark 1 TSO 4777

After spending last week being rubbed down, the paint is now being applied.  Murray is pictured here painting the roof.

 

The roof looking clean and sparkling in its fresh coat of steel grey paint.

Here the window frames have been painted in undercoat and the bodyside masked off ready for the surrounding area to be painted.

Another picture of the side with a partially painted body side band.

The cream undercoat band completed. (correction 04/11 its actually light grey undercoat, it looks yellow in the sodium lights)

Mark 1 TSO (Kitchen) 4331

The vestibule floor has been removed and the step entrance has had the problem web removed.  The area has all been ground level.

We have been here before (SO 4477 Jan 2014)

Another view of the dismantled vestibule area.

Another view of the vestibule.

 The new oak floor supports in production.

 

Another view of the new oak floor supports being produced.
.

The end panel needed some work, the lower end of the grab rail had come adrift, needing welding.  As well as the bottom of the panel had a previous repair which was coming adrift and needed a new patch fitting.

This area had a pop riveted patch fixed to it which we removed.  We thought that it probably covered some damage and would need repairing.  We were surprised to find this opening which we don't know what it was for.  We will cover it with another patch but disguise it as a vent.

BR B 944445 Bogie Bolster built 1955

This wagon brought us some lengths of steel from Boat, in return we are servicing the axle boxes.  Pictured below is the top of the box, the bottom having been removed.

The axle box lower boxes having been removed and awaiting cleaning up.

A number of the oil pads had become glazed and needed replacing.  First of all these need to be soaked in oil, any tub will do, including this formed tea / coffee urn.

Two new arrivals this week are these ovens.  These will be used for the production of our own horn guides  for commonwealth bogies.

More oven views.

A Change of Direction

17101 has now been put to one side in the storage shed whilst we get on with our winter program.  We expect 17101 to be resumed around next April.

We have purchased three vehicles which formed the kitchen, service and power supply of the Elegant excursions dining train on the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway.  The first of these to arrive is a TSO, 4331, which has been converted into a kitchen car, and is pictured here inside the shed.

The intention is to add two of our seating vehicles to make a dedicated five car dining set, with the capacity to cater for larger parties.

To make the set stand out as obviously different, we are going to paint it in Crimson and Cream.

In the kitchen, Henry has been getting behind the cookers and work tops, to clean out the inevitable grease build up.

The cookers moved forward to reveal the pipe work.

There are a few repairs to do before the repaint can take place.  One is the usual build up of rust underneath the door entrance, which will require the vestibule floor to be replaced.

The steam heat hasn't been used for years, which we will require to be working.  When tested we found a number of leaks, one excessive one is pictured below.

Another picture of the same.  This is just behind the buffer beam and is on the ninety degree bend.

One reason for the excessive corrosion at this point might be this strange repair.  The pipe with the slot in it below is the soil discharge pipe from the toilet.   The slot has been cut out to fit it around the steam heat pipe, this means that the discharge from the toilet would be constantly soaking the pipe.

As we have five vehicles to repaint, we have decided to move the jacks, this will allow an uninterrupted run of staging all the way along the vehicle at the back of the shed.  Here seen standing like silent sentries along the side of the shed.

TSO number 4777 being rubbed down in preparation for painting.

One job carried out on 4777 is the replacement of all of the door hinge ball and pin sets, one of which is pictured below.