July News Part 3

There has been a two week gap in reporting this time rather than the usual one, due to holidays on the Isle of Wight. Although little in the way of railways were pursued, even a coastal walk threw up some ex-Metropolitan Railway coach bodies in use as beach huts, which just goes to show that once you've got the scent there's no denying the chase!

Great Eastern Railway 1899 4 Wheel Brake Third 853

Significant progress has been made on a whole manner of projects since the last update. The doors continue to be progressed with more repairs and tweaking making each one a better fit as each day passes. Some are now getting locks and handles are in the process of being fitted. The double sets of luggage doors in particular are receiving their locking bars which slot into the top and floor. These are having to be be partially manufactured and partly modified from BR Mark 1 components. Also on the doors, the internal timber sliding ventilators have also been fitted to several of the doors.

Inside the vehicle, the passenger communication chords are virtually finished, withe all the remaining tubing being painted and fitted and the chains themselves now also in position.

Inside the guard's van, a supporters seat, half width but in the same style as the compartment seats, has been built and fitted into the corner of the area that will be accommodating wheelchairs.

Inside the compartments, the picture frames are making progress with several internal frames being machined and assembled ready to clamp the glass in position when the time for fitting comes.

Various castings that make up the luggage racking are now also screwed into place on the walls.

Up in the ceiling, false ventilators and centrally mounted lighting "pods" are also fitted into position.

So quite a good period for "stuff" emerging and being fitted, bringing the coach ever closer to the completed stage.

British Railways 1959 Brake Corridor Composite E21224

The sliding cage door pictured last week is now cleaned and painted in primer where it has now been stored ready for refitting.

More components are being stripped ready for repainting. This week's target has been some metal covers which fit along the side corridor protecting passenger's ankles from the electric heaters that were fitted in there. The toilet seat is also now progressing nicely. It has been stripped and sanded to within an inch of its life to restore the grain after a hard life of ammonia! The bracket on which the seat bolted to had been replaced with a poor softwood so has been remade in a similar timber that will varnish up nicely. The hinge mechanism has been freed off and sprayed silver as the metal was too poor to leave in a polished finish - caused again due to poor aim in the past! All of the wooden components are now being built up with varnish coats which is ongoing.

British Railways 1959 Tourist Second Open M4843

Focus has continued to be at the Sheringham end, as the Holt end metal repairs have been suspended whilst we help out the Locomotive Department with welding work on the Class 31 diesel loco. However we have painted the window aperture around the landward side toilet which will allow the window to be refitted fairly soon.

At the Sheringham end, the area of steel skin around the corridor connection has also been protected in gloss to allow us to refit the wooden surrounds for the connection itself. Also in readiness for the end refit, the cleaning/repainting of all of the end furniture such as the lighting jumper cables and handrails has also been completed.

Moving inside the end vestibule, the refit has progressed very well with the new flooring now screwed down and refitted. As part of this process the sliding door for the corridor connection was trial fitted to make sure it still fitted! With the floor in place, this has finally allowed interior paneling to be refitted, with the two large wall panels now back in place.

The ceilings and vestibule lighting, complete with associated trim, has also been refitted, so this area is now looking far more normal again!

British Railways 1962 Corridor Second M26012

This coach is extremely close to exiting the works for the bulk of the summer season. The application of lining around the waist line is now complete so the vehicle now has a full compliment of lines to break up the otherwise plain maroon look.

Some finishing touches are now being applied such as white tips on the irons that carry the tail lamps, and additional "top up" coats of paint on the foot boards to reduce wear.

Only a few grab handles now remain to be refitted and this coach should be leaving us bound for a re-entry into service.

British Railways 1953 Tourist Second Open E3868

Following behind M26012 very closely, E3868 is likely to be exiting the works at the same time. The re-varnishing work to the bodysides is now completed and it looks much less faded than it did when it came in. It has retained a smooth finish so we await "judgement" once we see the coach outside in the full sunlight. We will also see how well it fares in service, but initial indications are that the re-varnishing has been a success.

A "do not lean out of the window" sticker has been reapplied to one of the doors after it was noticed that it was missing for some reason.

Some small areas of corrosion around the corridor ends have all been dealt with and repainted into undercoat. The only task now outstanding on E3868 is application of a coat of gloss black on the two ends.