Midland Railway (later M&GN) 1886 6 Wheel Picnic Saloon 3 (BRONZE)
Both ends have now been gloss painted including the buffer beams. Additionally, both sides have had one top coat and it has been decided to key and apply a further top coat, for maximum coverage. Originally it was thought that the seaward side would be OK with just a varnish, but this has now grown to full repainting, as these things often do!
Window frames and door droplights have also been painted to spruce them up.
London North Eastern Railway 1950 Brake Corridor Third E1866 (GOLD)
The interior is markedly changing in its appearance now that the task of fitting out the wall paneling has started. This is progressing well and quickly with several areas now fixed in place and many other panels carefully cut to size ready for fitting.
Window surround woodwork has also been refitted around the eight main passenger windows which compliment the brass window frames fitted last year.
London North Eastern Railway 1938 Brake Third Open E16631E (GOLD)
No progress to report.
British Railways 1961 Brake First Open (Kitchen) M14021 (GOLD)
The Holt end store cupboard construction continues steadily.
British Railways 1953 Tourist Second Open NN3868 (SILVER)
This vehicle is the first of two covered in this update to have been released back into the wild! A huge amount of work has been undertaken on 3868 to get it ready in time for launching over Easter weekend. The exterior saw rapid painting works with a red undercoat closely followed by two coats of Sheringham Highly Improved Teak (brown gloss). This has replicated the condition of this coach from 50 years ago and is fitting for our 50th anniversary year. To finish the exterior off numbers were applied and painted yellow, the ends were painted black, the end doors and corridor tunnels repainted, grab handles and carriage board brackets refixed to the exterior. Finally, a good clean down of glass was undertaken removing many years of ingrained dirt.
The interior of course had to also follow. The unrestored Sheringham end saloon simply had the seats refitted, glass cleaned and the area hoovered out for traffic once again. This end will be treated to overhaul work to match the other end next year when the coach returns for the second part of its overhaul. The more disturbed Holt end passenger saloon however has seen much more attention. The walls were all revarnished followed by the seat ends and other bits and bobs receiving a coat of brown gloss. his allowed the replacement side-wall panels to be fitted as well as the strengthened table support brackets. The tables themselves, suitably revarnished and repainted, were then fitted along with all of the seating before the floor was also repainted. This just about covered all bases and everything in this end of the coach has now been freshened up or overhauled in some format. It is certainly a contrast to the other end so savvy travelers on this vehicle this season should make sure they head for the Holt end half of the carriage!
British Railways 1958 Covered Carriage Truck M94125 (BRONZE)
This former bike and buggy carrier which has been in storage for a few years has been removed from the back siding at Weybourne and brought into the workshop for an unexpected return to service. It was last freshened up in 2017 but only received very limited life extension works so it was not surprising when it dropped out of traffic some years later. It has replaced M51192 in the workshop (see below) and is now being assessed. The return to traffic is required so that the vehicle can be a temporary generator van for the dining train, a role currently being fulfilled by E94464 which has been stolen from the main service train.
During the 2017 overhaul we had just enough time to eliminate most of the unsightly pop-riveted patches on the upper sections of the seaward side. All being well this time we can repeat the process on the landward side giving a steadily more respectable vehicle. Who knows in another eight years time we may well get rid of the patches along the bottom of the vehicle?!? So far work has been confined to releasing several of the rotten patches on the landward side, to reveal the problems that lie below. We prefer to weld in patches where we can, as patches don't last and corrode themselves and they also don't treat the original source of corrosion which continues to cause trouble beneath. Repairs have not started properly yet but we are gaining a better idea of what the vehicle requires.
Two replacement vacuum cylinders have now been overhauled and tested successfully ready to fit to M94125 in due course.
Other work required includes some roof repairs, releasing the stuck Sheringham end set of doors (for loading in the generator), inserting air intakes into the sides and reinstating the missing vacuum brake gear which was removed several years ago for its running sister.
British Railways 1958 Metro Cammell Railcar Driving Motor Brake Second M51192 (BRONZE)
This DMU has now been released from the C&W shed and is back with the Loco Dept for finishing off. A big effort was had on both the outside and the inside to finish the vehicle off. On the outside, the bufferbeams and buffers were all finished off with the multitude of fixtures picked out in their respective colours. Along the underframe, key features such as axlebox covers, the exhausts, battery box covers and engine rocker covers were also picked out in the required colours. Finally, the cab front has been painted and now sports a very smart yellow end. This was a logical decision as the vehicle sides had not been repainted whereas the front had received too many repairs to simply revarnish so needed painting. We were also running out of time for this vehicle so the yellow front was significantly quicker to apply than fully lined out green, which would have looked odd alongside the slightly distressed paintwork on the bodysides.
On the interior, all of the sliding doors were completed and fitted into place. All of the removed components from the drivers cab were returned to place. Various items in the passenger saloons were picked out in sage green to match the bulkhead walls. Also in the saloons, all of the seating was refitted into the frames, the floor cleaned and the lighting diffusers wiped down. The guards van major refresh was completed with repainted walls, repainted floor and replaced ceiling being complimented by a range of new emergency equipment secured properly into place on the walls etc. The vehicle is now finished from a C&W perspective and will hopefully be seen in service in the next month.
British Railways 1954 13 Ton Pipe Open B740918 (BRONZE)
Still awaiting the arrival of the replacement tarpaulin "hood".
Maintenance
Trains are now operating in daily service again with the Easter holidays in full swing. Both A and B sets are currently in service though B set has been reduced in length owing to high fire risk. C examinations have now turned to newly outshopped NN3868, the Quad Art and Vintage sets which will all be required for Easter weekend itself.
At Weybourne we are preparing for some more maintenance tasks which cannot be completed at Sheringham which will keep us busy. We have a coupling to change on Mark 1 TSO 4843 and we also need to change two newly tyre-turned wheelsets into one of the bogies of Gresley Buffet Car 9128. These wheelsets are now turned and will have final preparations including the fitting of the axleboxes shortly.
