January News Part 3

Midland Railway (later M&GN) 1886 6 Wheel Picnic Saloon 3

The water system described in January News Part 1 was tested successfully this week with the tank holding water without issue (see image). An amusing issue was found with the air/overflow pipe on the tank which wasn't quite behaving as it should, resulting in the toilet pan acting as a relief valve when the tank was full! Also on the exterior, the chassis and buffer beams have received a first top coat of “Crimson Lake” which looks very smart indeed.

The water tank under test, also showing the painted underframe (top)

Turning to the interior, the communication chord pipework was rapidly fitted and the chain itself installed inside (see image) and attached to the apparatus on the end of the coach that applies the brakes if the chord is pulled by a distraught picnicker. In the luggage compartment, the shelving that attaches to the wall has been machined out of timber.

Fitted communication chord

British Railways 1955 Mark 1 Second Open E4372

After the two suspect vacuum valves (described last week) were changed for refurbished examples, further testing revealed the vacuum cylinder itself to be also defective. Luckily we have a store of overhauled cylinders to get us out of trouble in such cases and one was duly retrieved and fitted. After a communication chord test (and resultant adjustment) the vehicle was declared fit for service once more and returned to Sheringham to join its friends in the dining train again.

British Railways 1957 Mark 1 Tourist Second Open E4641

On the exterior, welding work on the Holt end seaward side corner had modestly progressed and paintwork stripping (described last week) has continued with the Holt/seaward quarter now completed. As for the interior, seat end varnish stripping has been completed for the Holt end saloon with the attention of the “strippers” now turning to the panelling and window furniture on the seaward side of the Holt saloon (the landward side is already complete and is in store ready for refitting). This was made possible after a single volunteer gallantly stripped out all the remaining woodwork and luggage racks out of the Holt end saloon for restoration. In the toilet the panelling has been completed and the ceiling also installed, some filling has been done followed by a coat of primer (see image).

Panelling in the toilet

British Railways 1954 Grounded Tool Van DB975129 (Ex Brake Corridor Second 34495)

This week we completed our part in the demise of this carriage. The floor removal described last week was completed on Monday, and we moved all the spare bits and bobs we managed to salvage from the coach clear leaving the body as a hollow tube (see image). Since we bid farewell to it, is has been chopped into three sections which have in turn been craned out of the coach’s awkward position (next to the locomotive shed) and moved elsewhere ready for final scrapping.

DB975129 after interior stripping

The final of the three sections DB975129 was chopped into for movement

British Railways 1956 Mark 1 Suburban Brake Second E43357

The panelling in the guards van has now been completed, resplendent in its fetching pink primer! The seaward side footboard has been painted in gloss black which completes the work on this particular component. The battery charging sockets, removed last week, have been fully stripped down and rebuilt before reassembly and a coat of red paint. Attention has now turned to rewiring the inter-coach lighting cables which were removed in the 1980's (see image)

rewiring the inter-coach lighting cables

British Railways 1954 Mark 1 Suburban Second E46139

No progress to report.

British Railways 1955 Mark 1 Suburban Second Lavatory Open E48001

Seat end stripping of varnish continues on the Sheringham end saloon.

British Railways 1958 Conflat & Type AF Container B502824 & AF65970B

An unusual 15 inch vacuum cylinder (we usually use either 18 or 21 inch) has been extracted for overhaul for use on the conflat wagon (a special flat wagon which the AF container is to sit on), which is currently outside in the yard awaiting space in the workshop to have its brakes commissioned. 

Workshop

A couple of items have been looked at to improve facilities in the carriage workshops. A new rack has been fixed to the wall to hold all our crowbars and similar items as they are difficult to store otherwise. This rack was salvaged from DB975129 last week, a hangover from its Cambridge breakdown train days. Volunteers have been busy refurbishing sack trucks as they had been looking a little worse for wear. Finally, several lights have been fitted into the roof to replace poor examples which kept switching themselves on and off. This enlightening work required the use of the scaffolding tower to reach the dizzying heights of the shed ceiling.