October News Part 2

This week isn't a particularly exciting week unfortunately, as most of the progress would appear to be in the "more of the same" format. However we are still here and have been chipping away at it!

Great Eastern Railway 1899 4 Wheel Brake Third 853

Three or four bodies have been employed continuing the sanding and filling task on the bodysides. This has mainly concentrated on the seaward side, but the already "completed" landward side has seen a further round of filler too as some of the team were not 100% happy with it.

Also being progressed are the drop-lights, pictured last week, more examples having been dismantled and their frames assessed and the original glass removed.

London North Eastern Railway 1937 Restaurant Buffet E9128E

The Gresley Buffet coach cannot progress much at the moment until shed space is found for it to be repainted. However some additional rot was found in the end, next to the corridor connection, at the Sheringham end. This had to have the original paneling removed, the framework repaired with new and ta replacement board and beading fitted. All of this was achieved over three days this week.

British Railways 1959 Brake Corridor Composite E21224

We mentioned last week that we ran out of primer which stopped us from applying it over the whole of the underframe of the vehicle. Well thankfully this week fresh supplies arrived which, over the course of three days, was then able to be applied to the remainder of the chassis as well as the two bufferbeams on the ends.

This means the whole thing is now primed which is the halfway point of the painting. We can now busy ourselves with completing the undercoating before the gloss black comes out!

A number of heater covers and black plates have now joined the underframe for the "primer party"!

The store cupboard is now painted inside with just some touching up to complete before the remaining components can be refitted (such as lights and vent grills etc). We are also working on a blanking plate for the inside of the toilet ventilator, which is now no longer required as we are expecting the cupboard to be slightly less whiffy than it would have been back in the day as a BR throne!

The luggage rack cleaning is now complete. This week has seen the broken retaining eyes for the string netting replaced with new examples, made by hand using fence wire. These will be carefully painted silver to match the aluminium racks themselves.

Moving onto the bogie overhauls. Painting is now complete with the Holt end bogie now in gloss black to match the other one. A start has now been made on removing each pin in the brakegear, of which there are many, checking it, then cleaning it before regreasing it and refitting it with a new split pin for guaranteed retention.

This coach should be registered to travel to Cromer all being well, so items like the bogies are having particularly thorough attention to bring it to the standard required for such operations.

British Railways 1959 Tourist Second Open M4843

The Sheringham end seaward side door has become the first to be completed in terms of operating smoothly with its door jambs in place. Inside the same vestibule, supporting noggins to hold the refitted panelwork around the doors has been produced and is awaiting fitting.

The re-skinning work at the Holt end continues and the bodyside along the seaward side toilet is now fitted into place which completes the main skin on the bodysides themselves. Once some galvanised sheet arrives the work to reskin the roof which was cut away for the repairs can start.

British Railways 1960 Brush Type 2 D5631

The last of the green gloss has now been applied, with the moving frost protection fins the last piece in the puzzle to be painted.

The rubbing down and repairing of the remaining roof sections is now also complete and these are now finished and awaiting painting.

London Midland Scottish Railway 1947 22 Ton Plate Open TDB726631

A start has been made on Friday afternoon lettering the wagon. Keen to see more progress, Monkey was on hand to assist and the number, weight and legend "reach wagon" has been applied to the landward side. More lettering will follow on this side as well as the other side in due course as time allows. The remaining lettering should reveal a local connection as well...