A "Hampshire" Diesel Electric Multiple Unit was also in service, the interiors of which are incredibly similar to our suburban set. Inside the workshops were two more Bulleid coaches being restored, showing that a full 1930's/40's set of coaches is on its way.
Down the line was an impressive demonstration goods train, longer than ours and with a vibrant mix of wagons contained within it. Well worth a visit!
Great Eastern Railway 1899 4 Wheel Brake Third 853 (GOLD)
Back in Norfolk, the hot weather has prevented the second coat of Crimson to be applied to the outside of 853. It is currently resting in a rubbed down state waiting for the temperature to fall.
The exceptional working temperatures has also reduced the numbers of volunteers coming in which has affected progress slightly on all fronts, not just 853. However progress has been made on the seating, with one of the four passenger benches having been upholstered by the soft furnishings department. Unlike most other coaches that have separate seats that are in turn fitted into the compartments, these would appear to be trimmed in situ directly to the seat frame. This seat is currently being evaluated before the remaining three are tackled - to see if any modifications or improvements to the design need to be made.
London North Eastern Railway 1950 Brake Corridor Third E1866E (GOLD)
Since the last update two bulkhead walls have been fitted: one to the Holt end of the guard's "booth" and one to the Sheringham side of the toilet, at the opposite end of the vehicle.
This has the effect of closing in previously open spaces and changes the visual character of the inside of the coach, making it look much less like a stripped out shell than previously.
Other interior work has included repairs to the sliding guards compartment door, and also cutting many of the planks to size which were delivered a week or so ago for lining the walls of the luggage area at the Holt end of the coach.
Externally, the first half of the seaward side underframe/bogie has been needle gunned and primed.
British Railways 1959 Brake Corridor Composite E21224 (GOLD)
Bodywork continues. During a large reshuffle around the shed, 21224 now resides in the staging area of the workshop. Just before the shunt, the two rebuilt bogies, which had temporarily been the wrong way round, were returned to their rightful locations and the body lowered back down onto them.
Due to increased fire regulations, we have had to temporarily stop welding work now the vehicle is in this new location, until sufficient fire blankets are procured to protect the surrounding area. In the meantime, at the Holt end the gutter and roof has been cut away above the doorway on the landward side, in a repeat performance to what was done on the seaward side last month. This has revealed cant rail sections to replace.
The areas around the passenger communication gear have been needle gunned and the gear itself removed.
This was quickly done given it was in excellent condition and given a coat of primer.
At the luggage van end of the vehicle, the second set of double doors have been provisionally hung onto the vehicle, which makes a big visual difference to this side of the vehicle which is currently without its doors.
The two doors earmarked for the Holt end, continue to be stripped down into their component parts. A start has been made on stripping the varnished woodwork for these two doors, which had been painted over in previous years. Initial condition appears good, and we are optimistic that after further work, these can be varnished rather than painted brown.
Internally, the toilet compartment Formica panelling has received further cleaning work to get the residue of the paint stripper off the panels. We are pleased to report that under all the paint is original Formica in excellent condition, so this toilet should be able to return in very original condition. Further coats of varnish are being applied to some of the fittings destined for this toilet.
The two end windows in the luggage van area have had a dry fit of the woodwork which secures the glass in place. We will hold off fitting the glass until hot work has been completed at the Sheringham end later this year.
British Railways 1959 Tourist Second Open M4843 (SILVER)
A great deal of focus has been put onto this coach as it is destined to return to service next week. This has required a bit push on to all of the final finishing tasks. The largest of these was a quick repaint of the bogie side frames and the visible sections of underframe trussing into black. The first task was to steam clean the bogies and underframe to remove surface dirt and grease.
Several people have spent several days undercoating and glossing these areas and it looks much better for it.
After the areas had been treated black, finishing touches have included the painting of the bogie springs (red and white) and the application of solebar lettering and the four vacuum brake stars.
The battery boxes have had poor batteries removed and some replaced with other secondhand examples. It is not yet clear whether this coach will need new batteries or not.
The bodysides on the exterior are now also signed off as complete, following the shunt which brought 4843 out of the staging area. This allowed the lower lining to be completed, with the black being applied first, followed by the yellow.
The vehicle's numbering was also completed the following week.
Other final jobs for the exterior were the application of the British Railways roundels and the fitting of the six brass door handles.
Internally, the final re-varnishing works to the Sheringham end have been completed. Next week will require a final clean of the floors etc and the return of some fittings which were removed to allow varnishing.
British Railways 1957 Tourist Second Open E4521 (SILVER)
With effort on M4843 required, less work was able to be undertaken on E4521. However, stripping, repairing and repainting of the corridor connection components has continued, with almost all of the small metal bits now completed, including the passenger communication apparatus. This is now stored ready for the day that it will be needed to refit to the vehicle post steelwork repairs.
Work has started on cleaning down the two steel "hoops", also part of the corridor connection bellows, and all of the top dampers for the corridor connections for 4521 (and 21224) have been lined up on a bench for renovation.
More of the wooden corridor connection sections have been stripped off the coach revealing the full extent of corrosion behind them. These wooden sections are in turn being stripped down and repainted, they have survived much better than the steel has!
The vehicle has also been lifted to investigate the general condition of the bogies, floor and steam pipe so that we can assess to a full extent the works required.
Internally, the first sink and pedestal (for the seaward side toilet) has been cleaned up ready for reuse. These will be wrapped up to preserve their condition as it may be some time before they are refitted.
British Railways 1962 12 Ton Box Van B784254 (GOLD)
Further work on the new roof for the vehicle has been completed with the edges now all secured around the perimeter of the vehicle. It is almost ready to receive its new canvas, which was delivered on site this week.
All of the rotten outer plywood sheeting has now been removed from the seaward side doors.
Workshop
The project to paint more "not to be moved" boards for Sheringham progresses steadily. The boards have now been painted red with the lettering to follow soon.
