Stuck Indoors!

We are now well into the railway's shut down season where all the large infrastructure work is done. As a consequence we have all retreated inside the sheds whilst contract track workers renew the main crossover and yard entrance at Weybourne, the yard becoming their worksite for approximately a month. This hasn't stopped us however, with a multitude of fairly vanilla, but large, tasks to tackle on the coaches currently in the works.

London North Eastern Railway 1950 Brake Corridor Third E1866 (GOLD)

Steady progress continues to be made on interior components. The widened-door mentioned last time is still being worked on and the characteristic "Gresley hatch" is also being produced. This small false ceiling fits behind the corridor connection, usually inside a vestibule, and contains hatches to allow access to reset the passenger communication valve and to lubricate the spring and fittings behind the corridor connection face-plate, normally inaccessible.

British Railways 1961 Brake First Open (Kitchen) M14021 (GOLD)

The focus continues to be exclusively windows and doors. The eight main sheets of glass from the bodyside windows are currently in the process of being cleaned of old mastic so they can be bedded back into the frames in due course. Around half of these have been completed.

The door project continues with a lot of labour being dedicated to them. The first guards inward opening door (door #5) has now been completed, the first of the steel skin/wood frame doors to reach this stage.

The second inward door (door #6) has been a priority over the past two weeks and has gone through the normal process of strip down, repair of frame and refurbishment of components. The steel skin was assessed and, being the worst one on the whole vehicle, it has been decided to replace it rather than repair it. The old skin has been returned to stores (we may get it back out one day if we get very desperate!) and a new one prepared for fitting to the original frame.

With additional staff moved onto the door project, a second door has been in progress (door #7), half of the double luggage door. So far it has been fully stripped down.

British Railways 1962 First Open M3116 (SILVER)

Progress continues to be rapid. All of the removed window frames have now been cleaned up and painted on the inside edges, creating a full stack ready for fitting. Just in time too, as the preparation work on the body has now been completed along the final stretches of the landward side.

This week, window fitting has been in full swing, and the seaward side has quickly received all of its windows, making the coach look complete once again.

Work has also started on some minor interior refresh works. the varnish in the two vestibules is showing its age, particularly around the doors, so these are being treated each in turn. The first door has had its panels removed, sanded down and re-varnished.

British Railways 1958 Class 101 Railcar Driving Motor Brake Second M51188

The vehicle is currently inaccessible due to track contractors working in the yard.

Workshop

The battery chargers mentioned last time are now all finished and are awaiting their return to Sheringham.