The Blog Returns

Regular readers will have been disappointed with the lack of updates over the past two months. This was due to a sabbatical being taken to push through the final stages of the restoration of Class 104 DMU trailer car M56182, a very personal project which hasn't been included in the main C&W blogs. Much time off was taken and midnight oil burned but the endeavour came to a conclusion last Saturday with the vehicle being launched into service. Aside from the time taken away from NNR duties, mentally organising the concluding parts of the restoration and of course the launch day itself demanded all concentration as well as time, so by the end of the day there simply wasn't any energy available to writeup this blog! However the good news is that we can now return to normal and regular updates are planned to resume, starting with this week!

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

The centre passenger doors continue to be a focus to modify them into a better fit. These have proven challenging and time consuming with further repairs being required using framework from a donor Gresley door.

All the droplights for the vehicle, expertly made by Ian Starks of Northmark, have now been glazed and are getting their first coats of varnish. On the guards doors, handrails have been fitted to the outside of the coach.

The plumbing on the control emission toilet tank is now all but completed, but there is still a leak on at least one joint so repairs will have to be undertaken. Regretfully the volunteer leading this area is a seasonal one and now that we are into autumn it may well be next Spring before this job is finished off.

London North Eastern Railway Brake Third Open E16631E (GOLD)

Further conversations have been had with LS Engineering who are getting an increasingly clearer picture as to how rotten the BTO actually is under the panel work. Revised quotes are being prepared and it is certainly hoped for work proper to commence soon.

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

Completely coincidentally, the last blog update two months ago recorded that M14021 had been paused and tripped to Holt for temporary storage. Interestingly, this very week has seen the same coach return and shunted back into the workshop ready for the restoration to recommence. Further updates can therefore be expected!

British Railways 1958 Brake Corridor Second M35148 (SILVER)

This vehicle has been the main focus for us over the last two months, with both paid staff and volunteers making it a target to push forwards the task in hand. The Holt end corridor connection and seaward side, both areas which were outstanding, have seen intensive welding repair works undertaken in order to get the whole vehicle up to a point where metalwork is complete. Several more repairs to doors have since been found which have also proven time consuming.

Several window frames have been refitted to the seaward side and preparations are underway to get the remaining examples fitted to the landward side.

We undertook a water tank test on the toilet as in its latter years in traffic the vehicle was suffering leaks when the tank was filled up. We found a broken air breather pipe which appears to have been the cause but there are also supply issues further down the pipework as water was not able to get to the toilet or taps very quickly suggesting a blockage. More investigations will be required.

Inside the vehicle, the most progress has been made inside the accessible compartment. This has had several cots of varnish and now glows again. The ceiling has been repainted and much of the furniture such as tables below the windows refitted. We are currently in the process of renewing the lighting in this area with LED replacement tubes.

Moving down the vehicle, the guards compartment was in pieces receiving wiring modifications for the accessible saloon lighting, which has now been completed and simplified. There are now two switches (for the guards compartment and accessible salon) rather than the consuming five switches that there were before. It has now been reassembled to a point where the walls are receiving filler in old holes and a smooth down ready for repainting. The ceiling has also been refreshed. We plan to undertake several emergency equipment improvement features to bring this brake compartment in line with E21103 and E21224 which have already been so treated.

The side corridor is slightly behind everywhere else but it has been rubbed down on the landward side ready for varnish. The seaward side requires more work as it has suffered badly from sun damage. Again, the ceilings have been repainted.

The compartments are all at different stages with some having been varnished and other's not. Some have ceilings repainted whilst others don't.

British Railways 1957 Class 101 Railcar Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory E56062 (SILVER)

Work has focussed on the interior with several damaged Formica panel being re-glued onto new plywood. This has been successful and several of the rejuvenated panels are now back in place on the walls.

Midland & Great Northern Railway 1881 4 Wheel Tool Van 12 (REPAIRS)

The two replacement wheelsets were refitted o the vehicle which has now returned to traffic.

British Railways 1954 13 Ton Pipe Open B740918

Progress over the summer has been modest with all the underframe fully cleaned down and primer and undercoat applied. The top half has seen a start made on a few woodwork repairs.

British Railways (LMS Design) 1949 20 Ton Brakevan B950133

Painting work has progressed well in the warm weather and is now substantially complete. Recent work has been centred on the underframe and the vehicle was shunted out from the museum platform to facilitate this.