It has been a quiet month but we continue to work away on the various longer term projects…
London North Eastern Railway 1950 Brake Corridor Third E1866 (GOLD)
The servery counter continues to be improved with the front being clad and the whole area being sanded down and painted.
London North Eastern Railway 1937 Restaurant Buffet E9128E (REPAIRS)
This vehicle has decided to copy the Quad-Arts and is now unexpectedly out of service with wheel flats awaiting tyre turning. We are aiming to have it rectified and contract turned as soon as possible and are currently working with the contractors to find a slot in their programme.
British Railways 1961 Brake First Open (Kitchen) M14021 (GOLD)
Work slowly continues on the landward side battery box rebuild and the overhaul of the eighth and final bodyside door.
British Railways 1958 Brake Corridor Second M35148 (SILVER)
We continue to focus on the accessible saloon at the Sheringham end. Unfortunately we have hit our first serious snag with much increased corrosion being discovered around the corridor connection at this end which was better hidden than is often the case. As a result, woodwork on the end which we were going to leave in situ and reseal externally has all now had to be stripped off to reveal the corroded steel platework and holes below. This is now in the process of being chopped out and replaced, and of course a great deal more interior woodwork has had to be removed to facilitate this.
One area of concern is the floor which has corroded and pushed upwards in “classic Mark 1 fashion” preventing the sliding door from opening and closing correctly. We are hoping to get one last run out of the steel floor before it is fully stripped out and replaced, which is a major task, so this has been deferred till its next visit. In the meantime we are treating what we can access and bring the floor back down level so we can attend to the sticking door.
The bodysides are going better with all the window repairs in this saloon complete so the windows can go back in soon. The plan is still to complete the accessible saloon externally so that we can move in volunteer teams into the interior, which is badly needed as we currently have no vehicles in the works available for those who undertake such internal work.
The windows which have been removed from the compartments continue to be diligently cleaned up, including the glass sheets, which will give us a head start when we move down into this area.
British Railways 1957 Class 101 Railcar Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory E56062 (SILVER)
Bodywork continues steadily. A full production set of laser cut window bottoms have arrived which will help continued metalwork. The first 1/6th of the vehicle has now had its bodywork repairs completed which is a small milestone, but important as we think this is also the worst 1/6th. The adjacent doorway will be next to complete.
British Railways 1958 Class 101 Railcar Driving Motor Brake Second M51188
The new ambulance cupboard sign has been designed and produced and married up to a repainted frame and custom cut glass front. This week it was fitted onto the front of the cupboard in the guards van so we now just need to glaze the frame which covers the access handle and then shut the door for the final time!
British Railways 1954 13 Ton Pipe Open B740918
Recent progress has been de-greasing all around the axle-boxes and running gear in preparation for repainting these areas of the underframe.
British Railways (LMS Design) 1949 20 Ton Brakevan B950133
No progress to report.
Workshop
We have identified improvements to the dust extraction system that is fitted to the wood working machines in the workshop. These are currently being worked on with a view to making the system as efficient as it can be and therefore making the area as healthy as it can be.
