The FK 13329 being attanded to, with BSO 9000 in the foreground. Everything visible on 9000 from the solebar up to the roof has been replaced.  


The Elegant Excursions FO 3045 in our workshop, with one door removed and the paintwork already rubbed down.  


The BG 92350, outside and awaiting our attention. Work has started internally.  

So, what have we all been doing in the several weeks since my last report? Well, the answer is 'quite a lot', although on this occasion the emphasis is more on progress on existing projects, rather than on finished vehicles.

The one vehicle we have overhauled and finished since last time is the GWR box van, 142594 which is used by the P/way department, and which contains their large generator. It has been a good many years since this van was first overhauled and put into service, and when we got to it again, it was in a rather sorry condition.

Many of the bodyside planks were rotten, and obviously needed to be replaced. Also, all four doors were in a very sorry state, with the steel fastening bars loose, and breaking away.  We had a fortuitous gap in the workshop, and the van came inside in early October. The rotten planking and doors were quickly stripped off. New planking to the same dimensions was specially made and bolted back into place; all paintwork was removed and the bodyside cleaned down. The doors were broken down into their constituent parts, and either refurbished or completely remade.

At the specific request of the Department the van has been repainted in maroon, which will surprise the purists, but is done for a reason. This year, we are hoping to both refurbish a BR Mk1 GUV (General Utility Van) No 94113 with roller shutter doors and the BG 92350, both for P/ way. Both will be in maroon, and the van is to match them. These vehicles will replace the vans currently in use by the P/Way department.

The maroon van is now in use, and it has been replaced by the GWR 'Toad' brake van No. 17392; which because of its current markings is affectionately known as 'the Honeybourne Toad'. The existing bauxite livery will be replaced by GWR grey, so the van can feature in the forthcoming GWR Gala. The bodysides will need serious attention, as some of the exterior planking is rotten. This van is the only 'Toad' we have which is fully fitted; that is, it has its own vacuum brake cylinder and guards brake setter. Unfitted brake vans are no use on a working goods train with a continuous brake.

The BSO (Brake Open Second) 9000 is still making good progress, and is transformed from the last time I wrote about it. The disabled compartment; the guards' compartment and the passenger areas are virtually finished. Seating is now installed, and as always the newly upholstered seats lift the whole restoration. Very shortly, the corridor connection will be ready to be lifted back on. The plan is to keep 9000 undercover in our 'Barn' and complete as much work as we can on it, in the hope that it will be ready as soon as possible after the start of services in 2010.

The only section which still needs plenty of work is the north end, where the vestibule area is still being rebuilt. A ceiling and interior panelling is still to be built in there, and there are various areas throughout where new heavy duty flooring has to be laid. Also, there are still three passenger doors to be rebuilt and fitted. This has been a marathon for our door restorers, as all doors have required extensive work. There are ten exterior doors in all on the vehicle; two were totally scrap and have been replaced with aluminium ones from an EMU and the other eight have been stripped right down to the wooden frames to be rebuilt.

At the beginning of January we moved the BSO out of our workshop to make room for the FO (First Open) 3045 from the Elegant Excursions set. This vehicle requires extensive restoration work, and we have to do as much as possible in the months when Elegant Excursions is not running. Once again, the problem is with the passenger doors, although on this occasion it is the hinges which have failed. This coach is actually the oldest Mk 1 in operation on our railway.

The original Mk 1's were build with butt hinges (like domestic door hinges) rather than the later self levelling type, with ball joints. The butt hinges were simply screwed into the wooden door frame, and after nearly 60 years of use, the screws have begun to perish and pull out. All the interior furniture is being stripped out, so that internally it can also be refurbished. New veneer panelling is going to be required in many areas.

In a massive day long mid-week shunt about six weeks ago, one of the vehicles moved was the BG (Gangwayed Brake) 92350 which now sits on the siding outside the front of our workshop. The picture shows it as decorated, by various graffiti artists at its last location. Work has just started on refurbishing it as a mess coach for P/Way to replace the Hawksworth coach which is in a very poor condition.

Also moved in the marathon shunt was an SO (Open Second) 3727 which has been sold. It is in a very dilapidated condition, and to the best of our recollection had not moved for over 20 years. It was with some trepidation that we dragged it out from the undergrowth where it had been standing, so that it could be made ready to depart. It has now been emptied out and tidied up, and will leave shortly for its new home.

During our marathon shunt, a set of B1 bogies was wheeled round to our new bogie overhaul area. They will be made ready to be inserted under the BSK 34929, and if possible that will also be done before the new season starts.

As you will know we have also recently been working on a Southern PMV No 1563, and a BR Ferry Van No 787004.  Neither is yet finished, but for January and February they have been moved outside to give us more covered space.

Moving those two vans out allowed us to get our resident 03 Diesel Shunter No D 2182 under cover this winter. The injectors have been playing up, and have been removed for overhaul. A full mechanical service is required, and whilst under cover we intend to repaint it into BR green with wasp stripe ends. Much of the old paint has been stripped off already and good progress is being made.

Once running finished, we hoped to make an early start on the service coaches, but we were thwarted by the big freeze. Virtually nothing happened for the first fortnight in January, and certainly nothing moved. Then, once we were able to make a start we brought the maroon and cream FK (Corridor First) 13329 into our Barn. This was because one of the vacuum cylinders had decided not to work, and needed rectification before services start again. It is always a good plan to make sure that brakes work.

The cylinder has been removed; overhauled and replaced (not without some difficulty in a very restricted place). Opportunity is being taken to freshen up the bodywork on this coach, and that should leave it fit to face a few more years work. The attached picture shows it receiving attention.

Both service sets are at Winchcombe, and we have been assisted by a number of Guards and TTI's in giving the interiors a thorough clean. It is an obvious opportunity to do so, and makes a real difference to the start of the season.

We had hoped that the BSO 9000 would be ready for the start of the new season in 2010, but that now looks unlikely. So, we shall have to keep the existing BSK (Brake Corridor Second) 34929 in place. This coach has been running for a number of years and is in need of a facelift, and has had a degree of attention. One of the things we have been able to do is to remove all the worn and torn seating in the four compartments, and replace it with eight identical spare seats we had. The long bench seats are enormously heavy and very difficult to manoeuvre, and this job certainly helped us to keep warm on a freezing cold day.

The other important job planned throughout February is to try and give the exterior of all of the service coaches a thorough clean. That is not as easy as it sounds. Grime, soot, oil and brake dust are ground into the paintwork, and washing with normal cleaning solutions has little effect. We have located some special 'train cleaning' chemicals, so hope that this will have the desired effect. If it does, we can make sure that our hard working carriage cleaning gang have a goodly supply throughout 2010.

Finally, if you have enjoyed reading this and would like to join us, please contact me or our volunteer liaison officer. You will be made very welcome.