As our last update stated from Monday we could return to normally scheduled activities. So a few of us decided to hit the ground running. If you follow the Rothley C&W facebook page you will have seen what we have been up too. Monday with Dave and I chalking up 3436.
Jake joining us and focusing on the details, those being the swan necks and air pipes, along with the axle boxes, brake levers and cast lettering.
I applied the OLE warning flashes refurbished way back on New Years day
Then I applied gloss white to the previously primed oval plates and also masked and painted the twin high speed traffic stars.
Then with mahl sticks in hand Dave and I began signwriting, Dave initially focussing on the sole bar details and the tank for me.
Dave also had a go at the west and north numbers as well as the yellow for the commuted charge symbols, broadening his signwriting abilities.
Whilst we focused on the tank the C&W team through piped our recently arrived chassis. As well as a few spots of welding and grinding the upper surfaces flush. More on this in future updates.
As well as work on the tank and chassis. Michael and Jake applied top coat Gloss and Bitumen to the Single Bolster, our apologies for not capturing any images of this.
On to Tuesday with the signwriting continuing. Dave completed the final sole bar “plate
I started by chalking up and applying the Esso lettering to the east plate.
With his signwriting confidence building I encouraged him to have a go at the main Esso company branding. Giving encouragement and advice when needed, certainly regards bigger being better, and we are talking brushes.
For me the focus was the remaining details. Axle cover lettering painted red, this is a prototypical alternative to the red stripe indicating bearing greasing requirements. Commuted charge details and OLE warning flash screws painted white.
Finally the west side Esso logo was applied. I gave my Tamiya curve tape a try, although its no replacement for traditional signwriting.
That completes 3436, signwriting one vehicle however was not enough and Dave also applied the markings to the Single Bolster, although missing the bolster we do have some future plans for this vehicle.
On to Wednesday morning and the GCR C&W team moving 3436 outside ready for us to begin our next tank DB998926.
We begin, scraping and sanding down the Creosote tank including its underframe.
Dave replaced a gate valve on the end of the tank with a blanking plate, this was fitted when the vehicle was in use as a water tank and of course not prototypical of the creosote tank it is. He then applied a coat of wood primer.
With the tank being rather small and in a reasonable condition, quick work was made of the preparation.
On to Thursday and after a quick blow down we spot primed the vehicle.
With the heating on and a quick drying primer we turned to applying undercoat to the vehicle.
To round off the week, black gloss was the order of the day for Friday.
So on to the weekend and a final push for the creosote tank. Dave and I once again mahl sticks in hand. Dave focusing on the west side and the east side for me.
Jake once again focusing on the details, fitting new vacuum hoses, painting swan necks, brake levers and cast lettering details.
With that, the second tank wagon for the week and number 6 for the tank wagon train complete.
The vehicle was then shunted out of the shed and joined its Esso counterpart whilst the Ferry Tank entered the shed.
Our full attention however turned to the Yellow Coach. Ross and Dave sanding down the filler applied many months ago.
Nick and I turned to the gangway ends. Riveting our repair plate above the North Gangway and reassembling.
We also fitted a inter vehicle connector, although this is not wired into the coach it replaces the departmental connector which will be moved to the South end to enable us to connect this vehicle with the Test Car at Quorn.
The vehicles examined last weekend and the Single Bolster were shunted away by the Ops department who also brought up from Swithland the Bogie Bolster D, requiring exam.
We also have a better view of the Chassis kindly through piped by Pat and Jamie, the C&W fitters.
With the sealer out Nick went around the coach sealing those areas requiring it whilst Ross and Dave began the second fill.
To wrap up the day we took a look at the sole bar lighting as a number of strips had failed
On to Sunday and we begin at Quorn, Eddie has been squirreling away boxes for us so we had to have a quick sort out of the theatrical vans, we seem to now have 3 of them. We consolidated all of the “parcels” into one van. We did however leave a trail as we chose to move the parcels with Danny our dumper.
This leaves us with a dedicated parcels van, a mixed merchandise van and a Animal feed van. We are now focusing on a bulk load, more on this in the future.
Back to Rothley and Ross and Dave continuing to sand the yellow coach,
Nick and Jake looked at the Bogie Bolster, carrying out its exam and a vacuum test. As expected some work to carry out on the braking system, but this will be when we move back to Quorn.
I carried out a repair to the South end of the yellow coach with a slight modification to move water away from the wooden gangway support as this coach will be stood in all weathers once back at Quorn. Nick also applied a mount for a socket which will connect the coach to the Test Car to enable us to power it from the Test Cars Generator.
After a sweep down Ross and Dave started coach fill number 3.
Nick and I them moved to the Ferry Tank and removed the handrail in preparation for replacing the floor which has become quite corroded. Nick also made a start at removing the floor rivets.
To top the week of, whilst Dave carried out some housekeeping Jake took the opportunity to rest after what has been a mammoth week of restoration.
3 vehicles out shopped and a further 2 worked on. Thankfully back to work for a rest and as always more next week.
