Category: Updates

First of all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, as it is that time of year, what better way to spend it than working on wagons!
51408 being our Christmas focus.

With B439708 now complete it was moved out of the shed on Monday.

With Nick, Ross and I, joined by Michael Sutton and Brandon Morley we continued the previous Sundays marathon scraping session.

Nick uncovered the tanks specific details. Tank number 10872 tested to a hydraulic pressure of 50lbs per square inch, tested on 09/07/1965. The remaining details ON 2552 NO1 we believe to be an order/lot number.

Monday ends with the east side striped, 3/4 of the North end and roughly 3/4 of the west side.

Tuesday and the scraping continues, Nick, Ross, Jake and I completing the West Side, North end and the south end almost complete. The top including the tank filler and breather was also attended to.

Wednesday, with Nick, Michael and I on site, and the final day of scraping, sanding and cleaning. With that complete we are ready for paint.

Thursday, or as some have come to call it Christmas Eve, again Nick, Michael and I on site applying the Etched Primer to the tank and tank mounts.

A brief respite for Christmas day and then back to the grind Saturday, sorry that’s Boxing day. The application of dark grey undercoat being the task of the day. Nick, Jake and I in attendance.

I also sign wrote a pair of OLE warning flashes for the Iron Ore hopper.

Sunday, a Full house with Nick, Ross, Jake, Dave and I in attendance joined by Michael. The aim being the application of the top coat. Gloss black being the colour of choice, we are going for a steam era livery although not prototypical for our specific vehicle it is more in keeping with our aims and that of the GCR.

The previously sign written OLE warning flashes were also fitted to the Hopper and the bolts painted white.

Finally for this bumper edition. Our next project receives a wash before it enters the shed after 51408 has left of cause.

So that completes 6 days of wagon fun and as always we shall let you know what we have been up to next week.

First we begin with a little admin.
Once again our thanks go out to our freinds at Timeline events who, along with Claire from Blue Flame Glass, have chosen to support our group as well as the Buccaneer Aviation Group.

Please help support us, Claire and the Buccaneers.
Blue Flame Glass Studio TimeLine Events Camera Bag Tag

£5 from your purchase will go towards us and the Buccaneers whilst the rest will help Claire to increase the size of her premises and begin glass making workshops.

Secondly a reminder that Madge, Jake and I, along with a number of others from the GCR will be joining Rob Bell on his show Walking Britain’s Lost Railways.
This will be aired on Friday 18th December 8pm, Channel 5.

On to the update, in the week, Dick has been working on the Hopper, painting the Sole bar

Saturday and for me a full day of Sign Writing . Ably assisted by Dave and Eireni. Templates were chalked, applied, drawn and removed.

Running number, Gross weight, Tare, Wheel base and to top it off full instructions on how to open and close the hopper door applied. At the end of the day all that remained was the East Side door closing instructions and a wagon plate.

On to the Tank and the end shields, welded in position as part of its brake testing test bed days, were removed, returning the vehicle to its more traditional look.

The tank was then lifted to fully inspect the Gloucester Pedestal Suspension and ensure free and correct operation.

Opportunity was also taken to inspect the underframe and look at the brake rigging.

When the wagon returned to terra firma, suspension compression and buffer heights were measured as a base line, the wagon will be taken for a rattle down the siding during the week and the measurements then rechecked.

The inevitable scraping down of the vehicle then began, with Eddie taking the lead.

Back to the hopper and the door handwheels, down and up lock operating handles and vacuum swan necks were painted white.

On to Sunday and all hands to the Hopper. Dave and I completed the signwriting. The end of the essay and door operating wheel for me.

For Dave the final wagon plate and tidying up his efforts from Saturday, an excellent start for someone who has never signwriten before.

Nick and Jake concentrated there efforts on the underframe. Nick scraping with Jake following and applying the bitumen.

Dave and I also moved on to the underframe. First with the scraping followed by Dave assisting Jake paint the underframe.

I followed with the white undercoat applying to hand brake and axle box ends.

Dave’s last task was to clean and polish the fescalised portion of the Oleos

This moves the Hopper tantalising close to completion. B439708 has never ran on the GCR, since preservation in 2005, having played second fiddle to alot of other projects it’s time is finally upon us.

That completes our update for this week, and as always, more next week.

Our secondment to Rothley continues, first our thanks to the guys at Rothley C&W and the Operations department, A4513 and B954546 were moved out of the shed, with the tank continuing on to Swithland and replaced with another wagon, more on that shortly but first a pair of images of our completed vehicles with thanks to Jamie Swanson.

So on to the one brought up from Swithland, apart from the 3 Rudds, our youngest wagon in the fleet, although this does mean a build date of 1965. The former china clay slurry tank number STL 51408

Before it enters the workshop, the usual green detritus was washed off.

Work on B439708 continues with the South East corner support and ladder removed, straightened and rewelded into position. The lower portion was also replaced, manufactured from two suitable L angle pieces.

Undercoat was applied to the upper surfaces red to the hopper body and deck.

White undercoat to the door hand wheel and operating handles.

The galvanised through pipe was also primed and undercoated.

On to Sunday and with brushes in hand we applied the Gloss coat to the hopper.

With a morning of painting complete we again turned to the tank. With two unserviceable buffers, South East and North West, bolts were removed with hot spanner assistance.

Once removed the area of the headstock was scraped and metal primer applied.

This allowed the replacement buffers to be fitted.

Vacuum pipes were removed and new pipes prepared.

New Vacuum dummies were also fitted to replace those missing.

It was also good to see trains return to the railway. Santa Specials and Winter Wonder Lights.

My favourite activity next weekend as the signwriting brushes are due to come out and as always we shall let you all know what we achieve.

We begin with a statement, to clarity our access to the tops of vehicles such as roofs and tanks are via prebuilt staging or scaffolding , this is positioned both sides of a vehicle therefore reducing the distance if someone were to fall, this is compliant with the Working at Height Regulations 2005 and specifically relates to Article 6 Para 5. In addition we allocate a spotter to watch personnel to ensure they do not place themselves in a position of danger. Our images do not readily show these scaffolds and platforms in place as our focus is on the vehicle its self, and usually once the work has been carried out. We are more than happy to discuss our High Level Access Arrangements and share our Risk Assessments with anyone willing to openly discuss this with us.

So, once again we begin in the week, Thursday this time as I popped in to sign write B852838, lettering was applied to both sides were required.

Once complete, I woke Madge up and added a H to my trailer thanks to information provided by Peter Smeaton.

I also took the opportunity to line the trailers up for posterity.

On to Saturday and the main task being the removal of Jack’s tank from the tankflat. This is leaving to join our good friends at Up’ an’ at ’em History. This will become part of there bespoke World War I history sessions and events.

Ross and Eireni focused on Danny. Refitting the newly refirbished steering box and reassembling the vehicle. This was to allow a test of the fully rebuilt vehicle. The first movement by it’s self for over a year.

I continued on my trailer adding a number plate light. Whilst Dave and Jake rebutuimened the deck.

Most importantly however we celebrated Jake’s 18th Birthday with a specially baked cake. Happy Birthday Jake.

Back to Rothley Sunday. I continued on A4513 applying the Shell / BP lettering as well as the south end running number.

I also tidied up the sole bar plates and applied the Vacuum release stars to B954546.

Jake tidied up and repainted the springs and axle boxes of A4513

Nick and Eddie began to prepare B439708. Begining the process of removing loose paint, rust and other detritus.

That concludes this week’s update. More as always next week.

As stated by Boris, voluntary work should continue due to both the mental well being it brings to volunteers and the crucial part they play in the survival of the organisations they volunteer for. The GCR agreed with this statement and our work continues. However just in case this was not to be Dave and I made our way to Quorn on Wednesday to add a top coat to my trailer.

With the news volunteer work could continue we began by adding gloss to the plywood for B852838.

A little later than planned but with the pressure now off we could relax knowing it wouldn’t be 4 weeks until we were back on site. We began on my trailer. It was moved into the sun to warm up and dry off.

Moved back we started the topcoating. Crimson for me and Black for Dave

On to Saturday with the main task being the replacement of some of B852838s van sides, Jake demonstrating why it has become necessary.

Nick, Ross, Jake and Dave focused on this task. Bolts and panels removed from the west side. The backs of the frames were cleaned up, rotten wood hovered up and red oxide applied.

New sides were measured and trimmed to length, these had be left slightly long to allow for any possible variation

The sides were then drilled and fitted.

I tasked Eireni with two items of signwriting, the replacement common user plate for B850498 and the maximum speed side for my trailer.

I of course continued with the painting of my trailer,

I also fitted some lighting units, which will need wiring up, as well as the number plate holder and Eireni’s signwritten 20 sign.

On to Sunday and to the East side for B852838 only one section to be replaced with Nick, Ross and Jake focussing on this. Old side out, new trimmed, red oxide to the rear of the frame, drilled and bolted up. It is of cause easier and quicker to type about what was done than to actually do it. Jake cut and primed a new chalk board and this was also fitted.

Eireni and I continued with my trailer. I applied the lettering whilst they painted the coupler.

This last push resulted in a completed trailer including 2 triangular reflectors fitted to the mud guards. Just the wiring to do at some point.

Sign writing continued on to the other two trailers, with CT 11246 E and T 86256 E receiving new fleet numbers, research has discovered Loughborough Midland Station had a trailer with the fleet number D26, those around the London terminuses began with the letter A so we have decided to place our other trailers in the D2 series numbered in the order of purchase.

Final task was to fit the replacement non common user plate to B850498

Eddie was also on site Saturday and Sunday continuing the scraping and preparation of the site dumper known as Danny
That concludes this update, and as always more next week.

Once again we face lockdown and await guidance from the GCR as to whether our activities may continue, until then……… Saturday and a split for the gang. Dave and I remained at Quorn, whilst Nick, Ross, Jake and Eireni went to Rothley.

At Quorn Dave applied undercoat to the plywood cut for the Shocvan last week.

Whilst I manufactured, primed and undercoated a 20mph speed restriction sign for my new trailer, a replacement non common user sign for the WR pattern Shocvan and a plate for the Test Cars slip lamp.

We then moved to keying my trailer ready for undercoat and applying primer to bare areas of metal.

At Rothley the task of wiring the yellow coach continued, with it being pulled through the majority of the trunking.

Eireni painted the southern vestibule with our imitation formica orange as mixed many months ago.

On to Sunday, Dave and I once again at Quorn joined by Eddie with Nick, Ross and Jake at Rothley. The wiring tasks continued with the full run for the new sockets installed.

Before Ross headed to Rothley he striped Danny of removable components that can be taken away if the inevitable happens. Eddie spent the day preparing these parts for further work.

A Rothley Nick applied the correct colours to the brake pipes on B954546 as well as top coat to the rain strips replaced in a previous update.

At Quorn I glossed the plates manufactured the previous day whilst Dave re-undercoated the van sides, there was a slight issue with that used the previous day as it would not take a gloss coat.

The undercoating continued with Dave and I applying it to my trailer.

So as I said at the beginning of this update, we will have to see what the week brings us.

This week’s update predominantly features our vintage road vehicles, the main focus of which was the Timeline Events photo charter held on Friday. The focus being Quorn yard, were we attempted to recreate Goods Yard scenes of a bygone era. We saw the first public appearance of B786181. We believe this is the first time since at least 1968 it has been moved by Steam traction, in the form of BR Standard Class 2 78018.

Matt was also happy as we saw the return to the railway, after a 5 year hiatus, of Wilbur. This is Matt’s 1968 8 cwt Morris Commercial Van. Meeting Madge for the first time, the pair look stunning in their BR Crimson and Cream livery.

Another Charter depute was Nick’s Mk1 Transit van, carrying the livery of his late father’s business. Although a 1972 registration the Mk1 Transit began production in 1965. Nick and Matt both intend to purchase show plates with more age appropriate steam era plates for these types of events.

Left Hand image courtesy of David Pond
Right Hand image courtesy of Mark Cullen

The Charter raised the group some additional funds and we send our thanks to Neil and his team. We hope the photographers enjoyed what we were able to bring together for the event. Below are a few images.

Images courtesy of Mark Cullen

Images courtesy of David Pond

Images courtesy of Nick Halling

On Saturday, we wrapped up after the charter, tidying items away and sorting out our ‘props’ vans. Matt sorted out Madge and I undertook a little bit of work on Wilbur, tightening a loose alternator belt and changing one of the mounting bolts to make them the same size.

Jake and Nick got four sheets of ply to begin production of the side sheets to repair B852838. This van got measured and the sheets cut in the CCT, out of the rain. These were then stood up in the CCT and painted into primer. These have been left to dry after which they will be undercoated and glossed before they are fitted to the van. Dave and Richard helped with the cutting of the sheets, and Jake hoovered up after us. Matt and Nick readied the lorry and loaded the Scammell dolly on to it ready for tomorrow. I also fitted the new handbrake pawl spring and skip catch springs to Danny.

Dave finished off by sanding back the undercoat on Danny’s seat and applying a first coat of grey gloss to the top side of the seat.

On to Sunday, Nick and Matt heading off on a road trip, again our thanks to Kenway for the loan of their 7.5T lorry. Heading north to High Green the trip was to pick up Matts latest purchase, a Taskers Trailer for Madge, this is a 15ft trailer and will be more prototypical behind the Scarab.

Back at Quorn Jake continued the mid project tidy, clearing out our used can mountain amongst other tasks

Eddie and James were also on site, continuing the paint prep for Danny.

Eddie also brought some more parcels, the pile is almost touching the roof.

Nick and Matt returned and after unloading by Volvo, the trailer was tested with Madge.

With the weather now turning and the light failing in the afternoons its likely our updates will move to Rothley, but as always we shall let you know next week.