Monday 28 March 2016

Latest news 28th March 2016

Do you remember this from the last blog?  The hole under the toilet window on mark 2 TSO 5149


This is how it looks now!


Another repair further around, needs to blend in a bit better this one.


We hosted a photo charter on the weekend of 19th / 20th March which needed two coaches turning.  Here 35201 takes its turn.


And below, mark 1 SO 4477 takes its turn.


The photo charter went to the end of the extension, here the view is, to the rear, from the rear coach.


Looking the other way on the river Dulnain bridge.


The participants photographing the train on the bridge.


The view inside the storage shed with the photo charter vehicles missing.


Mark 2 BFK 17101 was outshopped for a second time, this time with its lining complete and coach number in place.


Inside the compartments were finished off with the addition of four pictures in each.  All are A4 size prints of former railway advertising posters.


Another compartment, every picture is different and of a Scottish theme.


Sunday 20 March 2016

Servicing continues

Mark 1 TSO 5060
This coach needed a lot of TLC, much more than was at first realised.  Here the rails that cover the top of the seats have been removed for tidying up.


The rails have been sanded down and given a new coat of varnish.


The seat wings in some areas needed re-upholstering, this was done in house.


A repair plate on top of the lino edge which was lifting.


5060 emerges into the sunlight


Fully outside, a dramatic turn around from the sad looking coach that went in two weeks previously.


Next attention turned to mark 2 TSO 5149, this coach had developed a large number of holes in the waist line.
This one has a small welded patch in the hole.


Further problems


Richard surveying the problems.


A really bad problem under the toilet window.


Next in for treatment was the pantry vehicle 25150 and mark 1 BFK 35069


No pictures available however, the former postal vehicl needed an overhauled brake cylinder and brake adjustment.
The air brake flexible pipes were removed and put away in storage.  The ends of the pipes were blanked off to keep dirt out.


The toilet in the former posties mess area was re-instated by curing a large number of water leaks.  This involved taking the roof panels down to expose the pipe work.  There were leaks in the ultra violet filter system, in the pipe work behind the wash hand basin and behind the panelling.  There were also leaks in the hot water boiler, which also had a siezed tap.  After all of this the only picture is of the new soil pipe from the toilet.


The next task was to move the lifting jacks aside as mark 2 BFK 17101 was coming in to have the lining finished off.  When working on the outside of a coach, the jacks tend to get in the way.
The jacks lined up at the side of the shed.


An unusually empty shed, but not for long.



Mark 1 BSK 35069 had been suffering from a leaking roof tank for most of last season.  As this involved removing the roof panels to drop the tank, it had to wait for a suitable time to do the job.
Bill and Jack dropped the tank, repaired it and had it back in position so quickly that the only picture that I could get was of it back in its position in the roof.
This tank was a stainless steel replacement made a few years ago.  It has been a problem ever since, this being the fourth time that it has been removed.  It was built without baffle plates inside, when the water level is around half way, the motion of the train causes the water to move and very slightly flex the metal joints on the tank causing them to break.  This time it was the joint around the filler cap which had been flexing and had eventually given way



Another consequence of the leak was danaged roof panels, here Bill Johnson paints the new panels.


 The new panels awaiting fitting.


Ahd finally fitted in place in the roof.


Next in was mark 2 BFK 17101 for finishing off of the lining.


 One of the outstanding jobs was the toilet flush valve,  known as a Victory valve.  The new valve had its outlets in a different place, therefore we had to swap the inner workings from the new one into the old one.


Painting the Guards in-swinging doors which didn't get completed in December.


The parcels area of 17101, this area has to double up as a wheelchair space, therefore we have painted it in a light / bright colour.


A view taken the other way showing the wheelchair space with seats for carers.


Progress on the weed killing wagon, the spray pipework is starting to be fitted.
 

The boom extended.