It was a holiday for some people but not for (apologies if I’ve missed anyone out!):
David Wright, Claire & Tom Wright (Dave’s parents), Tom Allen, James Hazell, and Andy Carter – who all spent large portions of the Christmas and New Year break at Rothley Carriage Works progressing 17099. The Railway’s C&W staff were on holiday for the week, which meant that there was a chance to get ’99 into the shed for a few days so that various bits of bodywork and painting could be done under cover, and so that the NDT testing could be carried out over the pit just before Christmas.
The results of their hard work are amazing: Tom Wright managed to get the whole roof cleaned and painted, despite the fact that the roof of the carriage shed is not insulated, so it attracts condensation which falls as rain every morning when the sun hits the roof and thaws the icicles.
Tom Allen managed to put in the majority of the wiring, and Dave and James managed to cut out and patch the holes in the body panels. The team also managed to pretty much complete the kitchen area, apart from the appliances which can’t be bought off the shelf.
Kitchen, just add kettle, oven and fridge (and tea-pot!)
A lot of paint has been spread around the inside of the coach as well, including the ceilings and walls in the (former) cage area and the guard’s compartment. All of the seating in the compartments has been re-instated and will be contract cleaned in due course. The door locks are next for attention, and will be sent off for overhaul shortly.
Hugh took some homework away with him before the break, so he returned to site on Monday with a new set of battery box doors, some footboards and various other wooden parts that he’d made up over the break.
There's still work to do, but it's great to see such progress! Now that the C&W staff are back at work, the coach has been shunted back out into the snow but that doesn't mean the work stops.
Battery box covers and their ironwork laid out ready for painting
So 5305 Locomotive Association would like to say a huge thank you to all of them and to the volunteers who put in time and effort on the association’s other projects over the festive period, and who looked after the engines which were in traffic for the GCR.
By Info | Wednesday, January 6, 2010 | Tags : 45305