Restoration news February 2009
by Hugh McQuade
Bridgnorth
Our Open First No 7511 has been receiving the final items of interior décor during February. These were made by the mother-in-law of SVR driver Duncan Chandler, up in Yorkshire - many thanks, Maureen!
Most of the work force on Saturdays during January and February have become involved with the manufacture of the lamp shades. Taking some 24 man-hours per shade to cut, drill and sew together with brass wire, these items have proved a tricky task to do.
With these final furnishings well in hand, we asked for 7511 to be moved down to Kidderminster to be reunited with its bogies. Movement is scheduled for early March. Entry into Kidder Works will be dependent on completion of two projects there, BR Restaurant Kitchen car No 1682, and LNER Open Third 43600, which is expected to be ready for service after the Gala weekend, so 7511 will probably spend a couple of weeks in the carriage storage shed at first.
Kidderminster
The mechanical workshop staff have made the Trust's recently acquired derelict Tourist Second Open ready to move. 4399's bogies are on loan to another member of the BR Maroon set, so a decent pair were made good for 4399 to live on during its restoration. 4399 will travel to Bridgnorth on 2 March, to take the place of 7511 in the cattle dock. During 2009 it is intended to clean it out, and use it for book sales while components are restored.
Also at Kidderminster
GWR Hawksworth style sleeping car No 9084 continues to move towards completion. Moved into the carriage shed from the works yard, 9084 has had its roof tank seams sealed and more sealing work on the corridor side gutter.
New GWR-style gangway and shields have been made and fitted to keep the weather out of the end vestibules. Missing bracketry for these has been reinstated from the stores, and the corridor partition doors rehung over the new lino. Paintshop volunteers have been carrying out these tasks under the direction of Hugh McQuade, Trust chairman and paintshop supervisor.
The electrical system is undergoing thorough testing and a number of faults on the original 24V system have been found and cleared up. A faulty transformer has been identified and parts are being obtained for it. Further new installation work is still required to create an emergency lighting circuit using lamps reclaimed from sister vehicle 9082. This work will be ongoing during the spring, in the hands of Malcolm Hanson and Gary Parsons.
Still at Kidderminster
The Trust's LMS design Corridor Composite No 24617, which was outshopped from the paintshop on 6 January, has been in store in the carriage shed, minus its third class seating. This was in need of new moquette covering, and the Trust has provided replica 1949-53 period cloth from its stocks. The stumbling block was that the SVR(H) could not authorize the work to commence until early February, owing to budget issues.
The work undertaken by our regular contractor was completed by 25 February, and the last components returned that day. Refitting of those four compartments worth of seats has been ongoing during mid February at the hands of paintshop staff and volunteers. Meanwhile, the whole LMS set has had a deep clean by the carriage shed cleaning gang, and will debut in its shiny form on the Gala weekend.