The flooring company representative called as requested at 1000 hrs on the following Saturday April 12th. The job presented no problems and will take two or three days. One for latexing the floor and generally preparing it and the second for laying the actual flooring. The colour does not exactly match but is a dark blue with a dark fleck pattern. I'm glad that's sorted out as it will represent a major step forward in the restoration.
The underside of the No. 1 body side tumblehome was then finished and red oxided. The clips that hold the copper piping in place were then cleaned and red oxided.
I spent the rest of a delightful spring day in finishing the under sides of the No. 2 tumblehome. I cut out where required and ground down the rest ready for red oxiding. The frames on the No. 2 side had already been re-oxided but were gone over again and repainted together with the underside.
Sunday was once again a fine day so I started by fashioning and welding into place the final floor/side panel in the main saloon. I was intending to finish off the buffer beam ready for red oxiding but decided that some work on the No. 1 bogie brakes was in order.
The brakes had progressively got tighter and tighter as the unit had been run. I originally thought that the problem was in the linkages between brake cylinder and brake blocks being choked with either cement dust and/or rust. After removing and cleaning down a couple of pins I realised the problem was not within the linkage itself but within the vacuum cylinder. It would rise but would not fall the full distance, being about an inch short of full travel. This of course held the brakes on just sufficiently to bind badly.
Once the pin between piston rod and linkage was removed the brakes came fully off. The piston had to be reconnected with help from a jack and some packing to get the arm in position.
Kevin and Angie arrived on the railway at about 1430 hrs. just in time for dinner and a good look around. Both were duly impressed with the railway and personnel. After Angie rode off home Kevin, Dave Stokes and I re-addressed the vacuum problem. With the Class 25 providing vacuum we attempted to free the recalcitrant piston but to no avail. It only appeared to stick slightly more. In the end I knocked out the pin and left the brakes free. At least the unit can be moved with no binding brake troubles.
The general opinion was that because the piston was rising the rolling ring is in order and the problem is being caused by the rod sticking. A word with Nick and Dick will be arranged for next weekend.
Kevin in the meantime had acquired a new 'top-hat' and seal for the piston gland packing from Bletchley. I will fit these next Saturday after Kevin arrives. Similarly with a quick rub over with the Sporting Times or more exactly a fine emery paper I will clean the piston rod of any rust or cement.
I contacted John Price on the SVR who had had the same problem and he recommended a complete greasing and oiling around of all the brake rigging and a full lubricating of the whole vacuum system with graphite. To this end I am trying to find some graphite powder to lubricate the whole cylinder. I shall also have a word with Chris Hatton at Reading Depot when he returns to work on Thursday. I shall also remove the release valve and clean that up as it does not look in too good a condition.
During the following week I bought 5 litres of Shipley's Chassis Black Gloss paint ready to paint the mainframes and underside of the bodyside tumblehomes. Providing the weather remains fine this is one job I shall undertake over the next weekend.
Chris was at work on Thursday when I contacted him and his immediate pronouncement was a twisted rolling ring. He outlined a method of getting the piston and hence ring back into position but I suspect that doing that will only be a temporary fix. He said do not under any circumstances put graphite in the system. The graphite was used on old GWR style vacuum cylinders with a fixed ring not on the later BR equivalent with a rolling ring.
That left the decision already made. I would not touch the assemblies now but remove both vacuum cylinders and have them overhauled by contract. I could then overhaul the rest of the brake gear. How to do it was another problem. I was under the impression that I would need to take out the bogie(s) to effect the removal of the cylinder(s) from above so I made enquiries to the cost of a crane hire. It worked out at £550 per 8 hrs. The other method was to jack and pack. Neither idea appealed so I decided to ask Nick and Dick the Tyseley lads on Saturday. I also inquired about the SVR overhauling the cylinders and will contact Alun Rees next week for a quote.
On Friday the quote from the flooring company arrived and although it was more than I had hoped for I was quite happy to accept it. Work on the floor will be done over the week I am working on the roof.
Saturday, April 19th, came and as soon as Nick and Dick were in I asked about the cylinder removal. Word had already reached them via Dave so Nick was ready with the answer. No need to lift the body or remove the bogie simply drop the front portion of the brake rigging undo the cylinder retaining bolts and drop it down. Easy when you know how. I felt a lot better. Tyseley has got a special hydraulic lift device that they use when replacing vacuum cylinders. Nick will ascertain the availability of this useful tool. I felt even better. The job will be done over the summer when the unit is on the back road being repainted.
Although the weekend was fine it was cold with a north easterly wind blowing. However onward ever onward so I started to paint the frames and body side underpanels. It took me two days constant work to complete both sides but they do look good. The piping on either side can now be repainted and refitted. I shall also purchase some signal red paint for the buffer beams and hopefully, complete the frames for the diesel weekend.
Kevin came down for the Saturday afternoon and we sorted out various spares for 55023. We did not need to undertake any further work on the unit so we finished about 1730 hrs. I would like Kevin to be there when we drop the cylinder(s) as we will no doubt need the expertise for 55023 someday.
Because of the cylinder problem I have asked that the unit only be used with the two car set. I would like to leave the errant cylinder disconnected as I would not like to risk a failure in traffic. Bob has agreed to amend the plans accordingly even if 55003 is only used as a static exhibit.
Sunday, April 20th, came and went as I continued painting the frames but at the end I was in a far happier frame of mind than at the start of the weekend. May will see the completion of a couple of large parts of the restoration.
During the following week I purchased paint for the buffer beams and electrical piping i.e. signal red and orange and a light grey for the air inlets for the heaters. I also purchased a paint of Hammerite 'smooth' silver for the speedo and other ancillary piping. The gods must have realised this because from Friday until Sunday morning it rained. The land certainly needed the rain and in the end it was a godsend for me. When I looked in the main saloon the floor was soaked from water leaking in during the heavy rain.
I decided therefore to clean the guttering and to investigate the main leak on the unit on the No. 1 side. I found the guttering still cluttered with years of rubbish even though the lads at Chinnor had made a valiant attempt to clean it out. Once clear, well as clear as I could get it, I found that the guttering and indeed the whole body work sags in the middle about 3/4 in. on the No. 1 side. This has been caused by repeated removing of the guttering and replacement of the body panels. This caused the water to collect above the waterline of the guttering and galvanised steel roof sheets on both sides. Hence the rusting.
Eventually I found the point of ingress of the water into the saloon and once the rains had abated on Saturday afternoon I cleaned out the hole. This of course made things worse and the bucket used to collect the water on the inside, 2 gallons, filled up in 25 minutes!! I stopped the hole up with wood and material jammed into the guttering and left it until the next fine day. The water seeped away between the joints in the guttering and the inside remained dry. This of course caused the problem of rust in the body panels and window frames.
Sunday, April 27th, dawned damp and overcast but as the day drew on the weather brightened up. I decided that the best solution to the leak was to grind out the rust hole and fill with body filler. For the guttering itself I decided to put a drain at the point the guttering went above the two small windows between the two saloons. This being the low point of the sag. The unit originally had been fitted with drains on the four corner holes with pipes running down the cab hand holds. I will refit drains at these points but not the full length piping as this gets clogged up too easily. The centre drain was made by using an 'L' shaped piece of metal with a fluted brass drain inserted. The guttering was drilled and the piece fitted to the outside and underside of the guttering by brass bolts. This takes the water away from the body side. Once fitted the guttering was tested and the fitting proved a success. The brass drain will need to be sealed better to minimalise water leakage down the body work.
Sunday afternoon was quite warm and the sun eventually broke through. I painted and refitted the high side vacuum pipe along the number one side. I also painted the wiring run along the number two side ready for refitting. Both were done in chassis black. I washed down the bogies on the No. 2 side ready for topcoating also in black. Various other ancillary bits were also cleaned down and painted black.
We finally agreed that the unit will not be run during the diesel weekend but will be put in the bay for static exhibition. This will also allow me better access to the unit for the jobs planned.
The week before the diesel weekend, May 5th to May 9th, I decided to have a weeks 'work-in' to get various large jobs completed. The first was to clean and paint the roof area, the second to get the flooring relaid and the third to clean the seat squabs and backs. To this end I had already ordered the roof paint from Mason's Paint of Derby, arranged with the flooring layer to start on the Wednesday and for the carpet cleaner to come to Cranfield also on the Wednesday. However due to the vagaries of the English weather this did not work out as planned.
The weekend previous, May 3rd and 4th, was fine and warm and I began on the arduous task of stripping down the roof. The centre of the roof between the two sets of air ventilation inlets was scraped down during Saturday, May 3rd. Because of shunting movements I decided to leave the roof until later and bolted down the No. 2 side wire run that I had painted black the previous weekend. The unit was then moved into the bay platform on Saturday afternoon so that access to the roof was easier off the platform. Saturday evening was spent in Bletchley yard assisting in the scrapping of Class 117 No. 51359. Sunday was spent in wire brushing the centre area to remove the cement dust that had set on the surface from the years sojourn at Chinnor, This was the easy part of the job.
Monday, May 5th, was a bank holiday Monday so work was conducted around the gathered throngs. It consisted in chipping off the old paint from the No. 1 side and wire brushing off the cement dust. The final job that day once the public had departed was to clean out the guttering on the No 1 side completely.
Tuesday, May 6th, was a day of cold winds, rain, hail, snow and bright warm intervals. I spent time chipping off the paint on the No. 2 side and cleaned out the saloons ready for the floorer on Wednesday. After speaking with the carpet cleaner we decided to give the seat cleaning a miss until better weather was forecast.
Wednesday, May 7th, was very much like May 6th, cold and wet. The floorer arrived prompt at 0800 hrs. and began work. I assisted with some small jobs he requested to make the flooring better. However by noon it was obvious that the floor was in a worse state than was originally envisaged. The floorer had to use a lot more latex screed to level the floor than was anticipated. By 1500 hrs. the floor was screeded and was then left to dry. I continued chipping paint off the No. 2 side of the roof.
Thursday, May 8th, was again very much like May 7th, cold and wet. It did brighten up in the late afternoon. The floorer arrived at about 1300 hrs. He did what he could as the floor screed was not dry in all areas. In fact such was the weather that it had begun to 'sweat' in some areas, was dry in others and had not set in others. I continued chipping and wire brushing down the No. 2 side of the roof. I also cleaned out the No. 2 side guttering completely.
Friday, May 9th, dawned bright and fair and was to remain so except for a few light spots of rain in the late afternoon. I was able to finish off the No. 2 side cleaning down and managed to get the first coat of etched primer on the roof. This will protect the roof until I can do the undercoat and topcoat(s) later in the year.
Saturday, May 10th, was the first day of the diesel weekend and the floorer came in at 1300 hrs to commence laying the linoleum. By the end of the day he had floored the small saloon and one piece in the main saloon. Everyone said it looked good and I agreed.
Sunday, May 11th, Angie and I arrived at about 0900 hrs. and the floorer was already hard at work. By 1400 hrs. the floor was complete. It definitely looked good. During the afternoon with Dick and Brian's assistance a door window was changed. This was the first time any of us had changed a glass in an aluminium door.
With the remains of the flooring Brian Ashby now has enough to replace a piece in 9102 and Kev now has enough the patch bits in the RBR. Brian also took the fibreglass insulation off cuts to make seat 'ears' for 5100.
The week ended with half the goals achieved. The flooring was a total success and is now complete in both saloons. The roof has been cleaned and primed and awaits undercoat and topcoat. The guttering is clear but now requires removal in places in order to replate the rusted side panels. The seat backs and squabs are still in my garage uncleaned. One door window has been replaced and the broken main window is ready to be replaced by Dick and or Brian next weekend.
The next major task is to refurbish the side panels. This will be started next weekend with the removal of the guttering. I'm not looking forward to this but Nick and Dick say it is the only way.
As is the way with the English weather when the following weekend arrived it was forecast for rain. I began with grinding down the body side panel by the guard's van. However the two car had to painted green ready for the Thomas weekend over the next bank holiday so I volunteered to assist before the rains came.
Dick and Nick arrived about 1000 hrs. and we set to replace the broken glass in the main saloon. The removal of the glass was no problem and the soap was soaked ready for the replacement. The disaster struck. The piece of glass that Bletchley depot assured me was a DMU side window glass turned out to be 1.5'' too short i.e. it didn't fit.
In order to cover up the window I cut up a piece of white boarding and replaced the glass with that. I shall remove all the glass and replace with board so that all the glass can be cleaned and the panelling can be properly sorted out.
Dick and I checked the various stores about the line for a replacement window but our luck was out. However Dick did find a box of air filters so I can replace the temporary ones fitted.
We started on the two car and finished both ends and one side of each car when the heavens opened up and the railway was deluged.
Sunday I went down to Chinnor to photograph 55023 for Kevin.
Monday I telephoned City Glass who can arrange for replacement toughened glass panes to be cut in about a week. I will have 3 main panes and 3 small panes made. One each for Kevin, Dick and me.
The following weekend was late May bank holiday weekend and also the railway's first Thomas weekend. The gods smiled and throughout the weekend the weather was excellent.
The unit had been moved to the back road behind the Class 45. Access to the sides and roof is at the best poor on this road but I had decided to make a start on re-etching the roof in preparation for undercoating. So with the aid of a ladder and some scaffolding the job was started.
Nick had gone for three weeks holiday in South Africa so only Dick arrived on the Saturday. After a brief conflab on the unit roof we decided to remove the remainder of the glass at the end of the day after I had finished the roof and Dick had finished sorting out the PMV.
The roof took all most of the day from 0900 hrs to 1630 hrs. Once finished Dick and I removed the glass and I stored it in the main saloon. Then with the aid of Kevin's jig-saw I cut out the necessary hard board inserts. Dick then inserted them in the window frames and the job was completed by 1815 hrs.
The following day, Sunday May 25th, started warm and got warmer. I began undercoating the unit at 0900 hrs. and finished at 1900 hrs.. When I weighed myself I had lost 8 lbs. in weight!!! The undercoat is a deep blue colour and even if I say so myself looks extremely good. It has covered in one coat and the roof now awaits the top coat of matt black. It will have to wait a few weeks as I'm fed up of going onto the roof at present.
Richard came by and we discussed the welding to be done on the panels. He was of the opinion that Valentine's will not be needed and all of what we need to do can be achieved by patching. That's good news as he will also do the welding.
I myself was very tired by this time so I decided to have a break on the bank holiday Monday and help out in the signal box as I'd put my name down for the signalman's course.
Monday once again dawned very warm and I managed a couple of small jobs on the unit before going into the box. One door on the unit had been jammed ever since I had taken delivery of it. I managed to kick it open and discovered the problem. A new wooden pillar had been inset and the wood had warped thus causing the door to jam. With a quick plane down the door now opens a lot better but still needs more attention. I also swept out the unit and laid the remaining paper to protect the new flooring. I then retired to the box.
Saturday had seen 1500 people attend the Friends of Thomas event, Sunday 2500 people but Monday exceeded all expectations with approximately 3000 people! The signalbox was open to visitors. I spent a very hard working but pleasant day being taught the ropes but then being able to explain things to the people who came up to see the box. Finally a whole gang of us went down in the Class 25 to move the bufferstops across so that 'Thomas' could leave for the SVR on the following Wednesday.
Angie's dad and step mother were visiting Bedford on a short break so all four of us came to the railway for a short visit on the Tuesday. This was the first time that John and Gay had seen the unit. What they made of it I'm not sure. I think it was a lot bigger than what they expected. Both engines fired up on cue and everyone was pleased, me especially. I think the unit feels at home I know I do.