Rolling stock, restoration and new build projects

Fantastic work!

Keith

 

I agree, the S&C are not up there in the top flight, yet, but the quality of your work shines through,

 

Looks really great - and thanks for sharing the photos.

Steve B

 

The on-going restoration of TSO 3809 can be viewed through the NSRC Facebook page. Arriving on the Churnet Valley in February this year, the plan is to have the vehicle in service for Christmas...
https://www.facebook.com/nsrc1978/

Getting closer, though posting this has also made me realise we've not done an update for a few weeks so I shall chase that...

 

Excellent work. Its funny how passengers do not get it when you ask them politely to get their feet off the seats or stop little Jonny from jumping up and down on them in his Wellies.

 

That really is looking incredibly good. Surely not long before a coat of paint or two is applied, even if the finishing date is still some way off yet?

 

Rebuild of Gresley TK No. 10021 which was built in 1924 and formed part of the 1928 'Flying Scotsman' Set coming on very well at Bo'ness. New teak paneling has been fitted since the easing of lockdown in Scotland in July, all external windows fitted with new toughened safety glass and new beading fitted. Work in the winter will focus on completing the rebuild of the interior: newly upholstered seats are in store waiting to be fitted, picture frames and luggage racks have been produced too. First coats of varnish have also been applied to the north side of the coach.

 

Further progress on Gresley TK No. 10021. Lining of the coach has started on the north side after the necessary four coats of varnish had been achieved, although the team only got to two on the south side and cannot progress this task any further until the temperatures rise again in the spring. Reconstruction of the interior compartments is well underway with radiators and seat backs fitted. Reconstruction of the compartments will continue over Winter as and when lockdown allows. Major tasks, funding dependent, for 2021 will include fitting new gangways and bogie overhaul. If you can help out with a small donation it would be warmly received: www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/gresleycoach

 

Another C&W project commenced in the summer at Bo'ness, being the restoration of Glasgow & South Western Railway Third Corridor No. 731 to museum condition and occasional use at Bo'ness. The restoration is taking place in the workshops of the Museum of Scottish Railways so, when the Museum reopens at the end of March 2021, restoration progress will be visible to all.

Project Blurb:
"No. 731 was built by BCRW in 1914 to the design of a third class corridor coach. It worked express trains to Carlisle for the Glasgow & South Western Railway and later, the LMS, before passing into BR ownership in 1948. In 1954 it was sold to the Royal Navy for service on their internal system at Bandeath. Later, it passed into SRPS ownership in 1969. It is an extremely important vehicle in historic terms: representative of express rail travel for ordinary people, and the sole survivor of 1187 passenger carriages owned by the G&SWR.

It has been assessed by the NRM as being of “exceptional national importance”. It has suffered over the years, but crucially, the interior of the vehicle is 90% original G&SWR material. It is therefore one of the most important vehicles within the SRPS collection.

It is more than capable of restoration, and indeed some components have already been obtained for this to take place. There is a team in place ready to return her to pristine condition – the same team who have already done this with our wonderful Manson passenger brake, No 122." Picture of completed No. 122 attached to this thread.

Progress so far:
Strict policies for the restoration of the coach are in place given the historic nature of the vehicle, including the retention of as much G&SWR material as possible. The first pictures show the starting point, with progress visible in those that follow.

The North side of the coach has had any panels which remained, and were not salvageable, removed, the framework repaired and new paneling fitted. Production of mouldings for this side of the coach is now taking place in the home workshops of volunteers given the site at Bo'ness has been closed to non-essential works due to tier 4 status.

Can you help?
Any donations would be gratefully received by the SRPS towards the cost of this project. These can be made online through Virgin Giving (www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/GSWRcoach) or if you wish to donate by cheque/bank transfer please send me a private message and I can arrange for this!

Pictures courtesy of various colleagues in the SRPS, mainly Alastair McPhee and Don Clarke.

 

Further progress on Gresley TK 10021 at Bo'ness. Steam heating, pass-com and vacuum brake equipment has been refurbished and re-fitted to the coach. Internal fitting continues with new luggage racks produced, painted, strung and fitted. Refurbished seats have also been installed alongside a new floor covering.

Much work to complete on the gangways and external varnishing/lining. The bogies will have to be removed for overhaul too at some point before it becomes a 'runner'!

Photos by Jim Ormiston.

 

We have been progressing the toplight too. Guards compartment been worked on, a picture before and two more recent.







The new woodwork on the second class compartments has been stained, varnished and re fitted. Emergency Tool cupboard above obtained from the Severn Valley but yet to be restored.



Regulator cupboard and toilet door fitted (both of these are completely new, not restored), the regulator cupboard being made by a guy at Didcot, who made two also for the Severn Valley Rly. Woodwork has been made for the first class compartments also.

 

Out of interest do you have a GWR regulator for your lighting circuit? Or will you have to fit a different system?

 

Yep have got all the original pattern regulator, distance switch, auto switch etc to go back in. Not fitted any of it yet though. I try to do jobs like painting etc in the summer. At the moment making a new guards cupboard and the vertical board that forms the guards seat.

I did have a problem with the regulator cupboard. I collected it from Didcot. The guy who made it copied an original there but when I positioned it against the original walls in our coach it was too big by about 3.25" so had to modify it a lot, but still keep it big enough for the regulator to go inside. One of the ones made for the Severn Valley is for their toplight 2426 and they have exactly the same issue so will have to do the same mod.

 

Some progress with GWR 216, a brand new door made from scratch and trial fitted.

regards

Matt

 

A few more updates for our Toplight at the Swindon and Cricklade

Guards cupboard + wall on left and right are made by myself to original drawings, back wall and letter rack are original


Original pattern lamp box (bought on Ebay)


Second class, seat bases next to be made.


Emergency tool box and brake setter going back in


First class matchboarding (newly made in real Sycamore as per how it was originally. )


Varnished end (door and regulator cupboard are newly made)

 

Exceptional work there, @toplight !

Have just re-read this thread to remind me [as I've not been around on here for many months].

Let me see ...
Summary of recent work [either completed or in progress] :-

For standard gauge ;
Three out of the four NSR coaches, with one of the First Class coaches in Haltwhistle for assessment & awaiting funding.
Various items of freight rolling stock for Bowes Railway and National Coal Mining Museum, amongst others.

For the narrow gauge ;
The Corris Coach for the Talyllyn plus two other projects still in progress.

Two "Pairs" coaches for the Isle of Man Steam Railway completed [F62 and F63].
[and another - much rarer - item being surveyed]

Images for most of these projects can be found on my Ipernity pages [- some of these albums are still a work in progress and updates are due soon].

 

So more work done on the GWR Toplight 7545

Match boarding and window finishers nearly done.



New corridor glass all fitted



Work being done on the end. Teak strip made to hide canvas end, then excess canvas cut away.




Corridor gangways being added. Not to happy with my painting so will be rubbed down and given another coat as paint too thick.




Further work on the seats. New wooden bases with spring units from an old EMU centre car that is being scrapped. (two put together). The strips of webbing pull it to form the curve



Then hessian and reflex foam added.

 

Very nice work @toplight
I know just what you mean about paint ...
I was trying to do some in the last week or two. The result was 'orrible so I've given up as the paint was, apparently, drying on the brush ! {despite additives, it was far too hot / drying weather} It'll get done over a couple of evenings next week, or at least that's the plan.

 

Yeah I tried doing the black with HMG coach enamel, straight as it was out of the tin with a bit of that Owatrol oil in but proved not so great with lots of brush marks everywhere, even trying it with a laying off brush. Think it needs thinning out a lot and perhaps cooler weather. Will rub it down with wet an dry and try again. Need to find a brand that works.

 

I use either Craftmaster's Coach Enamel or Spec81 from TRWilliamsons for most jobs.

Most of the time without problems, but just occasionally I'm tearing my hair out for one or more reasons.

Getting paint thin enough and keeping it workable tend to be the main ones, although a couple or three years ago I ended up with a lovely smooth surface - almost no brush marks - but the colour, well, I nicknamed it "tartan paint" as the pigments differentially settled out and trying to lay it off gave some very odd colours. It should have been a very dark brown ... a second tin, from another supplier, gave the correct results, thankfully.
The tartan tin got used for not final coat gloss coats, so it wasn't wasted.