A Suburban Story: Part I Outside

Since it's arrival much work has been undertaken on the Mk1 Suburban E43145.  This short post will give an idea of the current status of this restoration project.

We start off with an archive picture from Andy G of the coach just after arrival in Oswestry in January 2018.  The moss coloured coach is blending in to the surrounding scenery.

A year later and the coach is looking a lot different, there is still plenty to do but Reg and helpers have been making solid progress recently on the restoration of the body.  Like most Mark 1 coaches of a certain age there was a fair dose of tin worm present, this required some steel surgery with new panels in various places where the water had collected and rusted through the body.  Here is the passenger end showing off it's smart new colours.

It's not easy trying to get a perfect surface finish on the coach with all of the other work going on in the shed so various parts of the coach are covered whilst the work on adjoining areas goes ahead.  Work on this side is progressing along from the passenger end towards the brake compartment.

Reg has almost completed another section on this side moving towards the brake end.  Still plenty more surfaces to rub down, fill, prime and rub down again.

 

The other side has not been forgotten and is also progressing well.

Thanks to all who have made donations to the project and we hope you are pleased with the progress so far.  Keep watching (and donating..) to see how we are bringing the railway back to life.

Thanks to Guy for the recent pictures and for the team members who are undertaking the restoration work.

Next time in Part II we will take a look inside.