The People's Coach

The working weekend came and went and under clear weather there was a good turnout, Saturday tackled the lineside growth down at Llynclys.  The next big working weekend should be back on the extension at propped gasworks bridge.  See the end paragraph.

More pictures arrived from Glynn of work last Thursday.  Glynn was getting his own back on Andy, one of the other sources of blog photos, by taking pictures of him as he worked on the bodywork. 

First here is Andy seeing that the peep holes are in line to check on who walks past the kettle without offering to make a brew.  Andy had been drilling out rusty bolts to get at the window frame seals.  There are a few still to go.  In the background Alan on the bench and John on the floor carry on with prepping the axlebox covers.

Meanwhile John A continues work on the cleaning up of the bogies and springs, it's a mucky job but we will get there.

We do occasionally allow people out for air, here are Davey, Dave and Noel basking in the Oswestry sunshine planning the next assault.

On Sunday the team were back in action again on the coach and with the almost tropical temperatures it was decided to open the roller doors and let some air through.  In the dappled sunlight Reg is preparing and filling the coach end ready for priming.

Glyn (single N) was attacking the doors to remove loose paint and rust.  Almost all of the main body is now done so the doors are the next on the list.

Chairman Rob was back in more usual clothes after recent fame and a major spread in the local paper.  It's not every day we get £120k so we do need to thank our supporters, past, present and future. With Glyn on the doors Rob was relieving the frames so that the doors shut with that satisfying clunk.  Modern trains with sliding doors just don't have the same effect on me as a good click, click clunk from a wooden door.

Phil having got over the Cambrian Christmas Lottery (did you win?) was back in the guards compartment sanding and scraping after having removed window frames.

Thanks to all who turned up for work inside and out and hope you enjoyed the sunshine that was laid on.  No promises for next time though.

Moving on to future work we have a big weekend coming up on the 10/11th of March.  It will be all hands to the pump with Kevin and helpers as we get ready for the start of heavy earth moving.  The whole work site needs to be got ready so this will mean lifting 4 lengths of rail at the current railhead.  On the other side of the bridge the area needs to be cleared of stored sleepers and other track items.  This will allow the heavy plant access in the following weeks.  The most important item, the mobile brew station, has been placed on red alert.

Until next time.