Carriage work

More steady progress made today on dismantling the brake coach as well as making a start on sanding down the bodywork and marking out areas for cutting

Rob removing the rest of the overhead luggage racks from the compartments

Michael D using a chipping hammer on the north end of the carriage to locate defective areas

Michael W making a start on removing the wood panelling from the guards compartment interior

Antony dismantling the brake rodding

Michael D making a start on the north end with the needle gun

Sanding

First of the defective areas located around the guards compartment/south end of the carriage

North end sanded down

 

More brake coach stripping

Some more progress on the brake coach today, with the remaining three compartments stripped out of their seats, window frames and furnishings. This photo is taken from the northmost compartment looking towards the other end

 

Garden trellis

Jean and Rob fitting the new garden trellis panels to the outside of the museum this morning

 

Brake coach overhaul begins

Following on from yesterdays post, the overhaul of our MK1 Brake Coach has begun today. The coach is currently in the 'stripping down' stage which will see all the compartments (including the guards compartment) being gutted out before the bodywork can start to be sanded down. The carriage will at some stage in the next few weeks be lifted on its bogies so the bogies can be overhauled and the axles sent away for tyre turning.

John H (L) and John B (in the carriage) dismantle and remove the shelving from inside the guard's compartment

John removing the batteries

Meanwhile, Steve sets away removing the compartment seats and furnishings

Today's progress saw three out of six compartments have their seats, backrests, overhead luggage racks and window frames remove. This photo is taken from the southmost compartment looking into the next two compartments along

Another view of one of the gutted compartments. The wood on the floor is the window interior frames which has all been labelled and made ready for storage

More progress to follow soon

 

End of the day shunting

Our MK1 suburban brake coach was withdrawn from service today for overhaul after its final day in traffic. Below are several photos of 401 and 08915 shunting in the yard at the end of the day in order to form the new passenger train, stable the brake coach in the carriage and wagon workshop and move several other wagons around the yard

Brake Coach No.E43172 stabled in the carriage and wagon workshop ready for its overhaul to begin

 

401 in service

401 out again today running passenger trains

Running round at Percy Main

Robert driving

Rob firing

 

New brazier

John grinding the edges on the bottom of an old brazier which was found down the field

Former wagon stanchion brackets welded on to give it some new legs

 

Ash clearing

Katie clearing ash from the old barrel brazier which has been replaced by the new(ish) one in the foreground

 

401 steaming up

401 raising steam and being prepared for the days services this morning

 

Drivers eye view on 08915

08915 returning to Middle Engine Lane with a works train after volunteers had a tidy up down at Percy Main

 

Work on the Lambton van

Volunteers John and Michael have had the four axlebox underkeeps off this evening, on the Lambton van, to allow the underkeep pads and journals to be inspected and cleaned

John removing another underkeep

 

03079 off home

Photos of 03079 being loaded up this morning for its journey back home to the Derwent Valley Light Railway. The loco has been with us for about a year and has been enjoyed by all volunteers who crewed it and were involved in its cosmetic work

 

401 in service

Some photos of 401 out running passenger services today

Fireman Rob coupling up 401 to the coaching stock at Percy Main