June 2004. 4247 is leading the then newly-outshopped BG 81039, SK 25341 and CK 16195 on the local train.  

It is amazing how plans can change in the course of a few short weeks. At the beginning of December, we were hoping to get the TSO 4772 completed, and running in the Santa trains. Well, before it was ready to be used, we needed to give all seats a thorough clean with our industrial cleaning equipment. 

Anyone who has been to Winchcombe recently will have seen the building festooned with scaffolding, whilst the roof is being replaced. All our cleaning equipment, along with much other heavy equipment is kept in a steel container outside the shed. The arbitrary operation of that well known law meant that when the scaffolders built the scaffolding, they put one scaffold pole directly against the door of the container, meaning that it could not be opened for five weeks.

So, out went any idea of finishing the TSO. Instead as it was virtually finished, it went outside and we brought in the FK (Corridor First) 13329. This is to form the first class accommodation in the 'Blood & Custard' set. The plan is to refurbish this fully later in 2005, so any work done on it now is a bonus.

After services ended on 3rd January, all service coaches came down to Winchcombe, for us to deal with repairs and routine maintenance before we start running again in March. There is an impossibly long list of things to do in a few short weeks.

It was always intended that the maroon SO (Open second) 4798 would need to be refurbished early this year as it is now looking very tired, after having been continually in service since it was first refurbished in 1995. So, that will come into the shed now in place of the FK, which will go back outside.

Quite a lot of bodywork on the SO, needs to be repaired as it is one of those early build coaches with flush body sides adjacent to the windows. This tends to be a place where rot sets in, and some of the large windows will have to come out and be resealed.  Also, about a year ago we acquired a set of tables for it which are in far better condition than those currently fitted. When I picked them up from the Mid-Hants, I was told that they had come from Wolverton works and had been taken out of the Mk 3 FO which was converted into HM The Queens saloon some years earlier.

The work to the roof of our building has included stripping off all the old 100 year old Welsh slates; repairing the woodwork underneath and re-roofing with fresh slates. The work is costing £40,000 so we are all very grateful to the Board for authorising this. What with that, the substantial repair work done to the huge wooden joists earlier this year, and the new roller shutter doors, our workshop building is in a dramatically better state of repair now than it was at the beginning of the year.

By the time of the next report, I should be able to give you an update on how the maintenance and repairs are going on the service coaches, and how work on 4798 is progressing. Any member who reads this, and feels the urge to join us in this work, will be most welcome. Come to Winchcombe C&W Works on any Wednesday or Saturday. Bring a pair of overalls, and a sense of humour.