Well, a lot has happened since last time.  Since the last report, we have completed the TSO (Tourist second Open) 4772. This coach was acquired from the Paignton & Dartmouth railway in 2004, where it had stood out of use for several years having been withdrawn as redundant.

In 2004 we had given it as much of an overhaul as was necessary to get it into use as quickly as possible. In fact, the work lasted for 6 years so we certainly got our moneys worth, but by the time we came to attend to it much more needed doing than was first anticipated.

The principal area of concern was the badly rotten corner, shown in the photographs last time. In the event virtually all that corner had to be cut away and be replaced, and a new floor has to be built for the toilet. In fact all four corners of the roof had rotted and were letting in water, which seeps down over time through the bodywork causing it to rot. This is a well known weak point on Mk 1 coaches.

Having completed that coach, the 'mixed rake' was no more, and we got back to a uniform set of chocolate & cream coaches once again. We have been able to operate such a uniform rake throughout the summer.

In anticipation of packed trains this year, we needed to have a seventh coach available as a 'spare' so our attention turned to an SK (corridor second) 24949. This SK is one of four we acquired from the West Somerset Railway in the mid 1980's. It was refurbished shortly after its arrival, and after seeing service on our railway for many years was withdrawn for overhaul about 5 years ago.

An SK is a side corridor coach with eight compartments; each with a sliding door. The coaches are less well liked by the commercial departments of most heritage railways, than by the passengers themselves. Commercial departments prefer open coaches into which more passengers can be fitted; passengers often like to get into a compartment, slide the door shut and have their own private journey.

24949 suffered from leaking roof vents, which allowed water to enter and perish the ceilings of the individual compartments. The vents have all been re-sealed, and the majority of ceilings have been taken down and replaced with new board.  The interior has been smartened up by substantial areas of new or refurbished seating. We did not have the moquette available for a full reupholstery exercise, so by a judicious mix of keeping the few good seats, recovering some and fitting some spares it all looks vastly better. Two areas of rotten floor were replaced with new flooring.

Once 24949 was completed, we turned our attention to the RBr (Restaurant Buffet Refurbished) 1672. This coach was acquired privately about 15 years ago. Unfortunately when the coach was purchased it had been heavily stripped, and it has taken a long time to source all the missing parts. It was purchased by the Plc from the owner several years ago, so now belongs to the railway.

It will be a straight swap for 1675 which has seen sterling service over the last six years, and which has served thousands of bacon rolls in its time. It now looks tired and is in need of an overhaul.

Work on the exterior of 1672 is now complete, and it looks splendid in its new coat of lined chocolate & cream. A huge amount has been done internally, because not only was the kitchen incomplete when we started work, it was also filthy and enamelled surfaces were stained and chipped. A combination of cleaning; painting and polishing has seen it transformed.

There is still work to do inside before it is finished. When we tried the water raising electric pump for the first time, it worked but it revealed a leak from the underslung tanks which can only be reached by raising the coach on our jacks again.

A major job which has been completed on this vehicle and which is  a first for us, is the complete replacement of the entire steam heating system. We have replaced parts of perished and leaking pipework before, but not a complete system.

Another job undertaken and nearly completed this year was the refurbishment of a BG (Gangwayed Brake) 92350 for use as a mess coach by our Permanent way Gang. The current mess coach has 'seen better days', and will retire gracefully to the long grass. The refurbishment work here included the overhaul and repair of 14 doors, and the removal and panelling over of two pairs, to create a separate kitchen area. We are just about to get this coach back into our workshop where it will be completed. It will appear in overall unlined maroon livery with its original number, 81049. Save for the panelled over sections and Commonwealth bogies, it will appear exactly as it did when first built in the 1950's.

Incidentally on the BG, spurred on by the success in reinstating the steam heating system on the RBr, the entire vacuum brake system was replaced on the BG. Although it had originally been vacuum braked when built, that system was removed when it was air braked later in its life.

The final vehicle being worked on at present is a Second Open (SO) 4790. This is an open coach with 48 seats arranged in a 2+1 arrangement. We have three of these coaches, and they are very comfortable to ride in. We are incorporating an arrangement to allow access by disabled passengers in wheelchairs. This will allow disabled passengers to ride in the main body of the train along with everyone else, rather than being isolated in the current disabled areas at the end of the brake coach.

This coach is being worked on, and a huge amount has been done already. It will be entering our workshop around Christmas and if all goes according to plan, will be available for use for the start of next year.

We held two Open Weekends during the year and a large number of visitors came along to see what we  get up to. During the course of those weekends, we raised over £1750 which has gone to the land slip appeal. There is going to b another one on 18^th / 19^th August 2012, so make a date to come along and meet us.

Finally, one of our members Peter Bennett has started a weekly blog, showing on-going details of what we get up to. You can access it through the link on the website, and keep fully up to date,

Best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year.