Carriage & Wagon Report, August 2004
by Richard Johnson, 31st August 2004

A good deal has happened in the weeks since the last report; as always.

The major job which has been occupying the department has been the ‘quick’ overhaul of one of the Open Firsts from the Elegant Excursions dining set. Not 3045 as wrongly reported last time, but 3091 ‘Marguerite’. As so often happens, when we got the coach into the shed and had a good look at it, it turned out to be in a rather worse condition that thought.

However, much hard work on the roof and body sides has ensured that it will be ready, as it is due back in use on Saturday evening (4th September). We were also able to fix no less than three doors which were sticking and not latching properly, and overhaul the braking system. The two large vacuum cylinders were replaced with two newly overhauled and refurbished ones, and a brake check last weekend showed that all was well in that department.

The Southern Brake van 55126 is making major progress thanks principally to our ‘wagon girl’ Sylvie. After much debate (and with the help of a Hornby model) it was realised that the proper original colours were not as stated last month, but ‘Freight Brown’ sides, with Venetian Red ends. Freight Brown, is a dark ‘Donkey Brown’, and Venetian Red is a sort of gloss red oxide colour. It actually looks quite pleasing and I hope to have a couple of photos for you very shortly. There is still much to be done; not least internally.

Outside, work has carried on inside the TSO 4772, and this is progressing well. Also, a good deal more has been done on the Restaurant Buffet Car, 1675. So much in fact, that we have decided to bring it back into the shed for a couple of weeks when the FO goes out, with a view to finishing it off. We have been working on it now - on and off - for 14 months. It will be good to see it finished.

A good deal of work has also been done on the long wheelbase GWR Mink (see picture), by Grenville, and this is progressing nicely. At last all that dreadful bright blue paintwork has gone. That accompanying photo shows the progress. A roof canvas has been ordered and will be fitted in the next couple of weeks.

Once the TSO is finished, we are going to concentrate on refurbishing a few of the service coaches. The ravages of time and the weather continue to take their toll, and we have to make sure that our basic service sets keep in as good a condition as possible. After all, with the TSO and the RBr in service we shall have 18 service coaches to look after(excluding the 6 Elegant Excursions ones), and that is sufficient to provide the basic services, for the time being.

Of course, once the new signalling is finished and we run three full sets more often, we shall have to get cracking on one or two more.