slow but steady progress, end of year update.

 Most of the work of late is largely hidden, wiring, pipe work etc.  There are a few large visible items, one of which is the bar which has progressed, the main bar and overhead glass rack have been fitted.

Behind the bar differing size shelves have been fitted along with a space for a bottle cooler.

Behind the glass rack showing a hinged panel to protect from any object falling out and the wiring for bar lights.

In the kitchen the lino has been laid onto the floor.  The edges have a protective coving fitted all round.

Inside the kitchen the outer wall has been panelled with plywood.

On the kitchen floor the new lino has been protected with plywood sheets whilst the internal work progresses.

The three emergency doors have had their frames repaired.  New outer skins have been made and fitted.  The two saloon doors are pictured here awaiting fitting.

The emergency door behind the bar has been fitted.

Another view from below the platform staging

The rear of this door has been panelled with plywood.  This and the bar area will be faced with oak.

Some more of the roof panels have been fitted along with extra insulation.

The electrical work is progressing.  This is the former staff toilet that is being fitted out as the electrical cubicle.  The picture is reversed as the only way I could get it all in was to use selfie mode.
(18.01.19 picture now correct, Bill did it for me)

On the sole bar the socket for the shore supply has been fitted.

With eight large batteries being fitted inside the battery boxes, to cut down on the number of wires criss-crossing the area, a system of buss bars have been fitted.  The batteries will be two at the bottom and two on the top in each box.  This will require a support shelf to be made before they can be fitted.

A switch box has been fitted in the line to protect the generator when first powering up.  This needs a support bracket to be made and fitted.

The gas pipe and conduit along the sole bar below the kitchen.

update 12th November 2018

Following on from the successful fitting of the water tanks, the floor could finally be replaced and fixed in place.
The picture below shows the floor in the bar area.

The floor in the kitchen, pictured below has also been fitted in place.

This view shows the additional battens in the roof above the bar.  This is where the glass rack will be fitted.  Also in the picture is the first ceiling panel to be fitted in place.

Look no wheels, it almost looks like levitation, as pointed out by my arm in the picture.  The coach has been lifted into the air ready for the bogies.  Inside the coach the new ceiling panels can be seen, the first three have been put into place.

The bogies being rolled into place under the coach.

Lowering the coach onto the bogie.  Watching for the centre pin to engage properly with the bogie bolster plank.

The bogies have been placed under the coach to enable the drop links and support beam to be fitted under the bolster.  This involves using the weight of the vehicle to jack the bolster upwards against it.  This squeezes the springs together allowing the support beam to be put into place.  The bogies will have to come out again later to complete the brake components and fit the safety straps.

 These tubes are like track control arms.  They ensure that the bolster plank stays central in the bogie.  They have rubber bushes at each end with steel washers acting as spacers.  all of these parts had to be replaced as they were all life expired.
This picture also shows the drop arms with the support beam in place under the bottom bolster plank.  This via the spring nests supports the top bolster plank on which the coach body sits.

Some of the rubber bushes that we had to have specially made.

Latest news, water tank work

Apart from a broken window on mark 1, TSO 5057, work has concentrated on the water tanks from RU, 1936.
The tanks were removed for two reasons.  firstly the cladding surrounding the tanks was corroding and the insulation was leaking out.  Secondly the interior had debris inside which looked like rust particles, the composition of the tanks had to be checked to find the source.

The insulation material was tested and found to not contain anything nasty, so we proceeded to remove this.  Pictured below are the cleaned up tanks, which are of a copper construction.

The rust was found to have come from the filler pipes.  Two mild steel collars had been fitted which had rusted, these are being replaced by brass fittings.
The tanks were covered with insulation about 12mm thick.  This was then covered with a galvanised steel sheet, banded to keep it in place.  The ends were created by cutting the ends off two 45 gallon drums, which fitted perfectly.
The two tanks with completed insulation and cladding.

The tanks were given a coat of primer and gloss paint, before being refitted.  The inspection hatches have been refitted using new gaskets.

We also played host to the tender tank for 5025, which was being painted with primer after being shot blasted.  Here Murray Duncan is wielding the paint brush.

The completed tank.

Update 12.10.2018

Bogie work continues.

At the end of the last blog we had fitted the new horn guides to the bogie frame, which was still upside down.
Here is has been righted and dropped onto its wheel sets.

Springs and spring seats awaiting fitting.

A set of steel spring spacers have been made and painted.

A pair of dampers which have been refurbished by Sabre Rail.

 A set of bolster springs in place.

The bolster drop arm bushes and pins have been renewed.

progressing well.

We had an interruption in the form of a Royal Scotsman carriage which needed attention to one of its bolster springs.  To accommodate this we had to place the RU onto a pair of accommodation bogies and empty the shed.
The Royal Scotsman carriage on the jacks awaiting its lift.

Following the departure of the RS coach, attention was turned to a second bogie for the RU.  Here the bogie has been completely dismantled, it has had refurbished horn guides fitted and is awaiting needle gunning before being painted.

Three coats of paint later, red oxide primer, undercoat and black gloss it is looking better.

The bolster drop arms have been fitted with new bushes and pins.

A pair of wheel sets are being prepared, they have been needle gunned and painted with red oxide primer.  The bearings have been checked and re greased.

 The painting in progress outside on a good day.

The wheel sets finished awaiting fitting.

A series of pictures showing the lowering of the bogie frame onto its wheel sets.

2,

3,

4,

5,

This next series is the fitting of one of the sub frames.

2,

3,

4,

The next move is to fit the brake linkage.

The two bogies.

That is as far as we can go with the bogies for now.  The next move with them will be to put them under the carriage.  This will provide the weight to allow the bottom bolster to be jacked up, squeezing the springs until the bottom bar, which holds the bolster together, can be fitted.

Inside some of the floor panels have had to be lifted again.  This is to gain access to the water tanks (the cylinders in the centre) which have to be removed for attention.

One of the tanks (there are two) has been supported on a lifting table.  It has had the mounting bolts removed, following which the carriage is being lifted up to allow the tank to be removed.

The tank has been pulled from underneath the coach using the trolley.  The corroded cladding will be removed and the tank will be cleaned out and checked over.

Inside the carriage the gas pipework and electrical conduit has been fitted.

2,

3,

Outside the generator and propane bottle cupboard has been fitted.

A close up of the gas fitting regulators for the generator.

The inverter / charger at the centre of the electrical system.

In the bar area some ceiling panels have been fitted to allow the roof curve to be marked onto a template.

A visit to Steven Brand's joinery workshop shows the new bar in progress.

The overhead glass rack in production.