Now outside, over the maintenance pit for final adjustments and inspection, the wagon should be ready to take its place in one of the two goods trains running on the April 9th Goods Train Day.
Inside the shed, lettering and lining has been completed, as seen in this photo taken on 25th March.
A suspect spring has also been changed. The completed wagon left the shed on 29 March.
(Photo from Dave Clarke).
Progress is so swift it's hard to keep up. By the Branch Line Weekend (Feb 27th) the doors were on, and by the following Sunday it was in the shed, with two coats of topcoat applied, and awaiting lettering. It should be running for the Goods Train Day on 9th April. (Both photos from Dave Clarke).
The floor was laid at the end of 2004, and with the agreement of the
Bluebell Railway Trust to fund the cost of the new planking, this has
gone ahead rapidly, and the wagon is coming back together. The
planks have been painted in advance off the wagon, which speeds
things at this time of the year. The bolts at one end have already
been cut to length and painted, those at the other end await this
operation.
With all the rotten timber stripped off, the metalwork is being
cleaned down, primed and painted. Brake gear is being overhauled and
new "cupboard door" hinges made to replace those missing. New or
repaired curved corner pieces need to be made.
Dave Clarke's fotopic site features more photographs of the overhaul of this vehicle.
Last updated 3 April 2005 by Richard Salmon