Wednesday 17th December 2025 a cold clear start with rain later on so inthe workshop and a heater on and later the woodburner to warm metal up for painting.

The 87 to 92mm pipe clamps have been collected from Screw Fix these are a good fit on the stand we made for the coffee machine so tools in hand the assembled machine was taken to the museum coach.

The predetermined space was cleared and a 5.7mm hole drilled into the carriage boards then an 8mm bolt as screwed in to cut a thread once done this was removed and an 8mm stud screwed in for the pipe clamp to screw onto., one clamped the machine was bolted on top to get it upright. 

once satisfied it looked ok the stand was screwed in position to the outer floor board and the clamp secured.

         

There are numerous old packages stored and lying around so these need some attention a before and after clean then after this some careful gluing and strengthening get them fit for display.

                                                A battery terminal oiler is a new one on me.

              

The Salter goods scales have been hanging around outside for a while well a few years anyway but previous work has failed so into the shop to warm up and have the black paint and original paint removed as the black has not bonded to the green.

                   

A couple of coats of primer applied after a warming in front of the woodburner.

Then a few coats of satin black to get back to where we were, locate 7 countersunk brass machine screws that fit the dial head, then after some final touching up the face was fitted

            

discussion followed about getting a heavy cast iron scale down a flight of steps along one platform over the tracks and back upon the other platform to get it into the museum coach a car was a possibility but in the end muscle power won so it was manhandled down the step and pushed a couple of hundred yards it went easier then expected. 

The goods transportation display was moved around to site the scales then a full sack was added.

                                                 

A small picture frame had disintegrated so this was unscrewed and taken back to the workshop where it was fully stripped thena new side piece was cut from some old timber.

                         

 Then time was up but we had completed moved two large display objects from outside to final display positions so happy times.

 Wednesday 10th December a unusually warm day with a light shower.

A bit more time on the Gilbert & Barker manual fuel pump the stud has been welded back onto the plunger so it now screws into the toothed drive rod. The pump appears to be a model 86 dating around 1908 but we need to do more research.

Today the  cleaning up started so the brass work needed attention and the on off tap was only placed into the tap as the retaining clip was missing. First job was delivery hose off.

                                            

                                      Years outside untouched had do it no favours.

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After a strip and clean using a brass cleaning acid then a session on the brass wire brush it looked a lot better but was still in need of a circlip to hold the tap in place. We collect scrap from a window firm and the brass door handles are stripped before weighing in and these use a circlip, so a trip over the grass with a magnet pulled up 2 clips. Luckily one was not rusted and fitted the tap perfectly.

                                                    

The cylinder has had the front section cleaned only 3 more to do, it may require a full strip and clean to access all areas, the cleaned brass and delivery hose got a coating of lanolin to protect it.

                                                    

A location for the 1920's tea coffee boiler in the museum coach has been decided so the boiler has been removed from where it got dumped 2 years ago and washed off, the broken glass in one side has been removed the other  washed off and cleaned ready for refitting.

         

            

After a wash and clean it looks better but needs a stand as it would have been secured to a counter top shelf.  A heavy walled copper 4" pipe was found but needed a mounting plate.

A plate was cut  that was going to be silver soldered to the top of the pipe

However this turned into a foot plate as a chimney piece from the boiler was found to be suitable to bolt to the base of the unit so we soldered the brass plate onto the base of that, 2 90mm pipe clamps were ordered fron ScrewFix to affix the stand to the wall in the coach. Installation will be a task for next week.

Another quick win was a seized hand drill rescued from a skip, this now turns freely.

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                                        By then we had run out of time

 Cheering up an old Paraffin can.

We are monitoring our artefacts and museum exhibits and doing what we can to ensure they are in reasonable shape and are duly cared for.

This ubiquitous Pink Paraffin can dates back to the 1960's.

Paraffin was delivered to the door and buyers could have their personal can filled up by the delivery person.

Many properties used Paraffin wick stoves to heat parts of their homes.

Our can has had a good clean, and the painted label has had a touch up.

A very useful item for retrieving valuable bits and pieces from rubbish skips, have been this pair of long reach adjustable grips.

They have performed well but there have been some items still out of reach,

Cutting and welding an extension from 2 pairs has enabled this super long grabber to be made, and it works really well.

 

 

 Wednesday 3rd December our first Winters day and it was cold n' clear.

Time for more exhibit uplifts from the 1874 building.

A biscuit tin and lid is suffering rust so a spin on the wire wheel got the loose stuff off before a treatment with lanolin and wire wool brought a semi shine back..

The early 20th century American toaster has cleaned up well  and needed a final rotary brass brush and clean then the lanolin treatment.

The Salter 15Lbs scale face came up well after an application of cleaning acid a wash the polish the silvering has come off the needle so it will go back on as a dark metal finish..

                                                     

The wall mounted box phone was in serious need of a refurbishment and clean as the spider population had been using it.

                                                

It needed an exterior strip and the shellac scraped off before a gentle sanding to remove some discolouration.

         

                    The black front plate was carefully cleaned revealing a chrome back with a design on it.

                                         

A coat of wood stain makes it stand out before reassembly and fixing back on the wall.

                                                                                  

                                 The tea section on top of the heater needed a good clean and tidy up

                 

It was then dry enough to go down to the 2nd line wagon to measure the roof lights for new glass and design something to hold it in place. The climb up gave us some unexpected poor work with the roof  sheeting this was done somewhere other than Toddington.

It has however added another job to the long list we have ahead of us.We are now on the look out for 6mm glass sheet 130cm X 52cm minimum we can trim to size.

Continuing with the 1874 clean up the safe and heater have had a wipe over and treated with a silicon based protective coat.

                                                          

                                                          A before and after of the oil burners for the heater.

                                                       

The end display unit has a good covering of dust so this has been cleared and polished along with the displays from there.

The Mint tin got a clean with a rotary brass wire  brush then a gentle application of lanolin to stop the rust.

                  

Then that was it for the day but we are making steady progress.

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 Wednesday 26th November a cold start but blue sky, the railway staff are preparing the santa specials coaches.

Today turned into an exhibit tidy and restoration day as outside painting was a definite no go

starting with an old oil container a clean gentle rust removal and a coating or two of lanolin before returning to the 1874 building display.

   

         starting point                                                     the start of a gentle rotary wire brush clean

             

After derusting a lanolin coating brings the colours out and slows further rusting.

                                         

A metal box for a small top hat has been happily rusting so a rotary wire brush got the rust off and exposed more of the paint that is left on it.

            

                       After two coats of lanolin it certainly looks better and the retailers name is now legible..

                                                        

The scale weights in 1874 are showing signs of rust so rotary brush and lanolin yet again

By then it was warm and dry enough to domore de rusting and start applying some protective paint  to the interior of the Morris 2T 5cwt to prevent further degradation.

                               A few more cans from the 1874 exhibits were collected for a spruce up.

               

                 

Finally the restored GWR notice board was secured to the wall in the museum coach to save it from the weather.

                                                                 By then time had run out.