Wednesday 29th March spring is here so was the rain after a dry start.

A quick look in on the completed pay office display after Jane, Mike and Waynes hard work it looks great and ready for the opening day.

The pay table.

First job was shot blast and paint the Morris brake shoes ready for delivery to Bruce Pickles ltd in Redhill Surry for new linings.

ready to go and the wheel cylinder pistons have been greased to reduce the risk of them seizing again in the future.

Then it was out to the wagon to remove and check the rear brakes.

The right rear adjuster is solid and the drum only turns a fraction if hit with the lump hammer so adjuster is soaking in penetrating oil. The left rear adjuster was free and the drum came off to reveal 2 seized wheel cylinder pistons, now soaking in oil for a future attempt to free them but the shoes are fine.

Same problem with one left front wheel cylinder so again soaking.

Then the heavens opened up so inside the workshop and putting flared ends and new unions on the broken brake pipe with my new £11 delivered tool.

Next was the large two man logging saw that was heavily corroded so a wire wheel on the angle grinder got it clean  it was then treated to lanolin and linseed oil.

Whilst placing the saw in Foss Cross I took time to clean the new rust off the drill chucks and retreat them with lanolin oil.

With the continuing rain I opted to clean up the power tool storage under the bench it was a bit dirty

This was followed by a clean of the benches by the door just leaving bits I found for Greg to sort out

A check on the Honeybourne toy museum found it cut off by flood water in the form of a massive puddle

Clearing the drain pipe has resulted in motion but it will take time to go

Wednesday 22nd March a lovely warm spring morning but inside beckons.

Unfortunately we have had visitors in the toy museum on a weekly basis emptying the cabinets of trains and unpacking the old OO gauge tracks then leaving them all over the floor and tables after playing with them, some of these toys are 80 plus years old so no longer toys.

This has prompted us to put locking devices on the displays and also gave us the chance to strip them out for a clean and then change the displays this wasted a few hours but it is now secureand looking better.

Next it was onto the Malvern sign this had come loose in the ground so a clear out and filling with post crete has stabilised it.

Greg started a clean up of peeling paint and found some rot so more work when it dries out.

then back to the workshop for brakes on the Morris a quick clean in the ultra sonic cleaner improved them no end so a light grease and reassemble ready for refitting.

Brake shoes came next as the friction material was lifting off the shoe with rust Bruce Pickles Ltd of Redhill kindly sent us 50 new rivets so we could refit the linings after.

Unfortunately after stripping the left front we found it had a worn out lining,  as the new rivet heads were to large for the holes in the linings and thinking they may be asbestos enlarging the locations to suit the rivets was a no go.

After shot blasting and painting the shoes are reusable but are being sent to B Pickles for relining.

The railway have cleared some old porta cabins and our flat bed trailer is now standing alone so we need the Scammel to get it to our area for work this prompted Greg to started the engine on the Iron Horse to ensure it is ready for a little trip to the car park however an oil leak from the filter meant a strip clean and reseal of the lid.

The Museum work side tracked us as it was not planned in hopefully the team can now just clean the remaining cabinets so it looks good for the full open season..

 

 The Hand Auger

Keith pulled a rusty, handle less auger out from the back of beyond, he cleaned it in the blast cabinet and then polished a shine on it using the rotary wire wheel.

It was then heated up with the Oxy Propane torch, and blacked in old engine oil to give it some protection from future rusting.

It needed a replacement handle, to show how it was used, so a new one was turned on the lathe, stained,

polished and fitted.

I would like to add, that the team who have rebuilt the Usk Weighbridge on the new dock platform at Winchcombe, have done an incredible job.

The stone, the slate roof and its inherent Victorian design make it a joy to see.

We are so lucky to have the some great talent and aware individuals within the GWSR ranks.

Look at these photos of the dilapidated state it was in before it was moved,there is no doubt it was heading for oblivion.

Finally, I recovered this Still, hot water, Coffee and tea machine from a skip.

The design has not changed since the patent in 1904, it was used in the buffet cars of the railways until the 1970's.

It will be restored as an exhibit, but it does require the small boiler, it originally had, to make it complete.

If any one is stripping out a mark 1 buffet car, and has one surplus to requirements, we would love to

buy it.

 Wednesday the 15th a cold windy start then the rain came a normal day foor Cheltenham Gold Cup race meeting so a split of indoor and out door jobs.

Well done to the team for getting a prize at the Heritage Railway association awards ceremony

On the walk in a quick look at progress in the pay office Jane has been busy sorting it out.

Greg had been busy with a pair of farriers nail cutters.

As it was dry the first job was refit the Morris front  brake back plate and hub to preserve it whilst I am locating brass or copper semi tubular  3/16" rivets to do the brake shoes.

Then it was time to add to the old tool display by cleaning and preserving more items so they can be moved out of the storage area in the workshop'.

An embossing press from a Cheltenham company

Then it was two hand drills

A hand operated knife sharpening wheel with a clamp for mobile use just needed a full strip cleaning and oiling to keep it's patina.

Whilst on the mobile machines a small vice with a clamp got attended to.

A bit of time on the AA box Greg brought the phone out number is Andoversford 252

The early boxes had an oil light on a pulley system so travellers had light and warmth whilst in the box during the night or bad weather so an old pulley got shot blasted painted and installed.

A large heavily rusted wood saw got some wire wheel cleaning with the angle grinder then treated with lanolin and linseed oil.

next task was a sleeper screw auger dated 1919 before and after shot blasting

after a trip to the wire wheel

it was then heated and plunged in old engine oil to blacked and protect it

Greg was busy turning a new wooden handle for the auger