The Beyer Garrett, O Gauge kit.

Keith mentioned in a previous post, the restoration of an O Gauge metal kit.

It was found in a bad way,and the original builder had obviously had difficulties in assembling it.

These metal kits are very hard to make, as they rely on parts being soldered together.

We did not know what to do with this model as attempts to give it a facelift ended up with parts falling off.

I gave it a blast off to remove poor paint and rebuilt the motions as they locked up when attempting to move the wheels.

To make a working model, I mounted the restored loco on a wooden base allowing it to run in situ.

I am pleased with the result as it now runs perfectly at the push of a button.

We can now trial it on display to see if it will be durable enough to withstand the attention of our visitors.

           Restoration of the corridor connection of GWR Ocean Mails van.

After many years stripped of its identity, Andrew Goodman's Great Western parcel mails van, looks like it should be after replacing all the corridor end steps, roof rails and finally its missing corridor end connection.

The steps, handrails and suspension hanger for the corridor bellows were made from scratch by Ian Carpenter, who's talents are amongst  the best in the land, the bellows frame, we bought from Tom Wright from the DMU group.

After remounting the frame, for expediency, we used a second hand canvass, which will have any damage repaired, in due course.

The Ocean mails were a service provided by the GWR, to speed on, mail from trans Atlantic Steam ship services arriving in the country.

The Liners would dock at Plymouth, Neyland or Fishguard, unload the mails on to express trains to London and other destinations arriving faster than if the ships continued on to their final destination Southampton.

The City Of Truro, locomotive set the Great western's rail speed record of 106 miles per hour on an Ocean Mails run.

We are proud to have taken this vehicle on a restoration thus far and hope to tackle a roof paint in the future. 

Close inspection of this end of the PMV shows how it was, pre restoration

The corridor end, now complete with new door, steps and hand rails. 

Getting there.

Whilst working on the PMV, I noticed that the cream paint on a panel had faded and chalked off,

clearly I had missed it when I varnished the vehicle three years ago, and after the sun had had its fun

it stood out.

I rubbed down the panel with Scotch Bright to give a key and then, using an old cotton towel, I wiped on a coat of thinned down Yacht varnish, it restored the colour, and the gloss with no brush marks,

before

After