Wednesday 29th May a dry warm day so outside it is.

                           Some old brackets needed derusting and painting with primer

The cast iron plate in Taylors office has started to show surface rust so a wire brush then a paint with lanolin and graphite powder mix.

Mother nature has been wet and warm so the green vegetation is taking over so to keep the area looking well used time for some weeding and sweeping up.

                               The trees have been busy shedding seeds to add to the mess

The Scammell has been receiving some TLC standing outside all the time with the steam engines going past has made it look untidy.

indicators off for a good clean and repaint

The cream paint has been redone inside and out

the brass vacuum connection has started getting stripped for polishing

                 Betton Grange one of the engines brought in for the steam gala came past

It was then a drive to Halles Abbey halt to de rust the roof and get the loose bitumen off ready for a repaint but time was against us along with batteries going flat on the tools.

                                                                before

                                                                       After

                                                          Another photo opportunity

 After a week off the 22nd of May 2024 turned out to be a day of heavy rain so inside work.

Greg has some wood trims and a notice board from the carriage at Long Marston these needed stripping of paint and varnish then rubbing down to smooth them.  Palm scrapers were used to remove the paint and varnish.

    

the long lengths go above the doors and windows.

after the scraping we are left with the wood with a few specks of paint in the deeper grain which will show when varnished so after this a good sanding was in order.

the sign board edges were next for the treatment.

We had a steam whistle left in the workshop by persons unknown so a quick clean up was needed then Greg was approaching the Steam Shed crew to see if they could identify it.

The Honeybourne signal box displays needed a good clean as the bats are now active and adding to the mess in there after last years extensive clean.

But first a blocked drain needed attending to so dry foot access will be possible the traction engines and trailers parked there ready for the gala weekend hampered access.

Then it was glass cleaning and shelf polishing

The Wendy House needed a good cleaning of the roof to reveal the tiling pattern.

one side done

                                                                    Both sides done

A large collection of dried oak leaves and debris was removed from where a mouse had decided to build a nest on a shelf above the office bench.

By the time we finished the puddle outside had not gone down as the rain was adding to it faster than the drain could take it away.

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 Thursday the 8th of May and sumner has arrived so T shirt weather. 

Taylors office new wood required a coat of dark stone as the white undercoat was a bit glaring

Then it was time to move the Scammell as they need the area for delivery of traction engine for the gala weekend.

Greg has been touching up the cream paint around the windows. 

The solar panel keeps the battery topped up so a gallon of petrol in the tank, prime the carb and it bursts into life.

A drive down to Hayles Abbey halt to finish off the shelter varnishing.

It was the back to Toddington for a tidy up of Taylors windows and a sweep around with weed pulling.

After a rub down and paint on 3 windows

Nature makes a mess so a tidy before the gala

The back of Boxford has suffered from the prevailing weather  so a rub down fill and repaint is required

Taylors leaky roof joint is dry enough for sealant removal and new sealant to be applied

Greg has finished the ticket sign which now looks like new as 1/3rd was missing

Final job was the compressor guard welds were dressed and sharp points removed the de rusted and primer applied ready for painting red.

 Restoration of  GWR pattern, point oiling can.

This item, I found as a youth in a gangers on Chicken Curve just north east of Winchcombe.

It formed part of a museum collection in the early days of the GWSR.

Sadly, I pulled the much damaged item out of the skip at Toddington last year.

  

Here it is looking much happier after fashioning a new handle by flatening out a bucket handle and soldering it to the can.

 Wednesday May 1st summer has arrived at last the sun is out.

First job a quick repair of the iron gates.

The shrub stump is down to ground level so the lawn mower clears it.

The rear of Taylor office is rotten so needs replacing.

The Victorian floor joists are being used again so smooth the face and top then bevel the top edge.

The longest board was to short so two were used with an overlapping joint the pick axe was needed to lever the new board in against a shed wall that was bowing out

Finally fully in against the shed and secure

A quick coat of primer and job looks good.

The mower up the side and the shrubs trimmed and we have access.

It was then off to Hayles Halt to tidy the waiting shelter as the paint has faded. A rub down to get the bleached paint off it then a wipe with varnish diluted with white spirit applied with rags.

As we arrived the steam service was going past.

The sun bleached paint against the first application of varnish

We ran out of time so some more left for another time.