Wednesday 12th March 2025 a planned outdoor painting day but with Gold Cup Week at Cheltenham we have some white stuff and it has turned cold so the normal GCW weather but the race trains were busy.. 

                                        

Plan B clean exhibits and inside tasks, the front off Foss Cross building is a large open hole so the metal exhibits are prone to rust these have been taken into the warm workshop where wire wool and wire brushes cleaned the rust off before another coating of lanolin.

                    

                                                

                                       The fire bucket was done 5 years ago so needed a clean up

                                                        

The bottle corker and blacksmith bellows both got a clean and lanolin treatment with linseed oil on the woodwork.

                before                                                                after

    

Then it was down the line coach and filling the gaps between the arches and roof timbers

                                  

The 1874 building exhibits are getting to need work so spring clean time. The brass oil lamp got a major clean

                           After the brass cleaning acid was washed off it looked better.

                                        

The Salter scales dial plate has had several coats of red oxide paint ready for the sticker when it arrives

The oil lamp refilling cupboard has been painted and looks good we just need the lamp hut restored and sited somewhere on Toddington Yard with all the lamps in.

A 1920's jigsaw box lid was repaired and put back on display with a new end

The Scammell trailer has a coat of cream on one side during the week before the weather turned

And this old varnish tin is coming in for some tlc it is in quite good condition but the top conical part and lid have rusted and are perforated

Hopefully the weather will improve for next week so we can get on with more painting'

 The Cordon gas cylinder gauge.

Whilst working on the GWR Tool Van, I noticed the remains of a gauge fixed to the mainframe.

The gauge recorded the gas pressure in the cordon cylinder that contained the gas for lighting the interior of the van.

Somehow it had remained on the vehicle and deserved  a  bit of a refurb, the face was cleaned revealing the PSF graduations a new needle made, bezel repaired and a new glass cut.

Now mounted back on the vehicle,it can now be appreciated.for what it represents.

The renovated gauge back in place on the tool van underframe

Wednesday 5th March 2015 a lovely  clear day with blue sky and unusually warm for early March.

We had been donated a brass coal scuttle and a gang masters horn so they both had a clean and the horn was reshaped as it had a few dents and was not round at the end.  The scuttle is now in the shop to raise funds  for us priced at £25.

              

                                   The horn now needs a ring soldered on to attach the chord

           

The entrance gate and post were power washed last week to remove the green algae, so time for a rub down and repaint to make it look more inviting to visitors

After  new white coat and some black on the fittings it is ready

The British Rail (Western) draw cupboard now has a full set of draws with some old school railway stickers still om them for the likes of the Paddington line and others

It is now undergoing painting by Greg with grain effect paint

Nearing completion

It was then down to the line wagon with the nice weather it was possible to paint the outer repairs on the side doors

The one end door still needs a copper dressing plate fitted but we found the timber needed trimming first to allow and easy non foul slide action so job on hold as it needs the belt sander to get a mm or two extra clearance on 1 board

The Iron Horse box body got washed off last week and has had some filler work completed before the paint gets a touch up.

The art deco period scales have a new dial face sticker on order so off with the plate for a shot blast then filling and sanding so there is a smooth surface for the new decal

                                 After a shot blast                                      car body filler on

                                                               After a good sanding smooth

                                                        

Whilst the face plate is off the rust inside was treated to a coating of white lithium grease to slow the corrosion down rather than try and de-rust everything and paint it as it would mean disturbing the heavily corroded items that may not like being separated.

The oil lamp cupboard has been filled, smoothed and received a coat of grey primer to seal the filler, it is now awaiting some brown paint

And that was the time up.

 Wednesday 26th Feb 2025 a dry start that turned cold and wet.

More time on the draw cupboard, the draws were in the garden shed so have swollen with the damp air 2 fitted but the other 4 are now in the archiving office to dry out.

                        The cupboard has had a final sanding down before painting with cream undercoat.

                                          When dry it will be wood grained paint finish

             

The finished cabinet

With the season opening day this Saturday it was time for a clean around to make the exhibits more presentable so the Scammell trailer and Austin got a jet wash to remove the algae that has grown over the winter

Time to sweep up of the leaves from the Autumn fall that had blown in so a clean  out of Taylors office and the Pay office floors were a good starting point.

The glass counters and display cases have got a good dust covering so glass cleaner and a rag removed it.

The open fronted Foss Cross building got a visit with the leaf blower in suction mode to remove a decent pile of leaves and debris that had blown in.

A walk down to the line wagon always involves a look in the scrap skips, we find to 2T trolley jacks both working and one in very good condition although the handle was missing these were removed and put in our shop for £15 each to help raise funds. 

The line wagon got the roof light painting completed and brown was applied to the end door after it had been filled.

As the rain had stopped it was possible to get the oil lamp cupboard out from Taylors office for a rub down and filling of damaged areas, it was then moved to the workshop to keep it dry and out of the publics eye until it is finished.

Another good day with progress made working down the long list of jobs.