SVR wagons 2014

Not THAT recent Patrick, if you read back through my ramblings, these are a couple of years old.

 

Sorry for the delay in my latest report, I'm sure you have heard all my excuses before.
The gunpowder van has her river side door lintel back now. With no jigs or drawings to make these, which the staff at Swindon would have had, and with the newness having very much gone off the old one, the skills of the two lads working on this bit amaze me, and they certainly have patience well beyond mine. The doors are also back on, and sign writing going onto the river side, while the chassis has had a coat of undercoat on the rock side, meanwhile, the simple task of tightening one nut on one buffer casing caused some fun, the process going something like this....
Tighten nut, realise the reason it is loose is because it is on the end of the thread, swear, take the split pin out, give yourself a hernia undoing the offending nut, swear, look for some washers, ,ore swearing, eventually find them, run a tap and die down the threads, and reassemble, extra swearing may be required if this nut and bolt are exceptionally well seized or damaged.
Van fit 65620 is receiving some attention to her south end having had her river side wall largely replaced, the difference this makes to the wagon is not easy to put into words, but the effect is impressive.
Hopefully I will have a couple more up dates this side of Christmas, but I do have two more firing turns to slot in during that same time.
Take care folks,
Olly

 

Well, Christmas is nearly here so it is time for my final update of 2014.
The gunpowder van is moving slowly forward although talk today was of having to turn it to allow access to the door lintel of the rock side, while more panels have been found to need replacing in the Vanfit. This is the down side of plywood construction, as you can't spot repair them in the same way as a planked wagon. I believe the bolts holding the original panels in have been a little reluctant to come un-done, hardly surprising considering their likely age and the layers or rust and paint holding nut and bolt in place.
Over in the machine shop I have been turning some parts I had forgotten to make for 13154s brake gear (Thought the job was going too well) The Machine shop at Bewdley is superbly looked after by the 1501 lads, keeping the elderly machinery working is an unglamorous un-sung job of preservation, but a lot of departments rely on their hard work.
So that's it for 2014, thanks to everyone that has made up the nearly 13,000 views. Coming out of the machine shop tonight I was greeted by the sight of 7812 heading to Kidderminster against a darkening sky, as the final scraps of light faded away, the kind of scene I feel privileged to be able to stand back and enjoy, and a lovely thought to bring down the curtain on the year. All that is left to do is wish all my readers a merry Christmas and all the best for 2015.
Olly

 

Olly.
Thanks for all your work and updates.
Long may it continue.

 

Thanks for all your updates throughout the year Olly. It's a pleasure to read your reports.
All the best to you and the team for 2015

Keith

 

Hello,
Big big thanks from the
GWR 813 Fund.

Merry Christmas!

Nick