28th October 2014
Coach 5768 – restoration report by Richard Salmon.
The structural timber and steel cladding of all seven passenger compartments is now complete, with the last area being the south end. Here the last corner pillar requiring replacement is being made, and the floor is almost ready to go down in the toilet, after which the last internal partitions can go back in. Work on fitting out the compartments is ongoing, starting with the ceilings.
 |
 |
 |
|
| The completed sheeting on the west side. | |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
||||
| The north end with wiring taking place. | The east side door has been hung. | |||
|
 |
|
|
| Window fitting is underway with the narrow sliding top lights in place. | |
22nd September 2014
Coach 5768
Below are a few recently taken picture of coach No. 5768.
|
 |
|
|
| The sheeting on the east side is now almost complete. | |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||
| The south end will have a new west corner pillar with repairs undertaken to the one on the east side. | The centre pillars for the corridor connection will be replaced. | |||
|
 |
 |
View down west corridor showing new ceiling panel in place at the far end and compartments now in place. |
28th August 2014
Sir Archibald Sinclair
Below are a couple of pictures from Chris Hunford showing progress with the repair of 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair at LNWR Heritage at Crew.
 |
 |
|
|
| The left hand side and top of the firebox looking inside from the bottom of the box, the boiler is currently on its side. The plate work on the inside and top of the firebox has been removed. | |
|
 |
|
|
| The replacement thermic syphons, these have now been drilled and the stays are being fitted. | |
22nd August 2014
Blackmoor Vale
 |
 |
No. 21C123 Blackmoor Vale was moved over one of the pits last Wednesday (13th) so that the new brake gear could be fitted to the tender. The engine's original items are now in use with No. 34046 Braunton.
|
 |
19th May 2014
South Western Circle Monograph No.7
The L&SWR use of Low Pressure Pneumatic Signalling
|
 |
|
This 180 page monograph is one of a number produced by the South Western Circle and gives a very good and readable history of the background to the introduction of this signalling, a technical description and chapters relevant to the section of the line on which this system operated. It was replaced by colour light signals when the Bournemouth electrification scheme was introduced in 1967. The monograph is available from: The price of £8.50 includes post and packing. Cheques should be made payable to The South Western Circle. For those with internet access, the South Western Circle's web site is: www.lswr.org. Membership (September-August) costs £17.50, with the Membership Secretary at 39 Priory Road, Hassocks, Sussex, BN6 8PS pleased to welcome new members. |
|
 |
|
|
| No. 34023 Blackmore Vale at Winchfield | |
6th May 2014
2014 Track Trek
|
 |
|
The Trek, a walk along the trackbed from Horsted Keynes to Sheffield Park on 28 June 2014 (starting in the early evening, with a train back to Horsted Keynes afterwards, will be the final push for the 'Keep Up The Pressure' appeal. The walk is being led by, Roy Watts (BRPS chairman) and Dick Fearn (Bluebell plc chairman). For full details click here. Volunteers are needed to assist in booking the walkers on and off the event. If you are interested please contact Track Trek Organiser . |
15th April 2014
Coach 5768
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||
| The initial marking out of the zintec steel sheet for the south end of the eastern side of the coach where the toilet window is sited. The large void on the right is the adjacent compartment window. The picture on the right shows the north end of the same side to show how the window fits into the side sheeting; the toilet window is the one with the bar across at the far end. | ||||
|
 |
|
 |
|
(Above) The compartment interior showing the window area and the timber construction – no steel is used in the main body as structural elements of the coach.
(Left) The interior view at the south end shows the centre pivot for the bogie and the zintec sheet clamped in place for marking out for the cutting of the main compartment window. Careful measurement is made on the timber sections of all the old plugged screw holes to avoid using them when the new sheeting is screwed into place, with mastic between the sheet and the timber. |
|
 |
|
The doors are either the old ones repaired and then rehung or, as in this photo, are from old 4Sub units, with the SR contracting all the door pressings out to Fisher and Ludlow, well known in the car industry for body pressings. |
|
26th March 2014
Coach 5768
A few more photographs showing the progress of 5768 taken on Sunday.
|
 |
|
|
| North West exterior of the coach with the window frame fitting progressing. | |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||
| Interior view of North West corner – new timber corner post and frame work. | 1st class corridor area. | |||
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||
| The 1st class compartments with Palight foamed PVC panels being used for the ceiling etc. This will also be used in the 3rd class compartments. | ||||
|
 |
|
|
| Window components | |
11th March 2014
Coach 5768
Work is currently centred around the southern end with the west corner pillar requiring replacement and remedial work needed on the eastern one. The bottom steel sections in the end area will also require probable replacement since there is corrosion in this area. The bottom of the sections of the zintec sheeting on the eastern side have now all been cut to the same profile.
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||
| Southern end. | ||||
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||
| South end plating. | North end. | |||
|
||||
| Internally, the first class compartments now have ceilings and some of the moulding are in place and electrical wiring continues. The corridor end connections for the south end of the coach may well be a new unit. | ||||
 |
 |
|
|
| Outside, one of the replacement bogies has been needle gunned and painted - the other one awaits attention. Adjacent to the bogies are the four wheel sets. | |
|
 |
|
|
| The re-upholstering of the seat cushions and seat backs has commenced with the photograph showing a re-upholstered second class compartment cushion. This work is being undertaken at Eastleigh. | |
1st March 2014
Sir Archibald Sinclair
Work is underway on the repairs to the firebox of No. 34059 at Crewe, who have been contracted to undertake the repairs. The new Nicholson thermic syphons will replace the two syphons in the firebox which are to be scrapped due to corrosion and metal fatigue. The position of the 131 stays in each of the new syphons have been marked out and drilled and the stays themselves are being manufactured. The stays have a hollow central section which will indicate if there are signs of a fracture of the stay since water will be seen at the stay ends. After the syphons have been marked out with the position of the stays, the syphons are drilled and the stay holes tapped out to the correct size (1") to enable the stays to be screwed in place.
 |
 |
|
 |
|
3rd January 2014
Society Membership Offer The Society is offering a print of Chris Wood's painting of No. 34023 Blackmoor Vale to all those who join the Society as life members – or to ordinary members upgrading to life membership. The print depicts No. 34023 Blackmoor Vale, in malachite green livery, hauling the 2.50pm Waterloo to Ilfracombe and Torrington holiday train on 9th July 1949 near Winchfield. |
|
|
