7828 Gets Heavier

Beading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every time we fit something back on LMS Third Open 7828 at Rowsley she looks better, she gets a bit heavier, and there is less ‘stuff’ to trip over. The roof ‘furniture’ is a case in point with the torpedo ventilators being very heavy, and they have now been joined by the tank vents (an inverted ‘J’) and the tank fillers, which means final painting of the roof isn’t far off. A bit lower down the Stone’s ventilators have been fitted, you can see how they work in the photograph – passengers can vary the angle of the ‘vanes’ to extract air or blast it in depending on how they feel. You can also see another important process beginning, the beading. This has a real purpose in covering up the joins between the various panels on the bodyside, but is also a very attractive visual aspect of older coaches. The beading is painted up to undercoat on the back, pre-drilled for the many panel pins needed to attach it, and finally mastic sealant is applied to ensure it is weatherproof.

You might just spot the clock showing 11.15 in the background – it always shows this time and will do until we get up there and change the battery – at least it’s right twice a day…

Dave Winter

Above and Below

Work continues on the LMS Period One Third Open 7828 at Rowsley. Michael Fearn has fitted the last of the aluminium shielding that goes behind the heater pipes, so with any luck it won’t be too long before the pipes can be refitted – another trip hazard out of the way. The photo shows Michael at work in the larger of the two saloons, in LMS carriage practice this would be the smoking saloon, while the smaller would be non-smoking – now of course no-smoking will be allowed at all!

Now that all the ceiling panels are fitted, have had a coat of brush filler, and been sanded down, attention has turned to the beading which covers the panel joins, plus the bases (correctly known as pattresses) for the saloon lights (correctly known as electroliers). Ben Riley has prepared the bases and beading, some of the latter having had the steam-bending treatment with the aid of Harvey Coppock. The wiring, by the way, has been professionally tested and is fit for purpose.

Dave Winter

ali1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ali2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ceil1

Carriage Restorers resort to Magic Mushrooms!

You didn’t really think I meant those magic mushrooms did you?  Hey ho, several years ago LMSCA volunteers devised some supports to be used when putting up new ceilings in carriages and they came to be called ‘magic mushrooms’, you can see them in the accompanying photo of Third Open 7828 at Rowsley. After pinning the ceiling panel to the centre line of the roof and checking alignment it is then cajoled into the curve of the roof with the help of the mushrooms which force it into shape. The alternative would be to have lots of people doing the same job and getting in each other’s way.

If you had to get a locomotive overhauled you might go to Riley and Son Ltd, Ian Riley’s fine establishment at Bury, but if you want a ceiling put up the recommendation is Riley and son, i.e. Derek Riley and son Ben, here seen hard at work on 7828. They put up the whole ceiling over last weekend, and the result in the smaller saloon can be seen in the second photo. After snagging the ceiling will receive about five coats of paint. The completion of this job will mark a big step forward with 7828.

Dave Winter

ceiling1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ceiling2

Happy Christmas 2012

I would like to take the opportunity to wish all our readers and indeed rail enthusiasts everywhere (especially carriage restorers!) a Happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Thanks to Pete Stanley for the image which is Christmas 1937 edition of the LMS Magazine – LMS Christmas puds for all!

Happy Christmas from the LMSCA
Happy Christmas from the LMSCA

EARLY BOXING DAY FOR 7828 02 DEC 2012

The final piece of boxing-in

That should probably be ‘boxing-in day’ as the final pieces of tongue and groove boarding were fitted to 7828 at Rowsley. I’m not sure if boxing-in is the correct terminology, but it’s what we call the boarding that goes between the frame members on the inside of the coach. If you think it’s a bit rough you’d be right, it’s a support for the decorative interior panels and is never seen by the passenger so doesn’t have to look perfect, in fact a lot of the original boards are sawn but not planed. As far as the interior is concerned attention now turns to the ‘hoppers’ where the droplights live and once the rubber bump stops have been fitted in their new higher positions ( to prevent the droplights opening too far) we can think about replacing the long heater pipes. The latter are presently being rubbed down and painted ready for fitting – and they’re bloomin’ heavy!

Spot the Difference – the Wordy Bit

Somehow the text to accompany the photo of 7828 went into the ether – so here it is!

A milestone was reached in the restoration of the NRM’s LMS Third Open 7828 at Rowsley on the evening of Thursday 1st November when the final panel accepted its fate and bent to the typical LMS ‘tumblehome’ profile.  It seems to have been a long slog, but in fact it is just over a year since we turned 7828 on Rowsley turntable and started taking off the old panels and beading, the latter having been left on as a guide. As anticipated the frame on this side did not need as much repairing as the other side, but there was still plenty to do on the bottom rail and other horizontal sections. The new panels, which are 9mm WBP ply, were primed, undercoated and glossed on the interior side before fitting, the latter involving hundreds of Sheradised panel pins. Since then the new panels have received a coat of brushing filler, and two-pack filler in the panel joins and pin holes, and the long process of rubbing down has begun. You may wonder why we haven’t applied wood primer first, but a visit to the Carriage Convention at the Bluebell Railway (see a previous blog) revealed a very good finish on ply by using the filler first, after all, if you prime first you tend to sand most of it off!

Since putting the panels on several folk have commented ‘it’s starting to look like a coach now’ –  the restorers’ reaction is probably best left under a tarpaulin…

Beading ‘L’ 17 Oct 2012

Don machines the beading with a router and jig

Or it could be an ‘F’ or a ‘T’, that Don Lee is a picture of concentration working on with the router.  Now that the panels for Third Open 7828 at Rowsley are all cut out, the beading needs to move up the priority list. It will be a little while before the panels are all fixed in place and painted but then the panel joints will need to be covered by the beading. The main purpose of course is to prevent moisture getting into the joints, but a secondary purpose is to add to the attractive appearance of the coach. The junctions where the long straight sections of bead meet come in several different shapes, these are cut out on the bandsaw, fettled up a bit on the bobbin sander (for which we have a slightly rude name), then the edges are rounded off using  the router on a former guide, one for each shape, made by Alan Taylor.  It’s a very noisy job which is why Don is wearing ear protection.

‘Taylor-Made’ Panels for 7828

Now that the final frame repairs have been completed on Third Open 7828 at Rowsley, thoughts turn to re-panelling. Originally panelled in mahogany, we are using 9mm WBP ply, and Alan Taylor sprang into action by cutting out virtually all the panels for the upper bodyside, while James White and I made sure any bare wood on the framing had at least a coat of primer applied. The ply will need pva wood glue applying to the edges then priming and painting on both sides with the exterior side getting the paint, sand, fill, paint treatment many times over. Alan looks very happy with his efforts don’t you think?

%d bloggers like this: