Well it’s been some time since the last Wagon Group report, with the new website being set up.
So here goes with an update on our activities over the past few months… After the last lockdown we started back at Alton and Medstead around the middle of March. A rake of wagons had been shunted into Alton from Medstead a bit earlier in the year, and we found most had a good covering of green mould, and were looking a little neglected… which indeed with Covid over the past year or so, they largely had!
So a programme of jet washing and spraying patio cleaner commenced, which helped to clean things up a bit. Then we started on more works summarised, as below:
SR brake van S 56506 has had a partial repaint, the roof a coat of black bitumen, and two roof ventsattached thereon. BR Shoc van B 854732 has had ply sheeting repairs and a repaint.BR Banana van B 881711 has had more serious ply sheeting repairs and a repaint.BR Lowfit B 452718 has had a repaint, as has the “D” type open container it is loaded with. Low sided M 460001 has had a partial repaint, and the north side planks are currently being partially replaced. The cable drum loaded on the wagon has been repainted. The white “AF” container on Conflat A B 506889 has been craned off for repainting, and the Conflat repainted and wood preserver applied to the flooring. The maroon container on Conflat A B 700741 is waiting a second attempt at offloading for timber framework repairs. The first attempt had to be aborted when the container body was raising faster than the base! We had not appreciated the weight of the contents which were stored therein… SW Tar wagon No 95 has been cleaned off of green mould and varnish applied to the red solebars.BR Meat van B 870073 derusting and sanding the sides and ends is progressing, and reaching the undercoat stage. The four new doors are to hand and waiting installation. BR vanfit B 763661 is in need of a new roof and T&G to the sides, and this has been sheeted over, as a future project. Not a wagon, but taking up resources, our toilet and washroom shed in the yard is being fitted out.
Meantime up at Medstead the works have been:
Completion of overhaul of low sided B 726064. This has included a complete overhaul of the brake linkages and pretty well a first for our wagons… a set of new brake blocks! The Fergie tractor has been reassembled and repainted, and is now back on the above wagon. Just waiting the fitting of new ropes next week. Cattle van S 53845 has completed it’s overhaul and repaint. LMS van M 520771 is having a new north side door constructed. PMV S 1995 has had a partial replacement of the north side T&G, and there is a bit more to replace on the south side. Gunpowder van W 105761 is reaching the end of it’s comprehensive overhaul. The doors have been refurbished, new flooring has been installed, and painting internally and externally is being carried out.
Hopefully we can get some Fitness To Run tests soon, and some of the above wagons will be able to join the operational fleet.
Chris Le Corney
BR Shocvan B 854732 31/3/21, with delaminating ply sheeting.
SR PMV S 1995 16/6/21, new north side T&G installed.
