July has been a month of steady, if unspectacular progress. Once we were able to put the FK (Corridor First) 13329 into use in the Carmine & Cream set, that rake was used on the Thomas weekend for the first time, as three full sets were required.

The benefit of having three serviceable sets was immediately apparent. Some jobs needed doing on the Chocolate & Cream set. It was therefore decided to leave the Carmine & Cream set in use for a couple of weeks whilst we sorted those problems out at Winchcombe.

It has proved to be a very useful period, because it has given us an opportunity for the first time to do some work on the Chocolate & Cream rake, that otherwise would have had to wait until the Winter shut down. For example, all dynamo belts have been adjusted, and one has been replaced. All brakes have been checked, and a worn vacuum hose has been replaced.

Also, since the TSO (Tourist second Open) 4772 was refurbished last year, the steam heating has not worked properly. There has been a bad steam leak underneath, and the coach did not warm up properly. By having time to make a proper investigation, we found that a section of pipe work had corroded and split. This was not allowing steam into the pipes feeding the interior. The offending section of pipe has been removed - not without some effort - and has been repaired. None of this would have been possible if the coaches had been in use.

Work has continued steadily on the other TSO 4763, whilst all this was going on. The plan is to have it operational by next year, so everything that is being done to it at the moment is a bonus. One side is painted up to undercoat stage, and the other is well on the way. A section of badly corroded vacuum pipe has been removed from underneath, and this necessitated first stripping everything out of the toilet, and then removing the toilet floor to gain access. That was a first for us. The pipe which was removed was found to have several large rusty holes in it, so there was no chance of repair.

We were also fortunate to find that another Mk 1 TSO 5042 (pictured right) was delivered to Toddington in July. The owner offered it to us in exchange for an old Mk 1 CK (Corridor Composite) which has been on the railway for about 20 years, and to be honest was never going to be restored. The agreed plan was to strip the CK of everything useful, and then send that for scrap.  Stripping internally is now complete. We have now started on the bogies. The coach was lifted on our jacks last weekend, and everything worth salvaging from the bogies will be removed, before the coach goes for scrap.

5042 is one of the last TSO's to be built. It has the melamine interior, and is overall in a very good condition save that virtually all windows were either broken or missing. Someone has got to it before us, and removed all the pairs of double sliding windows and the doors. We are in the process of replacing the large passenger windows. Rubber surrounds hold the windows in, and a supply of that has been sourced. We already have enough large windows in store. The plan immediately is to make it watertight for the coming winter, and then restore it shortly thereafter, to go into the Maroon rake.  It is in a better condition, and is far more complete than 4865 which was purchased a couple of years ago. You will see a picture of it here, with most of the windows replaced, and hardboard covering others.

Work has been continuing on the 1928 GWR tool van, No. 4. A contractor was located who could replace the roof covering. The owner agreed, and the work was completed last week. Work on the vehicle is progressing well, and it is already looking very smart in GWR chocolate with bright red ends, and yellow lettering. We had a fairly major shunt last weekend, and I took the opportunity for a photograph whilst it was temporarily outside.

The Carmine & Cream set is now at Winchcombe for a couple of weeks, for some remedial work to a couple of coaches. One or two need running repairs to the upholstery. Once these jobs have been done, it will go back into use and we shall take the Maroon set out for refurbishment.

Finally, after discussions with members of our diesel department, plans are in hand to borrow a steam boiler for location at Winchcombe. The plan is to refurbish one of the spare ex-diesel steam boilers, and locate it at Winchcombe adjacent to our carriage shed. When overhauled and plumbed in, it will mean that we can lift a carriage off its bogies, check for steam leaks and carry out repairs before returning the coach to use; something that has been impossible to date. Thanks are due to the owners of the boiler for allowing us to borrow it for this purpose.