Rebuilding Gresley Buffet 644 - Chapter 24

The warmer weather during the summer of 2009 meant that it was "full steam ahead" with work on the exterior of the coach. Much effort went into varnishing lettering and lining the coach.
Dave Simpson spent a huge number of hours painting the lettering and numbering on both sides of the vehicle. Jim, George and Reg worked on the north side with lining out. Lining out involves painting a 5/8" wide red strip centrally on the lining mouldings. Marking and masking the mouldings was the most difficult part. After the red paint had fully dried the process was repeated this time applying a 3/8" wide stripe of primrose yellow centrally on the red stripe.

The window bars were replaced on the three windows opposite the bar after the cups which fix the bars to the window frame had been received.
The pelmets on the north side were screwed into place after all the wall decoration was completed. Only the first two pelmets were in place when this photo was taken (by Jim Ormiston).

Thanks partly to the EU directive which outlawed filament bulbs from the end of 2009, the decision was made to give 644 the same treatment as 461 and fit an inverter and CFL bulbs. These bulbs are MUCH more efficient than the 24v filament bulbs and would give much better battery life. As you can see from the photograph, they look very smart and the saloon and corridor were now illuminated to a much better standard than in Sir Nigel's day.
Don spent a day under the coach wrestling with the larger (1000w) inverter which was fitted up behind the solebar near the main fusebox. The single inverter powers all the 10 CFL bulbs in the saloon and corridor and the 2 golfball LED bulbs used in the vestibules. The equivalent light output from these bulbs is 630w for an actual power consumption at 24v of about 150w. used

Jim Summers completed the edging trim in the corridor and west end vestibule. Some fairly tricky shapes were involved so full marks to Jim for completing the task without too many sweary words being heard.
This photo shows "work in progress" rather than the job completed.
Once all the trim was in place, screwhead filling was required to achieve a smooth surface for painting/papering.