Spring / Early Summer 2022
Work has continued over the later spring and into the summer on No 731 in the Museum workshop, with some visible progress at last. Hooray! The trial fittings of mouldings and beading at the west end showed that the process was much more complex that might be thought - indeed, the end mouldings had to be re-made,as there was 1/8 inch difference in the levels between the various elements - and it showed. So the trial mouldings were duly removed and replaced with new ones which were made at home once more. A great deal of measuring is entailed in this process, and checking and re-checking sizes had to be done all along the extent of the corridor side. A black ink marker, judiciously used, proved a valuable acquisition.
The long beading strips were made in the carriage workshops by Don and the team and we are extremely grateful for this: the estimate from a commercial maker was more than £1000. There are more than 200 feet of beading strips on the corridor side, and about the same on the compartment side. Eventually several weeks' work saw all the beading on the corridor side fixed in place and the vehicle looking a great deal better: this side is now complete apart from glazing, another expensive item. We have used 1 1/4" lost head nails for the process, rather than the little pins which were originally used. The reason for this is was that the pins kept bending and much frustration ensued. Priming of the new beading and also of the upper original panels is the next activity on this side.
When the corridor side was finished, work started on the compartment side and at the time of writing in late June, the west end section and the next section between Doors 5 and 6 have been started. It is hoped that we shall have all the beading in place by the end of the autumn, so look out for the next exciting episode of this blog.
Please donate to the 731 fund if you can. Thanks!