Carriage Moved

We arrived at the Carriage Site to find 547 had been moved onto the new track. Unfortunately we didn't know it was happening and so we were unable to record the move. It still needs to be rolled slightly into position but that will happen in the near future. There was plenty of room on the track. It was good to see our cars all together.

We worked through the day yesterday although the wind was strong and made sanding and using filler difficult. There was some rubbish blowing around and when I did the lunch run I had to stop twice to clear branches so I could get through. Nothing stops the lunches making it to our workers! The local takeaway should be a sponsor of TRAK!

The window sill on the 2nd class end was almost finished. It will need some more sanding and an application of undercoat. It was in good condition with only a few small areas that needed attention.

Steve returned the windows he had been working on and took some more pieces to prepare at home. As he lives over an hour away this is how he can be the most productive with the time he can allocate to TRAK. His 38 Buick can be seen in the photo looking right at home amongst our historic carriages. He is inside working while Paul and Alan are working on the window sill and Kevin lurks in the doorway. For a larger view just click on the picture.

We hope to start working on the sides very soon but first we will finish the window sill. The sides will be a big job and we are planning something special for the workday we do them. Keep tuned for the latest information. Another couple of workdays should see the longer 1st class window sill done.

As next weekend is a long weekend we will have a workday on Monday instead of Sunday. All members are invited to come along and give a hand.

This weekend

As mentioned last time there will be a workday on Sunday. Weather is supposed to be warm so don't forget plenty of water.

Next weekend will be a long weekend. We can have the workday on which ever day people prefer so let us know what day you want to be there.

The TRAK Calendar has been updated too. Click on the link to the left for the latest details.

Workday Report

Work proceeded on the window sill of 547 yesterday. After the preparatory work on the last work day we cleaned up and sanded the area to be repaired. Some filler was applied to even out the surface. We concentrated on the centre section as that was the worst area and was the section we initially thought may need to be replaced. However we found it was quite solid with only some surface damage.

After the filler had set it was sanded back and a second coat applied to cover the areas we had missed the first time. Again it was left to set and then it was painted with undercoat. That's what Alan is doing in the photo as Paul hold the ropes from the tarp clear. The photographer risked life and limb hanging out of the carriage window to capture this shot!

Next week we will remove the remainder of the windows and finish the rest of the sill. It is in reasonable condition and very little if any filler will be needed. the end posts and then sides will be the next job when the sills are finished.

After the Storm

Last night's storm dumped nearly 100mm on Richmond and surrounding areas. The Carriage Site didn't escape. I visited this afternoon and there was a considerable amount of water lying around. Fortunately there was none under our cars, around our sleepers. When we laid the track we cleared the area nearby to allow water to escape and it still works.

Inside 1539 is a different matter though. The other cars were dry but the faulty tarp on 1539 allows water to just flow in. I don't think any of the floor was dry. The tarp our guys put on the windows of 547 worked though as the side of the car were wet but not a drop inside. The water had flowed across the end platforms but they were drying off.

So what will we do about 1539? Well when 547 is moved, which will be any day now, we will re-distribute the tarps so that 1539 can be covered. If there is not enough to cover it completely we will need to invest in a new tarp.

Weather permitting, and if enough volunteers show up, this will happen on our next workday on the 17th.