A6581: 2014

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Update

Its been a while since we last reported any progress on A6581. This has been down to the fact we have been working on weltrol 902103 elsewhere in the yard. Now that it has become hard to progress on that project, we have now embarked our efforts back.

So where are we.

Well the south east axle box has now been cleaned and is now sitting in primer. The tie bar will be completed once the whole of the east frame has been glossed.

The axle has been cleaned back and now sits in primer, with the wheel and tyre now sitting in under coat.

More of the frame has been cleaned and is now sitting in primer. We have been able to progress well on the frame as it is surprisingly dry under the tank, allowing us to progress forwards.

The above photo shows the south east corner, the axle box shining in its red coat and the axle can just be seen in its coat of red. The sole will need a wipe down with a cloth and then will be ready to receive its gloss.

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

23/09/14

At present work has been concentrating on other projects (901203 and 753722) However due to a shot blaster being present in that part of the yard work could not happen there.

So A6581 has had received some attention today.

Keith has been undercoating every section that was currently sitting in primer. This should now protect it from the weather which has been predicted to turn slightly before getting better. Photos below show the areas worked on.

The center section is now fully undercoated. The barrel awaits its turn however further decisions on which undercoat and the correct spec for the yellow are needed.

The South East corner is now undercoated to match the rest of the east sole bar. The next job is to get it to gloss stage and then work on the axle box and springs.

Meanwhile on the north east corner, gloss has been applied to areas previously undercoated. The axle box, springs and some frame plates have been completed. Certain areas are still on hold but will be attacked when the time is right.

The North east corner, showing the freshly painted axle box, spring and more of the frame. The back of the wheel has been glossed as well.

The center beam has been painted in its final coat and stands out against the mixture of primer, undercoat and weathered looking tank.

As you can see work is progressing well. We benefit by having several wagons under our care meaning we always have work to do. If you are free Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturdays and fancy giving us a hand then do get in touch.

Tuesday, 16 September 2014

Volunteer Plea

Unfortunately due to the small group working on 901203, work has pretty much come to a slow pace, if not a complete stop. This is unfortunate however we are a wagon restoration group, and will work on wagons with a bigger priority.

So this is a plea for more help. We have a total of 9 projects under our care already. This has given us a work load of around 10 years, not bad with 3 members and this actually excludes several vehicles owned by a member. Include them and we could be looking at more. However with more members, we can turn around projects quicker, with the possibility of the group working on a couple of wagons at the same time.

So if you would like to join our friendly group then do get in touch. We work on average 3 days a week so even if you can attend one of those days, it will help move projects closer to completion.

Contact us on gcrwagongroup@hotmail.com with the subject of volunteering

Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Update 27/8/14

Work is still progressing on A6581. More frame is now sitting in primer, with others in undercoat and others further advanced in gloss. The aim is to now get all areas currently in primer in gloss by winter.

Photos below show progress.

The newly primed South East wheel. Work was started by Keith and finished off by Tom due to a shunt. The wagon has now moved a MK1 length down the yard. It is now visible from passing trains.

Newly primed frame. This area is the south end and work has only just started in this area.

Work is progressing in many areas on A6581, and is progressing rapidly. We still have areas which have yet to be touched, but due to the Big Shunt, it cannot be done until we know the wagon is not moving anywhere.

Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Latest Pics taken 30.7.14

Just a quick Picture post today, showing the areas being worked on. All photos were taken on the 30th however due to work commitments there hasn't been time to upload

Area of frame around the axle is now sitting in Undercoat. Springs and W bar have also been done.

All the east side that was sitting in primer is now in undercoat. We will hopefully finish this hole length by the time the weather turns.

Keiths handy work behind the anchor mounting. All the rivets are hard to clean. He has 2 more frame sides to complete and then the under side of the barrel, however this may be held off due to trying to find the right Yellow

The center frames underneath the barrel have been 2/3's cleaned. Why 2/3's? Due to the shunt, we do not want to release the through pipe, making the shunt more difficult so a decision has been made to wait until its complete.

Tuesday, 29 July 2014

29.7.14

Our first group work since a fortnight ago. And again the weather has been fantastic for working on 6581.

Due to the amount of work still to be undertaken, it was decided Keith would start to clean under the barrel behind the anchor mount and that I would clean the wheel.

Keith has made good progress cleaning the area behind the anchor. So far two areas have been cleaned, which does not sound a lot however due to all the rivets, it is a good advancement. The areas cleaned are the eastern face including the mount and the south face. These are now sitting in primer awaiting their turn for undercoat. The undercoat will commence once all the areas are sitting in primer, which should be within the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile the wheel has been cleaned both back and front. Compared to 6071, we thought this would be easier to clean, however it isn't. The lack of spokes makes holding the angle grinder difficult in tight spaces and some hard to reach areas were extremely hard to get to. Even with the drill it wasn't easy. However after 4 hours work it was complete and was sitting in primer awaiting its turn for undercoat. Attached is a photo showing the newly primed wheel against an undercoated W bar and a freshly glossed Brake Pin bar.

Eventually this will all look like the hanger, sitting in its lovely black gloss.

I'm ending today's post with the usual request for volunteers to join our group. An imminent Mega Shunt is to occur in Swithland due to the newly created Carriage Shed. The movement of Teak Coaches to this facillity and the MK1s possibly being moved opens up a good advantage for us. All being well, all wagons needing overhaul/restoration work will be grouped together in the yard, allowing us to work on them in time. The list of wagons is rather large and more help would be greatly appreciated. If we had a big group we could possibly work on a couple of wagons simultaneously. Please do get in touch, details found on our website.

Saturday, 26 July 2014

26.7.14

A little update from Keith.

He has now re-attached the Hand Brake pin bars and has glossed them in the ever so lovely coat of black. The nuts have split pin holes however we will need to drill them clean due to the old split pins being stuck. This should be done in next couple of weeks. Edit:attached is a photo showing the work taken on 29.7.14.

Keith has also taken off the metal plate from underneath the barrel that holds the pipe work in place. This will be cleaned and once the area is again complete will be re-attached. The nuts do need re-threading however and should be completed next Saturday.

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

23.7.14

Work had to move to a different day this week, due to work. And this also meant only one member was present. This does not mean work stopped, oh no. By the contrary.

Work continued under the barrel on the frame. As some faces had already been worked on, the task of working on the other faces continued. No less than 5 areas were cleaned and primed and the photos are below.

As the weather has been fantastic, it was also decided that a couple of areas that have been sitting in primer should be under coated. So the frame has been undercoated from the corner to the hand brake pivot point, including the front of the axle box and W bar. The photo can be seen below.

Our next task will be to re-install the Hand Brake Pin bars and then gloss them in place. We have decided that we will gloss once an item is re-attached, thus allowing more space in the van and moving the project along.

Also our next task will be to clean the wheel and get that to the same stage as the axle box and also carry on under neath.

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

15.7.14

Another brilliant day weather wise and productivity wise. Keith is back off his Holiday and has made progress on the hand brake pin brackets. These were taken off a couple of weeks ago and stored awaiting work. Keith has cleaned them back and primed them over the weekend. His first task was to paint them into undercoat, then they would be pretty much dry by the time we placed them back into store.

As previous posts would show, work has now started on the frames, mainly in the north east corner. The out side is now sitting in primer as shown below.

With the front sitting in primer, it is now time to start behind, with the first task being cleaning the frame behind the spring. Sounds easy, and is relatively easier compared to 6071 as it is just turning to dust and dirt. The section was cleaned and then work started on the section under the Tank Anchors. This section is hard to clean with a grinder, so our ever so faithful drill was used. Its difficult as the anchor is held in place by a selection of nuts and bolts. Now we could have released every single bolt but it really is pointless as they are all in good condition and would actually create more work.

Once that section was cleaned, work then moved slightly further back, and work commenced on the stretcher that runs diagonally from the north east corner to the center. Why? Well if you are to paint 4 sides of a very small space, the likelihood of catching and damaging the paint is very high. So to stop this from happening, tackle 2 sides, and move onto another small box. And in doing so, not only do you lower the chances of getting paint on our overalls, more of the frame can be covered in less time. Below are 2 photos showing the areas of work, which are now sitting in primer.

Meanwhile, after undercoating, Keith made good progress cleaning the center anchor and this now sits in primer. He also carried on cleaning the main frame. As discussed in previous posts, this can be a time consuming job. The amount of rivets has also taken a toll on the brush, a new one is now imminent. Below is a photo showing Keith's work. This side is now 3/4's done and should be fully cleaned in coming weeks.

As you can see a lot of work is happening and there is still more to do. With the work on the nearby carriage shed almost complete, the sidings will be involved in a mega shunt, mainly moving coaches to relevant storage places, MK1's to Rothley and the Teaks going into their new home. This will then mean most of the wagon fleet will be based at Swithland. We could do with expanding our group to maintain these wagons in running condition and to release freshly overhauled/restored wagons into service. There is plenty to do, and you do not even have to be skilled. As long as you can hold a paint brush and use an angle grinder you will be fine. If you would like to Get involved then email gcrwagongroup@outlook.com

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

9.7.14

Work is still moving apace on A6581, even if there is a wasp nest in our tool van acting as a deterrent.

Work this week started on the handbrake pivot support bracket located in the center. This has been fully cleaned back and is now primed. Photo below shows it in its primer coat. It shall not be long till it is in its grey undercoat.

After the above area was completed work started on cleaning the north east axle box. As previously mentioned in past posts, the way of working at present is to concentrate upon one area and to re-attach items quicker, meaning we can maximize our storage.

As you can see, the guides, the main axle box and the W iron bars have all been cleaned and primed. All the writing found on the axle box is now visible.

As you may have noticed, work has also started on the axle tie bar, which is still in place. After releasing the bolts, it was found that the tie-bar ends have been bent inwards and made tight against the W iron bar, meaning it is not something that will come off. It has been decided to keep it in place and to tidy as we go along.

The back has also been cleaned and half has been primed. The other half will be re-cleaned and primed on the next occasion.

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

1.7.14

More of the sole bar has been attached today. It is now cleaned up to the handbrake pivot supports, which is around half the distance. Again cleaning around the rivets has taken more time however I am sure the photo will do the work justice.

Photo above shows the area of which has been cleaned and primed to-date.

Photo above shows that work has also started on the springs.

The main idea is to complete one corner, and get all the small items re-attached to stop the risk of items being damaged or lost. So work will continue in this area by myself, including cleaning the bottom of the barrel and the frames on the inside, the wheel and axle box along with the main axle.

Meanwhile, Keith will undertake the same job on the South East corner. If correct, this will move the project along quicker than 6071, and also allowing the brake and pipework to be re-attached quicker.

As you can see, work is really underway on A6581, and we would like to have more help. If the photos of our work has encouraged you to help us, please do get in touch.

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

25.06.14

Work has started on the sole bar, with work commencing on the North East corner. The brake pin holding bars have been taken off and are awaiting to be cleaned. The area covered is from the corner to just over half way between the spring hangers. Its a time consuming job, especially cleaning around rivets however I think you will agree, the job looks well done. The total sides cleaned totals 6, including underneath.

Photo shows the area covered today

Photo above shows the primed re-inforcing plate between the buffer beam and the east frame.

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

24/06/2014

Work has now started on the solebar. As with A6071, work is starting low and in the dirty areas mainly due to the amount of work required. It is a slow progress, and we are still one short due to holidays. Work has started in the north east corner are will carry on along the east side. Once this side is complete, work will move under neath and behind, in areas you generally wont look, however like 6071 no area will go untouched.

In total 5 areas have been done, it took a while to clean this, swapping between a grinder and a drill to get into the corners. I am pleased with the outcome of the work and hopefully more can be completed tomorrow.

Below are photos of the area where work has started.

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

17/6/2014 + 18/06/2014

Sorry for the delay

Down to 1 person due to holidays, however this hasn't meant work has come to a standstill. The weather has been fantastic which has meant painting can go ahead. So I can now confirm, the whole of the east side break rigging, handbrake and all the removed pipework is now sitting in gloss. The photos below show them drying in storage.

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Work Continues

Work is still continuing, all though it has been delayed due to work and the ever changing British Weather.

Never the less, all the pipe work has now been fully cleaned and primed. All the gaskets that have come off are deemed re-usable and are now in store awaiting there time to be re-fitted. All the bolts and nuts have been freed and are now awaiting their turn to be cleaned. Over the next couple of weeks, these will all be undercoated and glossed, to which they will go into store until the time is right for re-attachment.

Speaking of undercoating, the brake gear off the east side is now starting to have undercoat applied. So far, the brake shoes, the handle and the tension bars are now sitting in the charcoal grey we have all missed. All being well, if the weather stays good, the brake hangers and pivot will also receive undercoat tomorrow. These again will be glossed and placed into storage whilst we start attacking the sole bar, wheels and axle boxes.

As you can see, work is continuing. Soon major work will be started, and for a time being it will seem like nothing is being done, however we will keep you informed of every development to come. Also Pictures will be added to here and the website.

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Rain Rain Go AWAY!

Just a quick update this one.

As the title says rain has had an impact on progress however work has happened, just a delay in writing it up.

Keith has cleaned and primed the two discharge pipes and they look better without the amount of oil and dirt that had accumulated. These will be undercoated, along with the all the brake gear and other pipe work which is sitting in primer.

Meanwhile a rather difficult job has just been started. The valve and casing were covered in years of dirt and when the valve was turned, yet more oil came out. This was cleaned up, then all the dirt was scrapped off, then the whole item was hosed down then cleaned back with a grinder/brush and to finish it off, primed. This took a whole day to complete, which is rather surprising meaning I thought it would at least take two days to fully clean. It now too awaits its turn for undercoating.

Next update will have pictures all being well.

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Yet more oil

Work is still concentrating on dis-assembly of the gear under the sole bar. So far the east side brake rigging and the west connecting pipe with lid have been taken off.

Keith has cleaned the vast majority of the brake gear and so far most are sitting in primer. During this process we did say good bye to one of our grinders, but to say it had last since late 2012 is pretty good going.

Today's progress was in two forms. Keith spent the morning cleaning yet more brake rigging, mainly anything not done which seems to be the small items. Meanwhile underneath, the two release valves and the east connecting pipe were taken off, much to the surprise of yet more oil still in the pipe. This was again collected in any spare container we could find. Also this is an interesting task, as some bolts are actually stuck in place till other items are dis-assembled.

The photo above shows the west release valve. If anybody has or knows of a spare then please do get in touch as we ideally need one for our other project at present A6071.

The afternoon work today concerned the ever so tough job of removing four bolts, that connect the T pipe with the barrel. The problem was they were a mix of bolts. No two were the same which made moving them tricky. Never the less, with an adjustable spanner, a metal pipe, 7 smaller spanners and two team members using their lunchtime energy, the job was completed in an hour and a half. Who ever put the bolts on knew what they were doing.

The Photo above shows A6581 from the east side, showing the missing brake gear and the amount of weathering which has occurred. We have tried to take as many photos as possible as the Shell Lubricant Oil writing is fading quickly.

Sunday, 4 May 2014

update

Work is now well underway. The brakes on the east side have been disassembled. Keith on Saturday cleaned the brake shoes and the break Handle. These are now sitting in the red oxide primer.

On Tuesday, work concentrated separating the brake bars from the wooden strengheners, something that was somewhat difficult on one, especially as there was no way to grip the pin on one set. This was dealt with by using mole grips, a couple of spanners and penetrating oil. All 4 of these bars have now been cleaned up and also sit in primer. These will be undercoated and glossed in due course then put in storage, possibly for a year as work on the sole bar will now be under way.

We still need to dismantle the pipe work, however I am assured the bolts have received oil and should be easy to move come Tuesday. Work on Tuesday will be mainly around the removal of the rest of the pipe work, we may even clean it up ready to go on.

As you can tell, a lot of work is scheduled for A6581, with a possible completion around 2016/7. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Monday, 21 April 2014

When we said Empty we meant...

Work last week continued on the dis-assembly of the pipe work and brake rigging. All the brake components have now been separated and are now in storage awaiting cleaning.

A6581's pipe over the years has accumulated years of dirt which combined with oil has left a really thick layer around all the bolts and nuts, making them rather difficult to free off. So far only the discharge pipe on the west is the only piece to be removed, the others will be removed in due course.

You may think we haven't accomplished much, but all will be explained as to why that is now. When looking into the barrel, it seemed like it was empty. This was not the case when we opened the release valve to make sure. Instead of nothing coming out, out came approximatly 7 maybe more gallons of oil, possibly 945 however we are unsure. This has now be placed in containers, the owner of which will be removing in due course.

No update next week due to work comitments

Sunday, 13 April 2014

Work Begins

This week, work has started on A6581.

The east side hand break and break rigging have now been removed, pending cleaning and priming. Work on Tuesday concentrated on taking them off the wagon. Hopefully, Keith has now separated the parts into individual parts so we can start cleaning them back.

The below photo shows the section after the rigging has been removed.

Work this week will concentrate on cleaning the individual components and hopefully make a start on the inside of the chassis. The components will also go into store until required.

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Through pipe photo

attached is a photo of A6581 and A6071. Note the newly attached through pipe

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Update

Late January, the owner moved A6581 to Quorn to make the wagon through piped. Originally, these tank wagons were unfitted, however with the freight set currently running fitted/ through fitted wagons, it is best to make it able to run in the set. So a pipe has been bolted in place and actually to the unknown would look correct.

A6581 has now been moved back to Swithland and currently sits next to its sister A6071. The two together really does give a before/ after look.

It is still anticipated that A6581 will be painted in its yellow livery it currently partly sits in. Hopefully work will actually commence within the next couple of months and should be running with A6071 in 2016.