Current Stage

Well its been just over a year since I returned to Swithland Yard, mainly due to recovering from a broken hand and also employment issues. Any how a lot of work has been completed in this time. Two wheels, one set of brake rigging, one ladder, the sole bar had all be completed to gloss stage before christmas 2012. 8 months to complete that, not bad meaning there is two, sorry three, of us working on this.

Photo copyright Tommy Lees 2013

Since Christmas'12 we have been focused on attacking this side of the barrel. This is a pretty big job, especially as tracing of the Shell BP logos had to be completed. The photo above shows work also concentrating on the south face, which is fully in primer waiting for a nice spell to apply undercoat.

Photo copyright Tommy Lees 2013

The picture above now shows the same side but an updated view. Currently, I have yet to take a photo from today's work, however it is easy to explain where we are now at. The BP logo has now been primed and also the barrel has been primed behind the ladder, the top below the walk way and the main face is now 2/3ds red. If the weather is fine, Keith should be able to finish the main face, allowing us to focus on taking apart the main tank lid at the top, as well as cleaning the top. Whilst it seems common sense, we didnt start at the top, don't ask us why as we don't know either, we have decided when it comes to east face, we will.

Hopefully, A6071 will be running for the October gala, after two years of continuous work. If you would like to help, either by donation or helping volunteering, please do get in touch. The GCR has a fine example of wagons from the 40's to 60's, with many still requiring work. If you were down the GCR for the January gala, you would have noticed the freight train consisted of box vans only. This is due to some wagons not being show worthy. So please, help the GCR make the mainline vision come true and help us to maintain one of the biggest wagon collections in the country

Tommy