Latest UPDATE from the C & W Dept. at Great Yeldham

Latest news from the Carriage and Wagon Department at Great Yeldham 17th April 2016

We continue to work on No.5 (a composite carriage). Here is what has been happening at Great Yeldham

The following items have been worked on by the volunteers at the carriage and wagon works.

• All the timber for the sides, ends and doors has been cut ready for setting out.
• Buffer beam ends have been made and given a first coat of paint.
• Lamp blocks are made and in their second coat of paint as are the vacuum pipe blocks.
• Foot boards - second coat of paint being applied.
• Hat racks machined and sanded.
• Vent sliders varnished and sanded ready for a second coat of varnish.
• 1st Class ventilator cassettes made and given a first coat of varnish.
• Floor boards - all holes drilled, awaiting varnish.
• All seat frames have been sanded and are now being assembled
• Sole bar and cant rail splices complete and set out for mortising.
• Some of the church pews are being dismantled so that the timber can be used.
• The end gutters are being machined .
• Seat slats have been sanded and given a first coat of varnish.
• Machining and sanding timber for 1st class seat arms (the front hardwood mouldings).
• Our thanks to Michael Dee for using his own vehicle to deliver two benches and a table (made at Great Yeldham) to Chelfham Station.

Latest photos from Great Yeldham

1. Timber all cut ready for setting out.

2. David Gandell drilling floor board bolt holes.

3. John Myhill sanding vent sliders. At the back of the bench are front seat legs and seat frames beyond them.

4. John then began sanding 3rd class seat frames.

5. Buffer beam ends ready for painting.

6. Richard Wadeson and David Gandell sanding hat rack slats.

7. David Ely using a router to form sole bar splices.

8. A finished splice.

9. David Gandell painting buffer beam ends and foot boards.

10. Charles Summers drilling holes in a pew end.

11. David Ely cutting the outer shape of the end gutters....

12. ....then the inner shape of the end gutters.

13. Charles Summers screwing the up-stands to the back of the foot boards.

14. Steve Arthurs and Martin Tester assembling 3rd class seats.

15. Richard Bullock drum sanding parts for the 1st class seat arms.

16. John Myhill and David Gandell varnishing seat slats - 1st coat.

17. The new display stand for shows.

18. L&BR trailer ready and loaded for the next show.

Report and photos by Tony Ely