An odd beginning to the week by going off plan to complete the lighting switch-box cover. This was prompted by a need to clear workshop space. I still need to fit a clasp to the hinged cover over the fuses. I then cut the channel to size for the cab window fixed pane, in preparation for welding the angle that retains the anti-rattle/draught excluder fabric, the angle having arrived today. The next day was unexpectedly sunny so I got on with preparing the wheels for primer. I sprayed them with red oxide the following day and and was satisfied with the result, having given them two coats, despite the freezing cold weather. I wasn’t feeling great the next day, so just touched up with a brush any areas I’d missed on the wheels. I next turned my attention to the cab window and assembled the bit of vertical frame required for the fixed pane, this involved welding angle to the channel to hold the strip of material for the draught/anti-rattle seal. This went well except for catching the enf of the channel with the tip of the mig, burning a bit away. Having trimmed the overlapping angle, it was apparent that this would hardly show so I left it. Last job was to spray the assembly with red oxide primer, before the cold (-2C) drove me indoors.
All posts by Nigel
5/1/2025
Applied undercoat to the inside of the cab door, mixed from brick read with a little black in it. Made sure it was thinned well and warmed it so it would dry. Next, I continued with the cab window by starting to strip the paint from the opening glass. The next day was dry and sunny so I took the opportunity to continue prepping the wheel rims, wirebrushing the outer faces of three and giving them a coat of red oxide. It was a bit thin in places so a second coat will need to be done soon, weather forecast suggests the middle of next week. The cab window frame was not screwed together, so I removed it from the glass to make painting easier. I straightened the wonky offside window (no.4 from the fornt) as much as I could, so its slant is not so noticeable from inside as it was, although it is not perfected, so I started to fix it permanently. I finished fixing the rest of the windows, though there might need to be one or two more screws inserted to make sure the bottoms are fluch with the aluminium side panes. At the moment the weather is too cold to do anything else.
31/12/2024 and year summary for 2024
As this is Christmas and new year week, not much got done but I started the week by completing and testing the wiring of the boot light and its switch. After Christmas, the first job was to update the plan for 2025. When I got out to the bus shed, I primed the remaining cab woodwork as a prelude to painting, ready for fitting of the cab window. I then cleaned and polished the fixed pane of the cab window and cut the remaining piece of steel channel for this pane. I’m awaiting the arrival of some steel angle to complete this with the draught excluder. I also primed the aluminium panel below the cab window on the inside of the cab door and some of the woodword on the emrgency door got a second coat.
As this is the last entry of the year, a summary of work completed in the last twelve months is appropriate.
All the offside half-drop windows were assembled and installed.
New window frames were constructed and new glass fitted for the final non-opening offside window and the emergency door window. The cab offside window was glazed.
The emergency door was rebuilt with new exterior panels and the new window, then rehung and externally primed.
Attention was given to cab details, including the grab handles, fire extinguisher and holder, and the interior lights switch box which was repaired and painted. Paint was stripped from under the front canopy. A new panel was fitted to the inside of the cab door and the cab window frame and slam lock repaired.
The seats were removed, and retrimmed in the correct moquette (sourced from Facebook appeals) and brown vinyl by Ifor Evans. The driver’s seat was also retrimmed by Ifor.
On the electrical side, the indicator switch in the cab was partially cabled, the destination box had the bulb holders installed and wiring through to the cab completed. The boot lamp was installed and wired up to a the switch and successfully tested.
The wheels had their tyres removed and the rims sandblasted and partially primed.