NVR Wagon Group

Multiple fronts tackled today, The Mackerel is now complete, with final lettering , sole bar details and D plates applied.

The Palvan had the underframe painted, sole bar details applied as well as completion of the south east body side signwriting.

The south west door was prepared, primed and undercoated, a few small repairs being required.

Brake handle ends and lamp brackets painted white and Roof covering date applied at either end of the wagon.

The Conflat, received it’s D plates.

All four buffers were removed rust removed, oiled re assembled and paint touched up.

More brake handle ends and lamp brackets painted.p white.

Wagon label clips mounted, fitted and painted black

Although that was not enough our Fruit van conversion was cleared, the rotten floor removed and the chassis cleaned up in preparation for paint, This is looking to be the next project after the current ones are wrapped up.

Finally, still places on our Class 37 Railfreight course, any one interested please email enquiries@nvrwagons.co.uk to book.

Matt popped into Peterborough today to apply some more paint to the Palvan. Headstocks, the Northside main chassis rail and some details to the body supports.

Next session should see a new Inner South door and attention to the outer door which after a touch of painting will see the body work complete. Regards the brakes, the handbrake is serviceable with our winter project being to look at getting the running rake as well as the Conflat and this vehicle’s automatic vacuum brake in operation.

Finally keep an eye on our Facebook and website, the participants of our Sold Out Deltic Freight Experience have been contacted and offered a place on a replacement event due to the unavailability of 55009, so there may be a couple of spaces becoming available with 37714.

Friday was our Goods Experience with 2999, Lady of Legend, with plenty of happy participants.

Matt also took the opportunity to hang out with a Pal, Palvan B778810. Applying undercoat to the completed sides and doors.

Most normal people have desires to own a fancy car, or sky dive, Matt however has always wanted to restore a Palvan. So despite the warm wether Matt was down again Saturday, this time applying Bauxite.

On to the planned work day Sunday.

Matt starting with a touch of Signwriting.
The Conflat receiving it’s running number, Gross weight and Tare. The rest of the signwriting will go on the chain pocket sides when they are fitted.

Tim was also on site, adding some finishing touches, chalkboards and door striker plate.

Matt moved on to the Palvan, with the North side being marked up, and painted.

The vehicle finished its life with BR as an internal user at Boston Docks, and this has been reflected in the branding applied.

Unfortunately, the heavens opened, which curtailed any further work. Although XP was applied to the South side but this will need tidying up.

Still some work to do on the South side, most notably the doors, and attention to the underframe and headstocks but it’s all starting to come together.

Finally, we have upgraded our website, with a new address and contact, although use of the previous web address will send you to the new one, published media will be updated in due course.

The address;
www.nvrwagons.co.uk

Email;
enquiries@nvrwagons.co.uk

So a week of wagon work, let’s get straight into it.

Monday and after a quick going over by Tim with a wire wheel, Mark applied black to the north side of the Mackerel.

Over in Railworld, Matt and Tim continued with the Conflat prep.

Tim again with the wire wheel.

Whilst Matt continued removing the rotten steel and rivets from the chain pockets.

Tuesday and with the final rivets removed, Matt completed some final prep whilst Tim replaced a few life expired split pins.

Then it was on to some painting. Tim and Mark applying underframe black to the……………….underframe, with Matt first applying red oxide primer, followed by Bauxite. Unfortunately it was not possible to complete the painting as the heavens opened.

Wednesday and the painting continued on the Conflat with Tim, Colin and Matt in attendance.
This sees the Bauxite and the Black completed as far as we can, until the replacement chain pocket skins arrive.

Next attention turned to Palvan B778810 a stalled project from a few years ago that really needs to be completed. Now joined by Jason, the body was keyed and loose paint removed.

A rotten side sheet was also removed, with Jason and Tim cutting and drilling a replacement.

This was then Primed and Undercoated

A rotten door was also removed.

With the final task of the day being to apply undercoat to the north body side.

Thursday, and it’s time for some roof action.

Tim and Matt doing the honours, 8’x4’ sheet in each corner drilled and bolted.

Followed by two 8’ support sheets screwed across the width of the roof either side of the van centre, this was then topped with trimmed 4’ sections of ply

Further support pieces were then screwed along the centre line of the roof and again topped off with 3 trimmed pieces of ply.

This resulted in a very smart ply roof, requiring a sheet.

And if that was not enough, the new side sheet was fitted as the light faded on another day.

So on to the final day of our work week, Friday, with Tim and Matt on site.

1”x1/2” wood strips were screwed to either side of the new roof ply and the all excess bolts, screws and ply lengths were trimmed.

A suitable lorry side curtain was selected from stores and the furniture and strapping removed.

Trim panels were also manufactured for the lower portion of the side sheets. These are to strengthen the ply sheets which have deteriorated a little over the years the vehicle has been idle, although a full reskinning would be preferable with the rest of the ply in very good shape, this is a cost saving measure, with only the worst sheet replaced as described above. The plates were drilled and primed.

Unfortunately no images of the roof sheet going on as Tim and Matt just got on with it. The process was to roll the sheet up, lay it on to the roof. Then the west roof hoop was bolted into position clamping the sheet at that end.

It was then rolled out, 3 rail chairs roped to the end to provide tension, whist the second hoop is fitted.

The sides are then stapled to the previously fitted wood strips and the excess sheet trimmed.

Our PVC primer of choice was then applied and then the camera came out.

The trim plates as well as the door retaining latches were fitted and primed.

With the final task for the week being the application of bitumastic black to the roof.

This means the Palvan now has a roof again, a new door is required as well as repairs to another, then a further undercoat and topcoat. The Conflat requires a floor after its chain pocket sheets.

Three vehicles significantly progressed, with a few outstanding tasks this should see them back in traffic.

Again a reminder there are still places on out Saint Goods Experience, supporting these events allows us to progress work and return more vehicles to working condition lengthening the freight making the experiences even more challenging.

Please check out our events page for details

As a change of pace we move from Wood prep to Metal prep.

First vehicle DB992358. This was painted for the museum opening however did not receive paint to the north side, this was the focus for some of the group as it was scraped down and prepared. This will receive paint during next weeks work week.

The chalk boards on the vans in the bay platform were also keyed, primed were required and top coated.

The rest of the team focused on Conflat B707261. Again scraping and preparing, the rotten skin of the north chain pocket was also removed in preparation for new skins to be manufactured.

That’s two vehicles ready for some black paint, as mentioned some of the team will be on site all next week, progressing a number of vehicles and hopefully bringing a few back into traffic.

Still places on our Saint Goods Experience for anyone interested. Visit out event page for more information and to book.

A short update this weekend as work progresses on preparing planks.

Cut to size, primed and undercoated.

Don’t forget there are still places on our Saint Goods Experience.

Back at it this Saturday and with reasonable weather the completion of 768248s roof.

First a layer of primer, followed by a bitumastic top coat.

This was followed with a touch more paint for this and 780952, with the ends of the roof hoops and the metal work over the doors receiving Bauxite

Work continues with welding on vehicles in Railworld.

Whilst the rest of the team stripped rotten wood from one of the other vehicles at Peterborough.

The inner skin was removed and the planks deemed life expired removed.

New planks were primed, undercoated and top coated.

Once touch dry these were temporary refitted. Yes, some metal work required in the coming weeks.

A reminder there are still places on our Saint Good Driving Experience. Visit our events page for further details.

Here we go again, another session and another roof, this time B768248. First however Tim had to deal with a wasp infestation in one of the other vehicles.

Roof hoops were removed, the felt covering was pretty much in tact however has split in two areas the length of the van, it was also clear that the felt was placed on the original canvas roof.
It was decided to sheet the entire roof without stripping as this would be a lot simpler and quicker.

Fittings were removed from the tarpaulin and once placed on the roof, as with the last session it was secured at one end, Stretched across the roof and secured at the other end.

Matt then went round stapling and trimming the edges.

Unfortunately we were in and out of the van as the rain started and stopped, meaning we were unable to paint the sheet, so first job next session.

A reminder that two of our freight driving corses are on sale at the moment. Plenty of spaces for the Saint, although currently sold out a number of spaces should be reappearing for the Deltic so keep looking.

Visit our events page on this site, or view the NVR site for booking details.

Back at it again as we continue with B780952, last time we left it with a partially fitted roof sheet. To begin, the west roof hoop was removed and the sheet pulled taught as it had relaxed over the previous weeks.

Once re-hooped. The perimeter of the sheet was stapled to the batons fitted under the roof edge.

The sheet was then trimmed.

Whilst this was underway a team tackled B775702 clearing the vehicle and scraping down the steel work ready for repairs and it’s conversion into a Fruit van

With the sheet fitting complete, the roof was then primed

Then once dry a coat of bituminous black to look a little more prototypical.

On a separate task, Matt sign wrote a pair of plates from Orton Mere Signal Box which is slowly being brought back to its former glory after the resent arson attack.

Before we finish a little team admin. Welcome to new member Chris and Happy Birthday Tim. Clearly old age is starting to get to him.

After our recent successful events it back to the grind at Peterborough. With the renewed push on the vans we start on what we have deemed the quick wins, that is the 3 in the Bay platform, these require roof repairs and running gear attention.

B780952 the first to see work. The failed roof covering, well coverings actually, were all removed by Tim, Gareth and Matt

Cliff removed the roof bolts from the perimeter of the roof. Which included the end hoops which were cleaned and straightened by Stu and Josh,

Phil made a start to preparing the unrestored north side, whilst Ed and Jason made weld repairs to one of the other vehicles in Railworld. They also has assistance from the wild life.

With the morning taken up with removal of coverings the next step was to rebuild the damaged roof edge. With the rest of the roof in very good condition the decision was taken to apply new ply on top of the existing. This was screwed and bolted, with batons fixed to the edge for strength and a future step,

What we are calling the Quorn covering, as this has been applied with great success by Quorn Wagon and Wagon, the ex lorry tarpaulin was prepared with fixtures removed.

The tarpaulin was rolled up and slid on to the roof, being fixed at one end under the roof hoop.

With the bolts tightened, the covering was rolled out, pulled from the other end and fixed in the same manor.

Unfortunately time ran away with only a few staples applied into the side batons to hold the sheet a little more securely until we next tend to it.

This does mean a repaired roof with a waterproof covering which requires minor work to secure fully and a few coats of paint for a more prototypical colour

An additional update to our usual schedule,
Tim, Steve, Paul and Matt taking some afternoons to add the final details to the Museum and vehicles stables in the Bay.

Matt adding the operation and plate details to the Mackerel as well as the Vacuum swan neck colour.

Tim, Steve and Paul progressing with the museum, but again no shots of that until the 2nd.

Oh go on then, just a peak……..

Just realised it’s been a while since we have had a Tim’s trailer update.

Externally it’s complete. This was in time for a trip from its current location at the Mountsorrel and Rothley Community Heritage Centre to Kidderminster Town station on the Severn Valley Railway for the 40th Anniversary of the Mechanical Horse Club

Also for the first time, Tim got to haul his trailer, although using Matt’s Scarab

With the 2nd bearing down on us its time for the usual running fleet preparation.

Tim, Stuart, Josh, Phil, Cliff, Colin, John, Matt and Mark on site at Wansford, making quick work of the oiling and inspections of the running fleet.

With the fleet in order and before heading to Peterborough, Matt applied the lettering to the Octopussy CCT.

We were also able to curtail his sign-writing tendencies, which usually means anything that’ doesn’t move has the potential to be painted. So behind bars with him.

With all the necessaries taken care off we moved to Peterborough. Phil doing a superb job of tidying up in the Bay, weeding and removal of rubbish.

Stu and Josh fitting information boards to “A” boards detailing the vehicles stabled at Peterborough.

Tim once again adding the polish to the museum, including Matt’s sign writing sign.

As mentioned on our Facebook page Matt is bringing his Escort van to complement the Peak and to work out wether we could get it on the platform or not, we just went for it.

So as a reminder, busy day for the group this coming Friday. Hope to see you there.

With Tim, Colin, Cliff, Matt, Ed, Mark and Alan at Peterborough we continue with some finishing touches before our museum opening on the 2nd June.

As has become the norm, Sign-writing for Matt. First lettering applied to B780952.

For the rest of the team after a spot of cleaning of B780952s frames they assisted Ed with moving some items from one of the vans in Rail World as he begins repairs to the corrugated ends.

Once Ed was away and after Tim had cleaned off the Mackerels hand rails it was out with the black touching in the areas that were missed and now visible due to the splendid weather.

Matt applied even more lettering, this time to the Mackerel.
It’s original Scottish region allocation .

We hope you agree it looks rather smart sporting 1950 engineers black with straw lettering.

Once again a reminder of our museum open day in the afternoon of the 2nd June, there is also one of our popular freight experience days, unfortunately due to a locomotive failure this will now be with 45041. A few places remain for anyone wishing to have a drive of the Peak on a freight.

Another secret project also progressed and this will also be revealed on the 2nd.