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Thursday 7th September. A start is
made at clearing out the old ballast in the ballast tanks, which bring
the van's weight up to 20 tons. An amazing discovery - not only have around
15 brakeblocks been removed from the ballast tanks, but a big end of some
long scrapped GNR(I) engine has been unearthed!
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One of the volunteers inspects the
find. Amazingly there is a 61 year old trimming still in the oil hole!
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Work begins on overhauling the brake
gear. Firstly the handbrake standard was removed and stored until a new
floor can be put down for it to stand on.
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This isn't easy work. A pin is being
removed from the brake gear so that new ones can be made at the RPSI's
"Locomotive Skills" class. There isn't a lot of headroom . . .
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On Saturday 9th September work continued.
On the Belfast end of the van the steelwork is being prepared for painting.
Here it is being wire brushed.
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Work continues removing the scrap
in the ballast tanks. A chain hoist has been pressed into use to remove
brakeblocks.
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Yet another GNR(I) coach brakeblock
is removed. Annoyingly, of the 30 so far removed, none will fit the van!
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Old roof bolts are removed to allow
the girders to be painted. A new roof will be the first thing to be put
onto the van.
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New paint is applied!
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Punching out old bolts after the heads
have been removed.
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The tedious job of removing old swarf
from the ballast tanks continues.
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