Riding Van No 89 - Restoration

Following Trustee Pete Simpson's death his van has been transferred to the Association and we have started restoration to provide a Mess Van for the Association volunteers.

The mess end now looking very smart. Photo: Dave Smith.

The repanelling of the railway-side has begun following the completion of bottom side repairs. Photo: Mick Haynes.

The final town-side window now has its surround in finishing just the handrails to go on together with lettering. Photo: Mick Haynes.

Repairs to bottom side nearing completion. Photo: Mick Haynes.

A second coat of finishing red on the South end. Photo: Dave Smith.

The town side now in finishing brown. Photo: Mick Haynes.

The south-end now in finishing red. Photo: Gareth Price.

The gutter repaired on the town side. Photo: Gareth Price.

The south end has received its second red undercoat. Photo: Dave Smith.

The town-side now with the next set of window mouldings. Photo: Mick Haynes.

The stepboard brackets in black and attached to underframe. Photo: Gareth Price.

The new panelling now primed. Photo: Dave Smith.

View along town side. Photo: Dave Smith.

Both window mouldings in place at the south end.

The town side in undercoat grey. Photo: Gareth Price.

Robin painting the workshop end in finishing brown. Photo: Dave Smith.

The underframe in finishing black. Photo: Dave Smith.

The town side panelling nearing completion.

The underframe is now in undercoat. Photo: Dave Smith.

Both windows now with surround mouldings in place. Photo: Mick Haynes

The solebar in undercoat. Photo: Dave Smith.

The footboard supports, cleaned and primed. Photo: Dave Smith.

OK axlebox cleaned and ready for primer. Photo: Dave Smith.

Solebar painting progressing. Photo: Dave Smith.

The newly installed lighting. Photo: Rob Massey.

The workshop area cleaned and primed. Photos: Dave Smith.

The first coat of primer on the cleaned section of underframe. Photo: Dave Smith.

The vestibule door painting is finished and back in place. Photo: Dave Smith.

The old gas ceiling light now wired in. Photo: Dave Smith.

Refurbished and polished fittings - the door handle...

...door roller bracket...

...and sliding door external handle. Photos: Dave Smith.

The refurbished droplight lock. Photo: Dave Smith.

External sliding door. Photo: Dave Smith.

The sliding door in undercoat. Photo: Dave Smith.

89 is looking good now with new droplight fitted, painting around sink completed and surplus wiring and gas piping removed. Photo: Rob Massey.

The roof stripped down, cleaned, primed and now in undercoat white.

The town side now in undercoat brown.

The interior after a thorough clear-out and new paintwork.

Windows in place and T&G screw heads filled. Photo: Dave Smith.

The re-paneled side is now primed. Photo: Mick Haynes.

The new scaffold is now in use allowing good progress on the town side framework. A start has been made on cutting the T&G to fit.

The north end has a second brown undercoat. This is not red when the tool and riding vans ran coupled together.

Window frame under repair.

Further progress with Rob beginning painting of the north end, seen here during a tea break! Brian and Paul are progressing the frame repairs on the town side to be ready for the new scaffolding.

The south end is now in undercoat. Photo: Rob Massey.

Looking good. Photo: Dave Smith.

Primer now applied to the south end. Photo: Dave Smith.

New end capping in place.

New bolections end glazed window.

Elm buffer packing being renewed.

Frame repairs to the town-end in progress. Photo: Rob-Massey.

New window bolections which had been previously made by Pete, have been fitted and glazed. Further T&G boards have also been added. Photo: Rob Massey

Further T&G boards screwed into place. Photo: Rob Massey

Scaffold platform in place at the Kidderminster end, and following framework repairs five new T & G boards have been fitted temporarily.

An interior view of the workshop end.

Cleaning and sorting the 'Officer Compartment' in preparation for use as the mess van. Photo: David A Smith.