Even though the weather was remarkably clement this morning the team convened inside the museum to commence our winter works. Allan Black, Andy Sheffield, Pete Thomas and John Olsen were joined by Andrea Sutherland as we tackled the cleaning of our, many, brass name and works plates displayed on the wall above the stairs.
Allan, Andrea and Andy set up a cleaning station on the first floor armed with white spirit, Brasso wadding and conservation wax, and applied toothbrushes, rags and elbow grease to the plates that John carefully removed from the display board, from atop the scaffold tower. Pete got the slightly scruffier end of the cleaning ‘market’ out on the platform rubbing down the bobbins from wagon no. 164, the braked 3 bar slate wagon, in preparation for a fresh coat of black Hammerite. The first three works plates had been cleaned, polished, protected and re-mounted on the wall by the time the coffee ‘bell’ was sounded.
We adjourned to the cafe where we were joined by Ann McCanna, Tom Place and Charles Benedetto for our usual chocolate biscuits, coffee and chat.
Much refreshed we took up our tasks again so that by the mornings end nearly all the works plates and several nameplates had been returned to their former glory back up on the wall. The larger nameplates remain to be done as it is a two man job to safely de-mount them, such is their weight. Pete completed his clean up job by wiping the sanded bobbins with white spirits, they are now ready to paint.
Photos by John Olsen