Painting and smiles - all in a day at the Rocks By rail Museum!

Always good to be met by a smiling face when I arrive at the Rocks By Rail Museum, and Rob had one! Probably he was smiling because he was nearly finished with painting the Plant Shed or, as it is becoming known, the Hanger.

He has achieved a great finish which is amazing given Robs paint brush.

Apparently, rather than cleaning it after last weeks session, he just left it in the tin of paint, put the lid on and then retrieved it at the start of this weeks session! Well, it seems to work for him!

However, in the Restoration Shed, new volunteer Clair was helping out on painting steam loco Barrington which will have a yellow wasp stripped front and rear as it did in its working life.

More smiles!

Unlike Rob, Clair has a more caring approach to paint brushes! This cleaning system she has put in place means that brushes are left suspended (hole drilled through the handle and then a metal rod threaded through), in white spirit in a jar (left in the picture) where the paint leaves the bristles to settle on the bottom of the jar leaving a clean brush ready to use next time. The sediment can be removed into the Sediment bottle on the right leaving clear white spirit for more cleaning! Brilliant and certainly brought smiles all round to have clean brushes!

Further down the shed Andy was not painting but was discussing some work on 1931 with an outside contractor to speed up getting this loco back into steam which will bring a smile to his face!

Outside, more painting by Pete, who was finishing off the Quarry Office buildings' exterior finish and very nice it looks too! No wonder he was smiling too!

Looking from a distance it does take on a different look from when it was painted brown.

Meanwhile, Pam seemed t think I needed a helping hand in keeping the grass under control and was busy with the strimmer and was doing that with a smile!

Wherever I looked she seemed to be bringing neatness to an otherwise vegetational free for all!

I did get a fair amount of grass cut though and looking at the finished product always brings a smile to my face!