This wagon was successfully jacked up in the yard on 2nd October and the bogies run out. This enabled shot blasting and the application of anti-corrosive primer to begin the following week, with completion of this work on the Tuesday of the week after that. This work has been funded by the York Area Group.

The remaining seized pins have been burnt out of the demountable transverse girders and those parts of this equipment, that are being re-used, are being needle gunned and prepared, prior to painting.

On the 25th, the wagon was repositioned on its bogies. This work took longer than expected as somehow, probably due to settlement of the packing, the frame was out of alignment with the centre pins of the bogies. Ratchet block and tackle had to be resorted to, to inch the frame across to the correct position. One end had to move east and one end to the west. The rail on the adjacent siding, containing loaded ballast wagons, was used as the anchor for the pull to the west and the heavyweight remaining frame section of tamper 73214 was used for the pull to the other side.

Following completion of the work, the wagon was placed at the back of the depot pit road, leaving space for the bogies to be rolled out, to enable initial refurbishment work to commence, starting with the long bolts that hold the components of the diamond frame bogies together.

Report & Photos: Nick Carter