A bit late in posting this month as our running day last Saturday took up a fair bit of time last weekend, but was a good event and blessed with some great morning sunshine, but onto RT8...

Starting with the nearside view, the last of the beadings have gone on as have most of the lower deck panels and as can be seen the rear wheels are off so the wheel arches can be fitted and the last of the windows go in. The wheel arches are one of those jobs that have been put off as they are awkward, heavy and fiddly but alas the time has come...

Onto the offside and a similiar story in that most of the uppder deck panelling is done and the wheels are off. One of the great things about doing this is finding out about all the small differences on a 2RT from the post war variants. In this case its the stencil holder... RT8 arrived without one as late in their London lifes they were removed but when new they were fitted in a one piece panel, thus not being in their own small panel and having the beading around them as on later variants. So we have done the same and adjoined a stencil holder to a panel through welding and have made a one piece panel of them as would be accurate for the period we are aiming for circa 1943-44.

The front has been another benefactor of recent work and is now largely complete except for the glass in the destination displays. This has been one of the most difficult parts of the whole reframing to match up accurately but does now appear to be correct... was it R. J. Mitchell who said 'if it looks right it probably is right'?

Another view of the offside but i'm afraid with it being so close to the wall it is hard to get any really decent shots but I think you can probably get the general feel for where it has got to.

And finally a view of the wheel arch area currently being worked on. With any luck these should be done over the Christmas period which will then allow the last window pan on each side to be added. the missing panels, mudguards etc. all of which will make the nearside look very complete and she can then come down off axle stands and be back on her own 'feet' again.

Well this is the last update of 2009 which I optimistically thought would be the year she would've been running again. However, you cannot rush such a large project without cutting corners and we are not going to do that here, so its going to take as long as it takes, (although I do honestly think 2010 will be the year she is back) which of course will be exactly 70 years after she entered service in 1940.

So Merry Christmas to one and all and see you early in the New Year, which of course I hope will be a happy one for you all.

Cheers for the year
Steve

Update Nov 6

So here we are again....

Thought we'd start with some interior shots, as whilst no work has been on going here lately the addition of the windows has made the interior come alive and really look and feel like an RT. Above of course is the lower deck, whilst below is the upper, just to confuse you all!



The focus has been on panelling the bus up this month and the nearside upper deck is just about finished. There are one or two more vertical beadings to go on, then the beading that runs above the lower deck windows. Once these are done the offside will be taken to the same point.

Once the offside is also complete (to the lower deck windows) it will be the turn of the rear wheel arches to be fixed in. Completion of this will allow us to panel the area around the wheel arch which in turn means that the bus will be a solid structure with only the open platform allowing the cold winter air in, which of course will enable us to heat the bus so that interior finishing and painting can be started.

The fuel tank will also need to come off again and be cleaned again as despite the previous efforts some more residue has built up and no one has a wish to suck that into the fuel system the first time she starts up, so cleaned agin it will be and monitored again to make sure it remains clean.

A better angle to see the wheelarches from which have been sized but not fitted and will present some awkwardness in fitting, but in the scale of whats already been done, nothing to scary I guess.

Of course thats all a month away, so wish you all well for now, be you a follower, regular visitor or new to this blog, just to nice to know people are interested and out there!!

Update Oct 8

So the scaffolding has now all gone as the panels, beading and windows are all completed on the upper deck. Work has then been of finishing the fuel system, the front bulkhead, mud guard area and the canopy.


As can be seen from this angle the near completed front area has really taken on the look of an RT and I know that the team will be glad this part is finished as the great looking curves are pleasing on the eye but awfully hard to recreate properly!


And as mentioned the last parts of the fuel system have been put in place along with the last parts of the front bulkhead.

Next month will see us finish a few parts of framework that for some reason beyond us do not feature on the drawings of the time, and then start the panelling up process and fitting of window pans and glass. All things being equal next month should be another good visual step forwards

Cheers for now

Firstly, thanks for the comments last month, nice to know not only are there regulars out there but new people are finding us which is terrific and makes writing this worthwhile!!

This month, I am pleased to say we have a far more visual update than of recent times....

As can be seen the scaffolding around the roof height has gone and come down to the waist rail. All the window pans are in and the beading and drip guards are either on or going on.

The nearside from the rear looking forwards shows quite clearly the drip guards and beading. The larger over the roof beadings are also now all fitted in place and have added sealant around them to ensure the all damaging rain cannot get back and have another go at the wood!

The front nearside looking back and quite clearly now its an RT. Interestingly the first RT's had enlarged vents that took air in just below the beading line across the front above the windows, which protrudes quite away out although not obvious to see in this picture. These were later blocked in by various means as they were in reality to effective and blasted air, rain, cold draughts and even mud in. LT ordered them to be modified, whilst some may have received genuine modifications others received the 'make do and mend' type fix of World War II and have copies of 1940 ear newspapers wedged in!

Finally, a nearside view as the last of the roof beadings and drip guards and horizontal beadings go on. It has been possible to use almost all of the original beading as whilst twisted and warped it has been possible to straighten most of it up.

This month will see us utilise the scaffolding and start panelling up the rest of the upper deck, which should hopefully make for another nice visual update the first week in October, until then cheers for now

This month has been a month of preparation for the next big visual improvement...

Firstly, the long awaited scaffolding arrived and RT8 was entombed in it. At the moment the level is around the roof so we can refit the roof panels back, whilst working safely. This will also allow us to be able to seal it all properly, so that god forbid should it ever rain won't have drips coming in.

A slightly unusual view of an RT from the back lookiing forwards gives a good idea of the job to be done. At this stage the panels are just lying in place and have not been fiited whilst everything is measured up to make sure the beadings will all fit and join everything together.


And the same view but looking from the front back...

And as I mentioned before, the time has been used preparing the items due to go back in. The top deck windows and pans can be seen here in a before and after stage. The before is with the 'pink' paint thats still left, whilst the grey panels are the completed item. All the winding gear is taken apart, overhauled, greased and replaced where necessary leaving them winding as smooth as when they were built. Once the roof is fitted the standing level of the scaffolding will be lowered to allow the windows to go back in. The plus of making the bus enclosed again will be as the weather turns colder it is easy to keep the interior of the bus warm so work can continue.

Next updates should hopefully be a little more photogenic!

July 09

So back again! This month has been all about the front end with the cab being finished and painted and the framework around the blindbox being completed and the first of the upper deck window pans going back in.

Its not just been the bodywork though that has been tackled as the fuel system has been checked over and the gravity tank refitted having been thoroughly cleaned, sealed and painted. The observant amongst you will notice that the gravity tank on a 2RT2 is deeper than on the post war versions and the handle for turning it off, is notr the large top mounted handle found on the later versions.

A nearside view shows that the canopy is in place now along with spring loaded stencil holder for the route number. The wrapped round panel that runs from the cab window to the first of the nearside windows has also been repaired and coated and is ready to go back on. The sidelight panel that also supports the mud guard is now being worked on as its a little battered and the wood inside it is as rotten as they come but the plan now is to finish the front off to the same level as the rear.

Lastly, not a to brilliant shot of the cab which shows it now its been painted. The cab seat and steering wheel will be last to go back in so as to make as much space as possible to work in whilst the wiring is all put in.

Well hope it was worth the wait and hopefully next month I will be a little more prompt if we have no more holidays or sickness... cheers for now

June 09

Just a brief note that due to sickness and holiday, not enough progress has been made to warrant a full update, so the next one will be first week in July when there should be quite a bit to show

Until then...