North Norfolk embarks on carriage refresh scheme
THE North Norfolk Railway's carriage and wagon team has started an intensive programme of coach repainting and revarnishing to make up some of the ground lost as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns, restricted working and the use of compartment stock over the past 18 months of the pandemic.
The line's unique teak-bodied LNER Quad-Art set and four-car rake of BR noncorridor suburban coaches have undergone extensive front line use throughout the 2020 and 2021 seasons, with the historic carriages seeing more use in two years than the heritage line would normally diagram them for in a decade.
Coupled with some scheduled repaints that were deferred as a result of the line's Weybourne workshops being closed due to lockdowns or with mechanical maintenance taking priority when Covid precautions restricted the numbers working at any time, the Poppy Line's passenger fleet was starting to look a little tired, said an NNR spokesman.
The railway's answer is a targeted programme to refresh the paintwork on at least 14 vehicles which will hold the fort until vehicles undergoing more in-depth repairs return to traffic.
Carriage and wagon shedmaster Paul Moxon said: “The plan has affectionately been dubbed ‘operation conveyor belt' and it will see the 14 vehicles receiving a light rub down and revarnish, or a single coat of paint and varnish to keep them looking presentable.”
The first vehicle through the shops was BR Covered Carriage Truck No. E94464, which is attached to most of the line's steam services to convey bikes and pushchairs. The CCT spent two weeks in the sheds and as well as a revarnish, it also had a refurbished set of springs fitted in readiness for its role as a generator van for the line's popular seasonal Norfolk Lights Express trains.
The team then set to work on the suburban coaches, which will all receive a coat of crimson red gloss to the coach sides and a new layer of black applied to the roofs.
No. E43041 was completed by midOctober, with No. W46139 immediately taking its place in the painting bay. The remaining suburbans, Nos. E48001 and E43357, were receiving similar treatment in November.
Once seasonal trains are over, attention will turn to the ‘North Norfolkman' dining set in the New Year, with kitchen cars BG(K) No. M81033 and RBR No. E1969 due to be shopped, along with one of the train's dining coaches, and SO No. M4372. Two TSOs from the main service set; M4843 and M4236 will follow before the Quad Art set has similar treatment in the spring.