The Ashford coach continues to make steady progress under Ken Lee's direction. Here the Headcorn end has been stripped of rotten panelling and the guard's ducket repaired and then the panelling reinstated

At the opposite end of this coach, the sections of framework needing attention have been repaired and much of this end panelled in.

Progress has been made on the inside too with timber stripped down to bare wood.

The final picture this quarter shows the progress achieved on the headcorn end since picture 1 taken on 11th April 2007. The carriage begins to take on its former character.

Meanwhile on the adjacent road a week later, work is progressing on repairs to the current operating fleet - in this case a BR Mark 1 coach. Julian is replacing a rusty door with a new outer skin.

After the coach has been repaired and rubbed down, Alan high pressure hoses it down outside the C&W shed ready for undercoating and filling.

An idea of the amount of work required can be gauged by the amount of grey primer paint / filler required on bare areas of metal.

A shot from the gallery showing a far smarter vehicle re-appearing from under the grey paint undercoats.

Some weeks later Richard photographs the same vehicle sparkling in the May sunshine.

At the other end of the C&W shed, the birdcage sits on its own wheels once again (rather than jacks) and the work continues to make haste slowly! This is its condition as April dawns.

This distinctive wooden strapping has been added to the Headcorn end so all joins in the wooden end panels are sealed and protected now.

With a good round coat of grey primer over most of the birdcage, progress is more apparent now in May.

The reason for slow progress (apart from the priority of keeping the current operational fleet in good working order) can be illustrated here. The coach doors have been brought out of store and are being fitted back into place one by one - and much pains-taking repair work is needed on each one.

Brian turns his attention to the guard's end of the coach - the wooden strapping is being fitted on this end too.

With the "wood-work" completed attention can be turned to the various fittings needed on the coach end. Ron has been busy fitting the brake mechanisms here.

And hidden away in the roof are the electrics of course. So as the emergency brake chains are fitted through the compartments, the electrics are also being done as this July picture shows.

Work is being done inside the guard's compartment too with gauges and controls fitted back in place.

In June BR Class 08 - Dover Castle - diesel shunter appeared in the shed for attention. Work is in progress here with much of the outer panels removed.

The tanker wagon standing out in the July sunshine and now looking more splendid with lettering and logos being added.

SE&CR No. 2947 - 4 Compartment Second - This carriage was built by the SE&CR at Ashford in June 1901 and is back in the shed for a "spruce up" which turns out to be something far more extensive.

The end of June saw the coach panelling back together again and partially primed.

Brian works on one of the doors on the opposite side of the vehicle.

A roof view of the vehicle as July commences.

One of the red top coats has been applied and no; 2947 is looking impressive - inside too especially the ceilings.