Projects

Railway carriage roofs were traditionally sealed using a canvas-and-linseed-oil method. First, the timber roof was smoothed and any gaps were filled with putty, then a coat of boiled linseed oil was brushed on to seal the surface. Heavy duck canvas was stretched tightly over the roof and pressed into the fresh oil, then additional coats of linseed oil or “dope” were applied to tighten and waterproof the fabric. Once dry, the roof was painted, creating a durable, weatherproof covering that protected the carriage for many years. This is what we are attempting on this carriage. It is a very slow process, but we are well on our way to getting it finished. Once it is completed we will then start on the restoring the rest of the carriage. The weather hasn’t been kind to us over the last 12 months which of course has delayed the restoration project. But we won’t give up, as we are all keen to see the carriages completed.