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Restoring IVAN in 2008
The final two weeks before launch
Photos by members of the restoration team.

After the roof canvas was fitted, the push was on to get IVAN fully fitted out and ready for the enthusiasts and friends of the RPSI at the official launch on the 30th July 2008. Doors, windows, the stove, and a lot of painting was needed if IVAN was to be complete on launch day . . .

Part funded by the Northern Ireland Museums Council.

Sunday 13th July

Edward applies the last coat of cream undercoat to the interior. In case any readers are wondering, the colour was based on traces of paint found on the original wood, before it was removed and replaced.

Mark fitting the first verandah door, which was still unpainted.

The roof canvas was stapled into place before more substantial clouts were used for a permanent fastening.

Monday 14th July

Edward and Mark trial fit the second verandah door.

Tuesday 15th July

Ben boring out the corebox for the stove. This was used to make the hole down the middle of the stove - otherwise the casting would have been a solid lump! Pretty but nowhere to put burning coal.

Thursday 17th July

James nails on strips around the doors. Because of the urgency of the situation, James found it was quicker to use Whitehead's tools to cut the strips out of leftover tongue and groove, than to try and find and buy the strips.

Suffolk latches from B&Q were modified to their new purpose. These will be the handles on the cabin doors, while the thumb levers were discarded entirely in favour of IVAN's originals.

The catches were modified to suit their new role, to hold the verandah doors shut.

The cabin was being prepared for the major job of painting all surfaces gloss cream.

Dave primes the roof canvas with a special paint intended for PVC downspouts - which should work well on the PVC roof canvas!

Getting the paint right into the corners.

Adam applied himself to applying some door handles to IVAN.

IVAN's interior, all cream for the first time! Once inside the cabin, the only original parts are the two doors, the brake pedestal and handwheel, and the steel roof girders. Everything else was made by the youths at Whitehead.

Mark trims the canvas roof covering to size.

A verandah door sits waiting to be installed.

The screws go in on the third verandah door to be fitted.

Glazing is still required - the glass was on order.

The door stop material was again cut from leftover tongue and groove..

Mark sands down one of the cabin doors in preparation for its final coat of gloss cream.

Edward adds isopon to one of the verandah doors.

Friday 18th July

The corebox for the stove substantially complete, with only the chimney bore remaining to be finished off.

Monday 21st July

The two halves of the pattern were also approaching completion.

Much isopon was used to create the neccessary rounds on the pattern.

Tuesday 22nd July

Dave fitting the door latches.

Nathan polishes the brake handwheel with a flap wheel.

The lettering was applied in one day! As before it is white undercoat, which will be sealed with gloss varnish before IVAN goes near a dirty steam engine!

Not to be moved - but not for much longer.

James seals in the lettering with some yacht varnish.

In the foundry, firebar moulds for the next casting session are prepared. The stove would be next . . .

Wednesday 23rd July

The completed stove pattern sits atop the rapidly forming stove base pattern, which is made from isopon, MDF and leftover tongue and groove wood.

Thursday 24th July

Laminated glass goes into the windows.

As Dave fits some trim to a door, James presses putty into place for one of the window panes.

Nathan applying flortred paint, covering up any number of paint splodges, and giving a good surface for the guard to stand on.

Inside, the cabin doors now have their handles and strip round the edges.

The roof got several coats of paint as a protection against UV light and hopefully against sparks from any steam locomotives in the vicinity.

Floor paint looking smart - and unlikely to be as clean again!

Inside IVAN is a warm rosy glow.

The wonders of eBay - two hurricane lamps for internal illumination and a handlamp which the Guard would have used to signal to the crew of the locomotive hauling his train.

Saturday 26th July

Success! IVAN being a static exhibit on the first train rides of the season, 26th July. The window slips were still in primer, but that didn't take away from the sense of achievement.

Inside, finishing touches have been applied to make the brake van look more like itself.

The open road beckons IVAN - well, at least as far as the gate.

Tuesday 29th July

IVAN was shunted into position ready for his big day on Wednesday 30th, and didn't he look well?

Wednesday 30th July

The plaque unveiled by Catherine Mason, chief executive of Translink, on IVAN. To see the events of the launch day, please click here.

Almost all of the IVAN team posed with their creation along with the RPSI's president and chairman. From left to right - Lord O'Neill, Nathan, Robbie, Edward, David, Adam, Mark W, Johnny, Philip and Michael. Standing in the verandah are James and Ben. Youths missing from the photograph are Phillip and Mark K.

Saturday 2nd August

Casting was put off a week, so the stove wasn't ready in time for the launch. However, on Friday 1st August, molten iron was poured into the carefully prepared moulds. By Saturday the iron was cool. This is stove number one fresh from the mould.

Michael grinds off the runners and risers.

Thursday 5th August

Edward's roll up display blinds are finally in place, and rather good they look too!

The second display blind charts the restoration, and will tell visitors to IVAN just how much work went in to the van they are standing in.

25 months after starting the brake van project, the youths only have to install a stove and they can consider their first project finished. They have established themselves as determined, enthusiastic workers, willing to take the initiative and also open to accepting advice and help. With the skills learned on the brake van project, what will they do next? Only time will tell . . .

View our Helping Us Page to see how you can volunteer in Dublin or Whitehead and get involved.

Or, join us as a passenger.

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