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Me and Len tested the fire alarm on the over-bridge and booking hall.

We have been informed that the two eight foot light fittings over the lathes in the Standard 4 shed are inadequate. We blamed the years of accumulated dust, so we took a step ladder and a rag to clean the eight foot tubes and fittings. After cleaning, we found them to be still inadequate. Sometime in the past, somebody has installed two extra bulk head fittings, one at each side of one of the eight foot fittings, about three feet from the fitting. These are only suitable for background lighting, not for doing detailed work. We decided to remove the bulk heads and replace them with fluorescent lights.

We returned to base for dinner. We found two second hand six foot fittings and tubes.

After dinner, Alan, Len, John and Clive returned to Standard 4 shed with the fittings. I stayed in the workshop to sort out a faulty water heater that Roger (26B shop) had asked us to look at. After doing some tests the problem proved to be an open circuit in a crimped connection in the neutral wire. I redid the connector. I then put some water in the boiler and gave it a functional test to make sure the thermostat was working. I gave it an official PAT test before returning it to Roger.

I went down to Standard 4 shed to join the others just in time to see the new lights being switched on. What a difference they make.

We all came back to the work shop for a final brew and some cake donated by a station staff member. Much appreciated!

JONATHAN-BARNES wrote: We have been informed that the two eight foot light fittings over the lathes in the Standard 4 shed are inadequate. We blamed the years of accumulated dust, so we took a step ladder and a rag to clean the eight foot tubes and fittings. After cleaning, we found them to be still inadequate. Sometime in the past, somebody has installed two extra bulk head fittings, one at each side of one of the eight foot fittings, about three feet from the fitting. These are only suitable for background lighting, not for doing detailed work. We decided to remove the bulk heads and replace them with fluorescent lights.

We returned to base for dinner. We found two second hand six foot fittings and tubes.

After dinner, Alan, Len, John and Clive returned to Standard 4 shed with the fittings. I stayed in the workshop to sort out a faulty water heater that Roger (26B shop) had asked us to look at. After doing some tests the problem proved to be an open circuit in a crimped connection in the neutral wire. I redid the connector. I then put some water in the boiler and gave it a functional test to make sure the thermostat was working. I gave it an official PAT test before returning it to Roger.

I went down to Standard 4 shed to join the others just in time to see the new lights being switched on. What a difference they make.

We all came back to the work shop for a final brew and some cake donated by a station staff member. Much appreciated!

Re the bulkhead fittings in the Std 4 shed. These were fitted by the late Malcolm Vickers. If I remember correctly, the fluorescent lights are set below regulation height and the bulkhead lights were fitted to equalise or eliminate something or other that the fluorescents did. Now, as you know, Malcolm knew the rules and regulations.
It would be far better if decent machine lights were fitted to the lathes. There are some good ones available these days.

We've used LED strip-lights which don't have the problem of "flicker" posed by fluorescent lighting.