Having spent ages replacing the bodyside (a few years ago now) the time has come to start cutting huge pieces of it out again. The first bit to go is at no. 1 end A side and it's to take the grille near the cant rail. Originally this was the air intake for the Carriage Warming Apparatus (boiler). We won't be having a boiler (haven't got one / don't want one / no need / no room) because the compressors and exhausters will be going in the space where it would have been. For the visual effect though this grille is critical. Previous updates showed the grille being fabricated.

It's positioning is critical, it is just big enough to fit in the space between the upper bodyside framing and the cant rail itself.

The sequence below shows the process from uncut body to welded in and primed.