diff --git a/include/SurfaceVertex.h b/include/SurfaceVertex.h
index 129ccf8c..46ef516f 100644
--- a/include/SurfaceVertex.h
+++ b/include/SurfaceVertex.h
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ namespace Ogre
 	class SurfaceVertex
 	{
 	public:	
-		SurfaceEdgeIterator edge;
-
 		SurfaceVertex();
 		SurfaceVertex(UIntVector3 positionToSet);
 		SurfaceVertex(UIntVector3 positionToSet, Vector3 normalToSet);	
@@ -46,18 +44,23 @@ namespace Ogre
 		friend bool operator==(const SurfaceVertex& lhs, const SurfaceVertex& rhs);
 		friend bool operator < (const SurfaceVertex& lhs, const SurfaceVertex& rhs);
 
-		const UIntVector3& getPosition(void) const;
-
+		float getAlpha(void) const;
+		const SurfaceEdgeIterator& getEdge(void) const;
 		const Vector3& getNormal(void) const;
-		void setNormal(const Vector3& normalToSet);
+		const UIntVector3& getPosition(void) const;	
+
+		void setAlpha(float alphaToSet);	
+		void setEdge(const SurfaceEdgeIterator& edgeToSet);
+		void setNormal(const Vector3& normalToSet);			
 
 		std::string toString(void);
-		float alpha;
 
 	private:
 		UIntVector3 position;
 		Vector3 normal;
-		
+		float alpha;
+
+		SurfaceEdgeIterator edge;		
 
 		unsigned long m_uHash;
 	};
diff --git a/source/PolyVoxSceneManager.cpp b/source/PolyVoxSceneManager.cpp
index 4e86972b..c6918b0b 100644
--- a/source/PolyVoxSceneManager.cpp
+++ b/source/PolyVoxSceneManager.cpp
@@ -770,25 +770,25 @@ namespace Ogre
 
 					SurfaceVertex surfaceVertex0(vertex0);
 					if(material0 == material)
-						surfaceVertex0.alpha = 1.0;
+						surfaceVertex0.setAlpha(1.0);
 					else
-						surfaceVertex0.alpha = 0.0;
+						surfaceVertex0.setAlpha(0.0);
 					//surfaceVertex0.normal = Vector3(1.0,1.0,1.0);
 					surfaceVertex0.setNormal(Vector3(0.0,0.0,0.0));
 
 					SurfaceVertex surfaceVertex1(vertex1);
 					if(material1 == material)
-						surfaceVertex1.alpha = 1.0;
+						surfaceVertex1.setAlpha(1.0);
 					else
-						surfaceVertex1.alpha = 0.0;
+						surfaceVertex1.setAlpha(0.0);
 					//surfaceVertex1.normal = Vector3(1.0,1.0,1.0);
 					surfaceVertex1.setNormal(Vector3(0.0,0.0,0.0));
 
 					SurfaceVertex surfaceVertex2(vertex2);
 					if(material2 == material)
-						surfaceVertex2.alpha = 1.0;
+						surfaceVertex2.setAlpha(1.0);
 					else
-						surfaceVertex2.alpha = 0.0;
+						surfaceVertex2.setAlpha(0.0);
 					//surfaceVertex2.normal = Vector3(1.0,1.0,1.0);
 					surfaceVertex2.setNormal(Vector3(0.0,0.0,0.0));
 
diff --git a/source/SurfacePatch.cpp b/source/SurfacePatch.cpp
index 8ee04383..35083fb0 100644
--- a/source/SurfacePatch.cpp
+++ b/source/SurfacePatch.cpp
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ namespace Ogre
 		SurfaceEdgeIterator v1v2Iter = findOrAddEdge(v1Iter,v2Iter);
 		SurfaceEdgeIterator v2v0Iter = findOrAddEdge(v2Iter,v0Iter);
 
-		v0Iter->edge = v0v1Iter;
-		v1Iter->edge = v1v2Iter;
-		v2Iter->edge = v2v0Iter;
+		v0Iter->setEdge(v0v1Iter);
+		v1Iter->setEdge(v1v2Iter);
+		v2Iter->setEdge(v2v0Iter);
 
 		v0v1Iter->nextHalfEdge = v1v2Iter;
 		v1v2Iter->nextHalfEdge = v2v0Iter;
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ namespace Ogre
 		std::list<SurfaceVertexIterator> result;
 		//LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage("findConnectedVertices " + vertexIter->toString());
 
-		SurfaceEdgeIterator firstEdge = vertexIter->edge;
+		SurfaceEdgeIterator firstEdge = vertexIter->getEdge();
 		SurfaceEdgeIterator nextEdge = firstEdge;
 		SurfaceEdgeIterator previousEdge = firstEdge;
 		int ct = 0;
diff --git a/source/SurfacePatchRenderable.cpp b/source/SurfacePatchRenderable.cpp
index 6837c198..f6569ef5 100644
--- a/source/SurfacePatchRenderable.cpp
+++ b/source/SurfacePatchRenderable.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace Ogre
 		  *prPos++ = verticesToSet[i].getNormal().y;
 		  *prPos++ = verticesToSet[i].getNormal().z;
 
-		  *prPos++ = verticesToSet[i].alpha;
+		  *prPos++ = verticesToSet[i].getAlpha();
 
 		  if(verticesToSet[i].getPosition().x < vaabMin.x)
 			 vaabMin.x = verticesToSet[i].getPosition().x;
diff --git a/source/SurfaceVertex.cpp b/source/SurfaceVertex.cpp
index d6c55497..9c4df628 100644
--- a/source/SurfaceVertex.cpp
+++ b/source/SurfaceVertex.cpp
@@ -24,9 +24,14 @@ namespace Ogre
 		m_uHash = (position.x*(OGRE_REGION_SIDE_LENGTH*2+1)*(OGRE_REGION_SIDE_LENGTH*2+1)) + (position.y*(OGRE_REGION_SIDE_LENGTH*2+1)) + (position.z);
 	}
 
-	const UIntVector3& SurfaceVertex::getPosition(void) const
+	float SurfaceVertex::getAlpha(void) const
 	{
-		return position;
+		return alpha;
+	}	
+
+	const SurfaceEdgeIterator& SurfaceVertex::getEdge(void) const
+	{
+		return edge;
 	}
 
 	const Vector3& SurfaceVertex::getNormal(void) const
@@ -34,11 +39,26 @@ namespace Ogre
 		return normal;
 	}
 
+	const UIntVector3& SurfaceVertex::getPosition(void) const
+	{
+		return position;
+	}
+
+	void SurfaceVertex::setAlpha(float alphaToSet)
+	{
+		alpha = alphaToSet;
+	}
+
+	void SurfaceVertex::setEdge(const SurfaceEdgeIterator& edgeToSet)
+	{
+		edge = edgeToSet;
+	}
+
 	void SurfaceVertex::setNormal(const Vector3& normalToSet)
 	{
 		normal = normalToSet;
 		normal.normalise();
-	}
+	}		
 
 	std::string SurfaceVertex::toString(void)
 	{