Autotrailer W233W

The newest blog.

Clive writes - Today we had something approaching a full house. Williton arrived and John B and P were there too. Steve had been yesterday but Ray and Brian weren’t there because they were waiting for some springs to be delivered before they could finish off underneath. So what Ray and Brian have been up to is as good a place to start as any.

The driver’s end pipework and cabling looks complete to me (but what do I know?). The cover over the two cables with “GWR A5542” on it is a rather nice touch. That will prove very useful if the coach is ever stolen. Mr. Plod will know where to return it to.

The other end is slightly further behind but is very much getting there.


Also at the driver’s end two new seat assemblies have been welded up to give superior comfort to the crew (Nothing but the best for our coach). These have been copied from the original GWR pattern.


A collection of smaller things have been happening on the woodwork front. A year or so ago I installed some ply panelling in the toilet to cover up a series of holes. John B has now extended the panelling around the whole toilet compartment so it now looks complete.



Some months ago we had some new leather straps made for the droplights. Unfortunately the straps catch on the woodwork when in use so Dave is ensuring that the problem goes away.



A few months ago I mentioned that we needed some type of security door on the tool cupboard. Answers on a postcard were requested from our reader but weren't forthcoming. We’re assuming that the postcard has been delayed in the Christmas post. Meantime John B has placed the tool rack, ladder and spare coupling hanger (the grey thing on the left) in the cupboard to give an idea of what it’ll look like.



Nobody was able to find three picture frames in their loft or garden shed as requested so Williton (made by myself) have made them and here they are in the observation end and the corridor.



Finally, I thought it would be useful for our passenger to know a bit about the history of the coach so this notice has now gone up in the observation end.

 

The next blog.

Clive writes - Was it really 9th December the last time I did a blog? Is it really the New Year? I blame towing Father Christmas around Tavistock, grandchildren, visiting relations and a surfeit of Christmas cake. Now that I’ve had my New Year lie down here’s the first 2016 blog. And Happy New Year to our reader by the way - who might even become a passenger this year!

Even John B had a break for Christmas and the New Year holidays but he couldn’t last any longer so restarted on the first Monday of 2016.
He and Ray tested the steam pipework and found minor leaks which were then dealt with. I was there today and Brian and Peter installed the pipework that goes to the driver’s cab, together with its stopcock.


Here’s a clearer image of their work, together with one of the fold up seats which have now been given seat squabs by Andy and they are a treat. We had tried sitting on the basic framework but felt that something was missing.


At the beginning of the month Ray and John also started to adjust the bogie gaps. Now that they know how to do it it should be easier as they have to jack the carriage up to get the tapered nuts out and reset them.

The postcard we were waiting for with instructions for the cupboard door obviously did get delayed in the Christmas post. In fact it got diverted to a convenient joinery workshop known to Steve. They've done a lovely job on it. Here are three images showing the open door with the disability ramp sitting on its inside; the support for the disability ramp; and the door in the closed position
.


Finally, before Christmas Ray and Brian were waiting for some springs before they could proceed with the autogear. They have now been fitted under the luggage end where autogear, braking and steam heat is all coming together.

 

Good work chaps look forward to a ride in it!

 

Hopefully this will now be in the very near future, and I hope I can get down to test ride for the volunteers who have helped restore it and see where all the parts I have made are on the coach.

 

What are the bogies? They don't look contemporary for 1953. Were they fitted for the Channel Tunnel?

And what is the red level in the last but one picture?

 

Re the "Red Level", I think that is the lever for folding down the retractable steps for use with halts with no platforms so people can board & unboard from ground level.

 

B4 bogies according to the website.

 

When W233W went into service with the Railway Technical Centre in 1971/2 it still had its original bogies and buffers and a portable generator in the luggage compartment. By 1973 it had been fitted with oleo buffers and a generator permanently fitted. Some time later, and before 1985 when it was repainted in chocolate & cream, it was fitted with B4 bogies to allow it to run at higher speeds. IIRC its GWR bogies went to Didcot - can anyone confirm?
Ray.

 

They did. Currently in traffic under Hawksworth Brake Third 2202.

Pete S.

 

Dear All


Possibly the last blog of 233 restoration work as it is now just about complete, with the exception of some under floor welding work and the associated adjustments to the Auto gear and the final painting work, so hopefully we can arrange a trip out in her before too long. Again a huge 'Thank-You' to everyone who has contributed an any way whatsoever to the restoration of our carriage it is a credit to everyone involved. Please forward this or print out to show any others not on the above list.

Best wishes

From all of us to all of you.


-------------

Clive writes - I went over to Buckfastleigh on a Tuesday for a change today - and what a surprise I got. Do they put 233 somewhere different on a Tuesday? Or, worse still, our reader will remember that in the last blog I said “The cover over the two cables with “GWR A5542” on it is a rather nice touch. That will prove very useful if the coach is ever stolen. PC Plod will know where to return it to.” Could my worse dreams have occurred? Had someone stolen 233? Are the services of PC Plod required?

In fact all I needed were the services of PC John B who took me to 233’s new temporary home, in the sunshine out the back by the boilershop. She looks really stunning in the sunshine after well over two years under cover.


She had to be moved from the shed so that locos visiting for the gala weekend can be accommodated under cover.

Three more things have occurred since last week. The steam heating pipe in the cab has now had a cover put around it and the brown paint in the cab has now been top-coated.



The spare coupling has been painted red and mounted on its hook in the tool cupboard.





And finally we have to thank Mike Dunse for providing three of his excellent photos to go in the three photo frames at the luggage end of the vehicle. I’m just hoping that our reader doesn’t realise that Calstock wasn’t in Great Western territory.

 

I like this. A blend of the original and aspects of it's interesting history.

 

One of the people who worked on this coach during its days as the Test Coach is doing a book about the history of it, so the antics of the coach during these tests will be interesting.

 

Clive writes - When I wrote the last blog on 2nd February Chairman John added “This is possibly the last blog of 233 restoration work as it is now just about complete, with the exception of some under floor welding work and the associated adjustments to the Auto gear and the final painting work.” It was just as well he added the rider about the auto-gear and the final painting because, as with any restoration, it is rarely finally completed. So, just in case you thought we were sitting around drinking cups of tea for the last four months, (wot, us?) here’s what we’ve been doing.

Inside 233 John B and Steve have been undertaking a variety of snagging issues, just to make sure that she’s in pristine condition for when the passengers come. Outside, Ray and Brian have completed all of the auto-gear and pipework installation. The two images below show, firstly, Brian testing the pipework at the driver’s end and, secondly, the auto-gear appearing at the loco end of the vehicle. The red-oxided assembly stowed on the front of the vehicle is dropped down and attached to a similar assembly on the loco. This provides the control mechanism for the driver in 233’s driver’s cab via the red-oxided 3” bar under the vehicle, all attached to a series of complex levers, springs and brackets. It has all been tested with a loco and works a treat. An especial “well done” to Ray and Brian for their professionalism in achieving this.


Finally, Chairman John mentioned “the final painting work” even though in the last blog I showed a photo on 233 fully painted in the sunshine. We’d agreed with Jason, our contract painter, that another topcoat was necessary to give an even better depth of colour before lining, lettering and varnishing occurred. Unfortunately he wasn’t available until last week so last week the final topcoats were put on her sides (see image) and he’ll be back soon to finish off the ends and do the lettering and varnishing. The next blog might really be the last one.

Work on other coaches.

Earlier in the year we started work on Mark1 brake coach 34991. All of the interior changes made by VSOE when it was their baggage car have been stripped out and John Payne has made a wonderful job of needle-gunning the roof and part-priming the sides. Here he is in action, with us out of shot wearing ear defenders.

 

Are the Bogies on the Autotrailer originals or replacements?
Look a bit modern to me, bit like B4s.

 

They are B4.
The originals are under 2202 at Didcot.


Nick

 

What are the plans for the Mk1?

Nick

 

813 Sorry I don't know what the coach will be used for when restored as I am only the apprentice chippie .

Off topic but a few photos of work been done on 169.

The first photo shows the test build of the first 1/4 of the coach body.


The next two show the next 1/4 with some of the old parts of the coach. The new seats are on the shelf in the top of the photo.


The next three photos show part of one of the doors showing the grotty wood and where this grotty wood has been taken out for a new piece to be put in.



Must try to take my camera with me to take more up to date photos.

 

The third pic from the bottom shows the droplight runner & the wooden "pad" to which gets screwed a flat brass thingummy that the droplight flapping plate engages in when closed.

Odds are all the originals have been taken off & put in a tin/jar/box for safekeeping until they're ready for re-fitting.

Quick bit of info/advice...

These bits all **look** the same at first glance, but actually they're handed pairs and all slightly different. If they're mixed up, the droplight won't latch properly. Before they get re-fitted it'd be a good idea to sort them into pairs & wire them together as such (there's only 20 pairs, so it won't take that long ).
Alternatively, get a new set CNC'd up out of 3mm hard brass - that way they will all be the same.

Also, they're best fitted before any cladding goes on as you're bound to drop at leas one down the hole.

Pete S.
C&W Dept.,
GWS Didcot

 

Nothing decided yet

Most of the metal work for the doors are altogether and labelled for each door, as is any planking and the order the planking goes on as well. Will try to keep an eye on the others to make sure they are put back on correct when the coach gets to this stage.

A couple photos of the two vestibule doors as far as they have got with the new wood showing well. Work on these doors is most likely to stop as the two drivers doors will need to be finished off to make sure they fit in place for when that part of the coach timber work is finished they fit.


If there is a problem with the doors it will be 90% my fault.

Back to the MK1

Clive writes – Now that we seem to have commenced a blog about 34991 I thought it would be useful to show some images I took inside the coach back in April which give some idea of what our start point was. They were taken after much of the “demolition” work had been done so I’ll add a few words too.

As you know VSOE had converted the coach to baggage car 99538. In this guise a number of obvious changes had been made. Windows had been replaced with opaque glass, some compartments had had seating removed and the luggage area had had a series of cupboards built into it.

The images show a view down the corridor, a compartment with opaque glass and no seating, a compartment with seating but with the opaque glass removed, the guard’s area, and the luggage area with the luggage cage removed by us and also with the VSOE cupboards removed. The luggage area will become a temporary workshop until we convert the area into more compartments.

I hope these images will provide a base point from which to identify our future progress.






I will be a Didcot Civic Hall on Sat with the GWSG, and will have some parts of the coach 169 there, and folders of information/photos about the restoration up to now.

 

First outing of W233 today