SVR wagons 2016

Not at all, It's an indication that last time the wagons in there were shunted, there was some space in that siding to put them in, that is all.

 

In answer to your first point, that may happen.
In answer to your second point, absolutely! Anyone wishing to join our (Or any other) department should give Barry Moreton a ring on 01299 401776

 

That was somthing pointed out to myself and Jack Bond when we did it's under frame in 97 -98, a few folks were eager to tell us they were wrong but they didn't seem keen enough where we could lay our hands on a set!

 

There's been a shunt at Bewdley.
55577 is still in the goods shed as our indoor project.
143 is now outside the goods shed alongside the car park platform. It needs some repairs to the skylights. When the time comes, we will be able to shunt everything along manually to get it inside the shed where we can use the overhead gantry.
39860 is our next outdoor project. The Junior Club did some preparation and priming a few weeks ago. Today we made a start on removing the rusty curb rails.








A plea for information; Does anyone know what the GWR lashing points looked like? I can only find pictures of BR ones.

 

Well, I commented to Graham at the weekend that we had passed the 13,500 hit mark, and it seems since I last checked we have topped an amazing 14,000 hits!
This weekend rain stopped play on the conflat, so 55777 got the benefit of some TLC. The planks are starting to go back onto the river side of her, and the end of the verandah has received some attention with a scraper. In addition to this, the new cant rail has gone on the river side, looking at the state of the one on the rock side, it is amazing that we have managed to produce anything as it looks more like a case of industrial archaeology rather than restoration!
I'm off to the South Devon for the weekend next week, for the rails and Ales festival, so it may be a couple of weeks before the next update,
Olly

 

One section of the distinctive Southern planking on 55577 has been replaced.



There's a big shunt due in Bewdley yard in September to get GWR 4150 out of its corner and up to Bridgnorth for boiler work. The LNER Carriage Group will take advantage of this to get GWR Toad 17410 out to go to Kidderminster to be lifted and have the wheels sent away for turning, so there's a bit of a rush to get as much done as possible by then to make it safe to move.
New sections welded in the buffer beam and buffers overhauled.

 

I'm sorry I have been quiet for a few weeks, I have had a busy spell! Hopefully one of the lads can pop a few pics or words up as I can see from facebook they have been busy. I'd just like to clear up a point raised to me the other week when a couple of people commented that the SVR was converting all of its opens to China clays.The simple answer is that we are not. The more in-depth answer is that while the sheet supporter and its associated sheet became synonymous with the china clay wagons, he reason is largely to do with how much longer the practice survived on china clay traffic. In truth, many GWR opens received sheet supporters, allowing a sheet to be pitched up over the wagon (Providing better protection than a flat sheet) The plan is, as time permits, to re-fit these to the wagons which possessed them originally. I realise this will not please the people who like to see vehicles in the condition they remember them in, but I should point out that it takes a fair amount of in depth work to put a sheet supporter back, to remove one (and so return the wagon to a later condition) involves the removal of 8 bolts, so while we have the time and skills available to replace these parts, lets do it. Hope this clears things up in a few peoples minds
Olly

 

Thanks Olly. Is there a list of GWR open wagons that will again receive sheet supporters?

Cheers

Patrick

 

According to http://www.svrwiki.com/Goods_Wagons#GWR_Wagons , we've got 13154, 102691, 108085 with sheet rails and 25190, 97398, 98480 that should have them, but haven't. I don't know how many of the missing parts we have got and what plans there are to make or find them where necessary and fit them.

 

The simple answer there Graham is we used the last original bits a few years ago, all the rails and operating mechanisms are new, and I think we have made three end hoops so far.

 

Thanks both

 

Back to the current projects.
55577 now has all the planks and the ducket replaced on one side. We were hoping to get this turned at Kidderminster when 17410 goes there on 29th September so we could start on the other side, but it looks now like there will be too much else going on that day and it will have to wait a while.



17410 has had more ballast bin repairs and reinforcement, plus two of the uprights have had repair sections welded in.



If you're wondering why there are currently three wagon restorations going on at once, 55577 is the Wagon Department's indoor project inside the goods shed, Conflat 39860 is our outdoor project. The weather can have an influence on which one we are working on on any particular day.
17410 is now owned by the SVR Charitable Trust. The LNER Carriage Group recently transferred ownership of their LNER teak carriages to the SVRCT, so as the LNER restoration team is now part of the SVRCT, they took on the Toad. They were looking for someone with experience of welding rusty steel back together. As a Land Rover owner and former Diamond Bus mechanic, I thought I might be a bit overqualified, but I got volunteered anyway, so I now spend my time swapping from one side of Bewdley goods yard to the other working on both brake vans

 

LNER Carriage Group Update progress report of GWR Toad A 17410

Patrick

 

SVRLive has been updated with several news items in the last few days, including the Toad A (above) and Van 55. It's intended to use this site more from now on.

Patrick

 

I happened to pop into Bewdley on Saturday on my way to a firing turn (Being acutely aware of how long I have been away for) and had a quick look at the work that was going on.
55777 now has a complete side again on the river side of the cabin, the ducket is back in place as Graham's pictures show. The end of the cabin has also received some repairs with patches being let into the lower part of the door frame, and new door jams being fitted to the verandah. Thoughts are now coming round to turning the wagon to allow access to the other side.
I'm not sure if any of the lads will be about for Pacific power weekend but if they are I'm sure they will be happy to say hello.
On a final note, if you are in the yard for that weekend, please be careful, while every effort will I'm sure be made to ensure the route to and from the crossing and viewing area will be clear, the yard is a working area.
Have fun
Olly

 

A couple of photos to show progress.

55577 getting its verandah end painted red. Another coat or two and we can refit the sand box.



New sections welded in to uprights on 17410. Centre ballast bin emptied and painted.



A few of us will be there next Saturday, but as with so many thing connected with the visit of Flying Scotsman, it's impossible to predict what's going to happen. The station foot bridge will be closed and all access to Platforms 2&3 will be via the goods yard, so we might be working as normal, we might hide out of sight inside the goods shed, or we might give up and go home.

 

Once again, hello! Where is the year going? The Keen eyed of you will have spotted a parcels / goods train lurking about on Sunday taking the grottos to Arley for Santa (Yes it's that time of year already) then moving the tank wagons for emergency water from Highley back to Arley before bringing the van back to Bewdley. In a few weeks time, the two Syphons will be joining them. Else where the dreaded 'S' word has been mentioned (Snow not Santa), cold weather, rain and Snow can stop play for us, as 50% of the vehicles that we are working on have to be outside.
The tops of the frames on the conflate have had a coat of "Red Lead" as us old ones still know it.... its lead free and actually green these days! We will need to look at making the new Kerb rails for this, probably a job for the very cold weather as apart from the cutting, two of us will be able to spend the day in the comparative warmth of the machine shop in front of the heater.
Inside the shed, 55777 has gone very red at the North end, as the repaired verandah and sand box have had a coat of red paint. the sanding gear has been re-assembled and the brake safety cradle have been re-attached, and unusually the process was the exact reverse of the one described when we dismantled it, including all the swearing. this wagon is now waiting for a trip to Kidderminster for a spin on the turntable to make working on what is currently the rock side.
Finally 17410, work is moving forward on the repair of this wagon, although at the moment, proposed move to Kidderminster for tyre turning etc is on hold.
October looks at the moment like a quiet month for me so hopefully I will be able to post a few more updates before silly season kicks off once more with santa specials etc.
Take care,
Olly

 

Well this weekend was a very productive one, unfortunately it hasn't been the sort of week that makes a good article, after all, there are only so many ways I can say "We scraped paint," however, however, this is a very important job, as there is no point applying new paint over old paint only for that old paint to fall off, so the lads took advantage of the fine weather and attacked the flakey old paint on the conflat.
Meanwhile, our resident welder was grinding out poor quality old welds on 17410, welds which we believe were done by BR, and re-welding them, meanwhile in the machine shop, work on her brakes continues at a slow but steady pace.
Those of you who like recording the more interesting moves on the railway may be interested to know that that there may be a short goods operating between Bewdley and Kidderminster next Saturday (15th October). This is in order to Turn 55777 and retrieve a couple of wagons from Kidderminster. Not sure what the traction will be, although one of the shunters is most likely, and while I am not aware of the timings, I am informed the plan is to do the move as early as possible.
See you soon
Olly

 

Before we start, I notice we have passed the 17,000 views mark. Many words spring to mind, but humbled, flattered and amazed are probably the three that do so most readily, I'd just like to thank our regular readers for showing such an interest in what we are doing at Bewdley, and also thank Graham for his regular picture updates that have helped enhance this thread.
Right, to business. As hopefully, you can all see, 13154 is finally on the running line side of the fence, adding to what is an increasingly smart looking goods train. The dark grey of this wagon against the much lighter colour of the toad behind shows the extent to which the paint fades over the years, the toad's paint job being nearly ten years old now. This wagon is also joined by the two wagons which had been left at Kidderminster after the 1940s event.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, a combination of fine weather and the fact we were waiting for 55777 to be turned has allowed some attention to be given to the conflate, as you will see, the frames are slowly going green, as the rust and old flakey paint are removed and the frames gain a coat of green primer.
55777 has been for a spin on the turn table, allowing access to what was formerly the rock side, for removal of damaged woodwork and allowing this side to be brought up to the same standard as the other side, hopefully more updates on this in the coming weeks.
Someone said it seemed a shame that my own work was rarely photographed and being mostly under the wagons, largely hidden from view, so here are a couple of action shots! the two pictures illustrate the production of brake pins for 17410, the Toad A currently having a very thorough restoration under the guidance of the LNER group, who have in recent years turned out such marvels as coach 2701 and the pigeon van, although the information I gave to one of there lads on Sunday was wrong, at the time, I thought I was about half way through the production of these, in fact on re-checking my info, I'm not, I'm nearly finished. For those with an interest in engineering, once these are finished, the interesting part of the repair begins.
As I'm sure you are aware, in three weeks (Or there abouts) we have our "End of season finale" gala, and I believe the goods train is running, a little bird tells me they might be offering brake van rides again but I'm not 100% sure on that, either way it would be great to see a few of you and have a chat.
Take care
Olly