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Isle of Wight Steam Railway Carriage and Wagon updates

Discussion in 'Heritage Rolling Stock' started by gwalkeriow, Jul 28, 2011.

  1. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Pun intended? ;)
     
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  2. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    Thank you Julian, the Bartletts underframe was well worth the wait, a superb piece of craftmanship. Another contractor completed the underframe for the Saloon composite, unfortunately not quite in the same league as the Bartletts one.
     
  3. cav1975

    cav1975 Member

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    Of course (not!)
     
  4. dlaiow

    dlaiow New Member

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    Last edited: Aug 13, 2019
  5. dlaiow

    dlaiow New Member

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  6. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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  7. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    Blimey! https://www.facebook.com/iwsteamrailway/posts/6344573498951410

     
  8. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

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    A most pleasant surprise this news, as I had assumed the IoWSR had acquired all the carriages they could possibly wish to have or indeed be able to actually get, glad to learn I was wrong.

    I was surprised too by the fact it's a medium term to restore the coach, considering how it's condition appears to be and what with the other carriages they've got waiting for restoration.

    I suppose the condition of this carriage isn't as bad as it may first appear to be? In any case I've no doubt they'll do a superb job in restoring it, for few can match the quality of work they do with their carriage projects.
     
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  9. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Well, whether it is good time or not to acquire an extra carriage, the fact is that Sod's Law tends to ensure that the timing will never be right, but the opportunities have to be taken when they arise. It is also provides a good answer to all those itching to dispose of the linear scrapards in a deconstructive way - had it been disposed of as an "eyesore" it would not have been available for a restoration that I'm sure most of us believe will be a first class job. I wonder how Paul Hitch will reconcile this acquisition with his dislike of linear scrapyards!!
     
  10. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    The Birdcage was never going to be scrapped. Unlike some other vehicles, we still had hopes of it running as a pair with our other one. However, the IOW presented us with a proposal, and that gave the coach a better future than we could guarantee for it. Sometimes you have to ignore sentiment, and go with what is best for the artefact you are trying to preserve, even if that is letting it change hands and leave.
     
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  11. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Was the coach owned by the KESR ? Because I thought most of the vintage stuff was privately owned, But of course, with owners having died, moved away, lost interest etc, does the railway assume ownership, if the owner can't be traced?
     
  12. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

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    I'm most curious now, just what proposal did the IoWSR offer? A standard financial offer or something else?

    It is unfortunately that it won't be able to run with the other carriage you have based there, though hopefully that now lone coach can still be of use in it's own right. The KESR does have an impressive array of vintage carriages in it's care I must say.
     
  13. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    Yes, it was owned by the company.
     
  14. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    By proposal, I wasn't referring to the financial side of the deal, but rather the chance for the coach to be restored much quicker than we could possibly get to it. As I said, what was best for the coach.
     
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  15. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    I haven't seen much about SECR 1106 other than via other sources. I don't recall the IOWSR previously having an ambition to recreate a 8 and a half compartment 3rd.

    Seems to me an odd acquisition. Unless others can provide further information.
     
  16. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    It has been a long held ambition to create another missing link from the last days of steam on the Island. At present the railway only has two full 3rd bogie coaches, two composites and three brakes, with a fourth brake under restoration. Another full 3rd will allow greater flexibility.

    Consideration was given to convert one of the existing brakes into an 8 1/2 coupe but this is a better proposition.
     
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  17. burnham-t

    burnham-t New Member

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    To be fair, single "birdcage" carriages were very much a feature of K&ESR mixed trains in BR days in the early '50s...
     
  18. MuzTrem

    MuzTrem Member

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    I agree that linear scrapyards are no good to anyone, but we have already lost far too many historic carriages during the preservation era, and if we don't regret that already, I think the time will soon come when we will. As Mr Hitch himself has pointed out in the past, it's much harder to build a replica wooden-bodied coach than a loco, due to the non-availability of endangered exotic hardwoods. Once these coaches are gone, they're gone forever.

    The absolute priority now must be to build carriage sheds wherever possible, get as many vehicles as possible undercover to arrest the deterioration. Then, even if it takes another fifty years to raise the funds to restore them, they'll still be there when the time comes.
     
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  19. jma1009

    jma1009 Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, Gary, for your reply.

    Cheers,
    Julian
     
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  20. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Wholeheartedly agree. There are different ways of going about provision of covered accommodation, too. The LMSCA built their own from a Nissen hut and the LNERCA has just taken on an industrial unit capable of providing storage and workshop space for three coaches. It could probably have taken four but with less working space around them. Another three are stored undercover in a corner of a haulage contactors shed in the North East, so it can be done.

    As to why the coach was acquired - apart from filling a gap in the collection, it should be pretty obvious that, once restored, it will provide a lot of seats in a relatively lightweight form.
     
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