Original GUV

Well done to The Birmingham Railcar Group for saving the original GUV van from being cut up thanks to a last minute intervention. The GUV W86500 was the first one built and had only 2 side doors instead of the now familiar 3 doors. It is now on The Churnet Valley Railway and restoration has alreay been started. Another bit of history being saved well done all.

 

This area of preservation is overlooked slightly. Well done to the group for saving the 'first' of this type.

So after this i would like to raise two questions:

1. How many other 'firsts' of the type have been preserved?

2.Slightly different - The Mk1 is one of the primary types used for everyday passenger haulage on preserved lines, aswell as there still being a few on the mainline. Most of the ones on preserved railways are done up quite quick, so as they will get by, and bring money in by carrying passengers. But has there ever been a Mk 1 restored to fully original condition i.e. correct carpet / flooring, seat coverings, internal + external colours schemes, all lights + Blinds working fully working???

 

Yes its good to see this has been saved and a worthy starting point for the many GUV's in preservation.
I don't know without trawling through my DB if there are many other 'firsts'. Below is a list of the earliest BR Mark 1's I'm aware of....

1012 - RSO Nottingham Heritage Centre - York 1951
1100 - RE Great Central Railway - Eastleigh 1960
1505 - RKB Battlefield Line - Cravens 1960
1644 - RBR West Coast Railway Co - PS 1960
1802 - RMB Midland Railway Centre - York 1957
1909 - RU West Somerset Railway - Swindon 1957
2013 - SLF Southall Railway Centre - Wolverton 1958
2500 - SLSTP West Coast Railway Co - Doncaster 1957 (is this a first?)
3013 - FO East Somerset Railway - BRCW 1954
3727 - TSO Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway - Derby 1954
9208 - BSO Avon Valley Railway - Doncaster 1955
13043 - FK Long Marston Airfield - Swindon 1954
14007 - BFK North Yorkshire Moors Railway - Swindon 1960
15207 - CK Long Marston Airfield - Metro Cammel 1953
21019 - BCK Caledonian Railway - Metro Cammel 1954
24006 - SK Chasewater Railway - Derby 1951
34004 - BSK Rushden Historical Transport Society - Derby 1951
43003 - CL Keighley & Worth Valley Railway - Doncaster 1954
43128 - BS Keighley & Worth Valley Railway - York 1954
48001 - SLO Churnet Valley Railway - Doncaster 1955 (another first?)
80501 - BG Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway - Derby 1951 (was there a 80500?)

Steve

 

The Original CUV van is at the present time viewable on the Cheddleton signal box webcam with its end doors open.

 

Work has been undertaken to get the end doors working again on W86500 - no easy task!! Two days graft has seen the hinges/catches/locks etc freed off and the wooden sections of the end doors removed for reoairs. Sandblasting and two pack black painting is planned for tomorrow of the end door mechanisms and underframe/bogies. Bodywork will be carried out in October by Heritage Restorations. Further info can be found at www.brcw.moonfruit.com

 

I see that the Churnet Valley Railway is having an anything goes weekend on Nov.14-15. Would it be possible to display the GUV in whatever state of repair it is in?.

 

For anyone interested in following the progress of this vehicle a restoration diary is now available at http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/w86500/4553670103.

 

Chris, Is there any chance of it being displayed on the Anyting Goes weekend with its history and your progress so far. It might raise the profile of your group.

 

You do have an excellent, very informative website that is always interesting to read, learning about the progress on your vehicles.

 

Where are the updates on this GUV?

 

W86500 updates at www.brcw.co.uk

The underframe and bogies are now in two pack black, bodywork restoration/repaint should start at the end of October. the end doors are currently being 'rebuilt'!

 

It is hoped that the vehicle will actually be undercover and being worked on as the Anything Goes gala is happening! I'm sure they'll be a display opportunity next year. I like the history idea though, me may knock up some posters to put in the windows perhaps if its used on any trains... Are visitors interested in such vehicles do you think?

Thank you very much , we do our best to display and explain our preservation work online, I just wish it encouraged a few more volunteers!!

The new "restoration diary" (which you should check back on if you want to follow progress) is at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/w86500/4553670103

The main page for the GUV can be found at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/w86500-prototype-guv/4535642516

And finally the one-off news page for when it was first bought is at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/n042/4535719733

 

The good news is that it is planned to have the original GUV ready in time for the steam gala photo charters at the CVR in Feb. Providing nothing unforseen happens. Looking forward to that.

 

Does anyone know how the restoration of the GUV is progressing. Will it be on display on the Steam Gala at the Churnet Valley in February. If so where will it be displayed and could we possibily look inside to see its progress.

 

Although "ProtoGUV" W86500 was unable to be completed in time for the Churnet Valley Steam Gala/February charters, (a big reason being snow prevented access to it for a month!) the vehicle is now progressing well again, despite lots of unforseen MK1 rot being discovered after the initial poke - sounding familiar?

Our site has recently been updated with more restoration news and images - the page can be found at http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/w86500/4553670103

 

Well done Chris, Glad to see the progress on the old guv,looks like more rust than sound metal. What colour will it be painted in when finished? P/wayman.

 

Will the GUV be finished before the opening of the Cauldon branch if so will it actually be going up there. If not can it be put on display where it can be viewed. Hopefully looking forward to seeing it in whatever state it's in.

 

As many will understand, there are many projects on the railway that now have a completion date of November [I think something must be happening sometime around then ]. The last time I checked, the GUV was such a project but we understand it has a lower priority than other vehicles such as 5199, 33102 & the LMS inspection saloon. I would therefore not hold your breath for an appearance this year.

It will not however be in the trains, even if fully completed. With a 1-in-40 bank in winter to negotiate, all the coaches the locos have to pull up there will hopefully be full of passengers. For this busy re-opening gala at least, there is no way 57ft of empty space could be justified!

 

Any chance of it being put on display,maybe in the siding or yard at Cheddleton ?

 

Remains to be seen

Remember, a lot of visiting locos are coming in for this event, and they all have to get in & out of the yard (as well as some coaching stock) at the start and the end of the day. Cheddleton bay/yard is going to be a very busy place for 3 weeks! It would be nice to see it on display at some point though, the bay being the obvious place if not needed for stock movements...