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NVR Wagon Group Updates

Discussion in 'Heritage Rolling Stock' started by B17 61606, May 21, 2015.

  1. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    I thought we were saving 92 for something special - when we reach the magic ten...
     
  2. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    A double helping of Wagon Updates, firstly the opens and civils brake van, then something a little more unusual....

    <https://www.facebook.com/nvrwagongroup/posts/1047836585406315>

    "Last week saw Phil and Colin all but complete the external painting of both the Southern Open and the Shock Open. All that is needed to complete these is the new floors and lettering, before a fitness to run exam to get them back into traffic. Tim was also about and did a bit more work on the railways Brake Van B954024 to keep things moving along."
    open-chassis.jpg open-interior.jpg open-nofloor.jpg brakevan.jpg

    And now for something a little bit different...

    <https://www.facebook.com/nvrwagongroup/posts/1047840348739272>

    "Tim was busy yesterday away from the railway in recovering a grounded body that has been gifted to Nene Valley Railway. It was a bit of a challenge to get out, but hats off to the skill of the driver from B.C. Wiles and Sons in the lifting. Once moved the original number was discovered on a previously non-accessible panel, showing a Western origin number W65567. This body will be restored and used for storage."
    vanfit-w65567.jpg vanfit-crane.jpg vanfit-lorry.jpg vanfit-unloaded.jpg

    Apparently not many people knew it was there - it's not (yet) in the RHR wagon database...but it is already on the Wagon Group website...

    ...which is a cunning way to announce that after a rather prolonged hiatus, updating the website has now been taken on by myself and I have started by refurbishing the wagon pages to provide location and status information on all of the wagons (can't guarantee 100% accurate yet, but working on it), and also intend to provide an up-to-date photo of each wagon as well (these will be added as they become available). While FB will remain the primary location for progress reports as and when they happen, we will provide progress summaries on a less frequent basis on the website (starting with a major item to cover the last couple of years or so!). Further work will hopefully document our various freight experiences and charters (past and future) and possibly even some of the items we have to sell from the Wagon Group (mugs, D-plates, shed plates).

    [Edited to add link to website: https://nvrwagons.wordpress.com/ - apparently mobile app users don't always see the signature where it lives]

    Tomorrow we're off to collect some kit from ELR - more on that later...
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2019
  3. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately, Pannier 6430 has been recalled to Llangollen, so there will be a change of locomotive for the Wagon Group's Freight Driving Experience on 5th July. It will either be Austerity 3193 or 92 Squadron - I'll confirm which as soon as I know!

    I think the booking link has changed too, so it is now here (places still available for both morning or afternoon): https://nvr.org.uk/product.php/93/g...7_-7LzF4Q0-0VQYj0UYVU9XTmxU4XUQ9wX5cKzOpOc9hc
     
  4. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Sunday saw several Wagon Group volunteers on a trip to ELR to collect some useful equipment which we have purchased from them - some wagon jacks and vacuum cylinders. Stu & Josh drove up in the borrowed van while Tim, Phil & Colin travelled up by car. Amazingly, we arrived first in the van, so admired City of Wells sat in Bury Bolton Street waiting to take out the dining train while we waited for the others.
    IMG_2051.JPG
    We then relocated to Bury Baron Street to meet Nigel and load our purchases on to the van. Nigel then gave us a tour of the stock sidings and workshops at Baron Street - a very impressive setup, and a lot of rolling stock impressively kept out of the view of the paying customers, thus avoiding the classic linear scrapyard issue.
    IMG_2061.JPG IMG_2095.JPG IMG_2097.JPG IMG_2098.JPG
    After a very pleasant lunch under the canopy on the platform cafe tables and some purchases at the second-hand model railway stall we headed back to Wansford to unload our goodies.
    IMG_2102.JPG IMG_2099.JPG
    And finally back home - 12 hours door-to-door and 7+ hours driving!

    We are extremely grateful to Simon at Teversham Motors for the loan (FoC) of the garage van enabling us to keep the transport costs down to just the fuel :) If you live in the Cambridge area, perhaps you might consider using them for your servicing/MOT needs...
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2019
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  5. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    A photo charter is the plan but slow progress on that front since the Tornado incident.
     
  6. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, I know... :(
     
  7. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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  8. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    A few bits of Wagon Group progress to report from the last couple of weeks or so:

    Phil and Colin have been progressing the open wagons, including some painting on the ex-MOD opens up at Peterborough NVR.

    The planks for re-flooring the wooden opens arrived at the weekend (ahead of schedule!) and a sterling effort from Steve saw them relocated in to one of the wagons to get them out of the way!

    Today Tim has been treating the end grain of the planks prior to them being fitted (50/50 creosote and oil), and used Austerity 3193 to perform a bit of van shunting ahead of the Freight Experience Course on 5th July with 92 Squadron.

    Speaking of which the freight experience is filling up rapidly - the afternoon session is now sold out and there are only a couple of places left for the morning session - get in quick if you want to come and have some fun!

    https://nvr.org.uk/product.php/93/goods-freight-driver-experience

    And finally, Stu has refurbished the Wagon Group website - a pile of new stuff added, and we now just need to finish adding individual wagon photos to the stock lists - feel free to take a look (feedback gratefully received!). There will be a quarterly summary of updates on the website with more frequent updates on FB and here.

    https://nvrwagons.wordpress.com

    Oh, and I also joined the BBLS - not wagon related, but yet another reason to find myself at NVR.......

    OpensPhilAndColin.jpg Planks.jpg PlankEndGrainPainting.jpg 3193shunting.jpg BrakesAndVans.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2019
  9. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    A bit more progress on the flooring for the opens - on Saturday, Jonathan & Steve were able to continue the treatment of the planks with yet more applications of the 'magic mix' (50/50 modern creocote and waste oil).

    Facebook report here: https://www.facebook.com/nvrwagongroup/posts/1063274137195893

    The freight driving experience on 5th July is now sold out! For those that missed out, I'm sure we will be running another one in the future :)

    Second quarter summary on website here: https://nvrwagons.wordpress.com/news-blog/

    trestles.jpg planks.jpg jon.jpg drying.jpg
     
  10. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Tim snuck this out on the FB page after my earlier update, but the wagons are ready to roll for Friday following an FTR today...

    rake.jpg oilcans.jpg
     
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  11. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    I noted yesterday that a fair bit of work has already been done to it.

    (and I was at school with one of the Wiles family :))
     
  12. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Indeed, although not by us! The sides have been stripped and roof panelling is now in place as it is prepared for use as storage. Apologies that although I was at the railway yesterday for the freight driving experience (more on that later), I managed not to take any photos of this grounded body :(
     
  13. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Here are a few snaps from the freight driving experience yesterday with "92 Squadron". The course was sold out and there was lots of very positive feedback that these courses are good fun, and good value for money. I even managed to blag a turn on the regulator during one of the run rounds (and I've only been a BBLS member for a week or so!) :)

    We ran with the expanded rake (two brake vans, two MOD opens, four coal hoppers and six box vans including the two from civil engineering), although we are currently missing the two wooden opens being refloored and repainted in the shed at Wansford.

    As I spent most of the day in the rear brake van, I'm afraid my photos are a bit limited, but hopefully more will appear over the next few days from some of those shooting from the lineside...

    L-R: Start of the day shunt; rake being collected; third run from Wansford; third run at Overton; ready to depart PNVR; yours truly having a go (courtesy Michael Byrne).
    92StartOfDay.JPG FreightInBayPlatform.jpg FreightFromRear.JPG FreightAtOverton.JPG 92ReadyPNVR.JPG 92RunRoundCloseup.JPG
     
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  14. The Green Howards

    The Green Howards Nat Pres stalwart

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    I had the day off yesterday: I rather wish I'd pitched up lineside with my camera now. :(
     
  15. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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  16. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Another sterling effort from Colin, Phil & Tim has seen the replacement floor installed in the Shock Open wagon. Interior of sides still to be treated, then lettering to both opens and they are ready to go :)

    https://www.facebook.com/nvrwagongroup/posts/1075727749283865

    And as usual, for those who don't do FB:

    ShockFloor1.jpg ShockFloor2.jpg
     
  17. 60835

    60835 Guest

  18. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    And spoil the nice new floor - certainly not! :) Mind you, once the tarp is back on, no-one is going to see the floor :eek:
     
  19. 60835

    60835 Guest

    From what I remember, it was the steel-bodied shock wagons I used to see down the brickyards anyway, but nonetheless... it's a pity none of the LNER bogie brick wagons survived; one of those would have been perfect for the railway.
     
  20. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    Last Friday the Shock Open had it's insides treated by Phil, while Tim restored the identity to S5869 - both getting ever closer to being back in the rake...

    (Apologies that this update is from last Friday - I've had a busy few days!)

    https://www.facebook.com/nvrwagongroup/posts/1080238518832788

    And, as usual, for those who don't do FB:

    PhilInShock.jpg ShockInterior.jpg TimSignwriting.jpg S5869.jpg
     
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