Pre Mk1 Non Corridor Carriages GWR

Hi there, I don't know if anyone can help me but I would be surprised if I can't. Many years ago, late 50s early 60s I travelled from Bristol to Watchet via Taunton two or three times a year. On the Taunton - Watchet leg of the journey it was always the non corridor carriages hauled by a pannier tank. Did they have a particular name and do any survive ? I get tired of the ubiquitous Mk1s, fine that they are just so much of a muchness and just about nearly all heritage lines seem to use them and for a very good reason, they tick all their boxes. The Teak set on the NYMR are just great I had a trip back in May this year. I was on the Isle of Wight last year and sampled their versions.
Regards Paul.

 

Non-corridor ex-GW stock hasn't done well in preservation...

1941/1357 at Didcot. Both are Clerestory carriages.

3755/6 also at Didcot. Early 20s 'Main Line & City' stock. 3755 is restored & operational.

5539 & 5500 (ex P&B now at GWSR) in derelict condition. The nearest thing to a 'B' set that survives, but both would have to be completely rebodied.

5539: http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=209
5500: http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=208

There's no particular name for them, apart from the 'B' sets. These were a pair of Brake Composites that were permanently coupled together.
More here: http://www.tventon.freeserve.co.uk/bset.htm

 

One of those coaches has left the gwsr recently, no idea where. I'm fairly sure they were privately owned as well...

 

Hello,
I thought it was an LMS vehicle that left recently......was photographed leaving on the GWSR C&W blog.....
Weren't some folk on the GWSR looking into the possibility of doing something constructive with them?
..........looks like I would have to win the Euro millions to get my growing list of GWR vehicles restored!!!?




Nick

 

You're quite right, some people seemed to think they were of GWR origin which was what confused me. There were two LMS coaches parked in Winchcombe yard in the volunteers car park on separated track, now only one. The two GWR vehicles I have no idea where they are, so I think they must be at Toddington, unless they too have left.

There was one other LMS coach IIRC that is either sheeted up or may have left now, used to be located right near the station limits Toddington end on the workshop side, I'll have a dig around.

edit - was owned by Mr Goodman when posted on the boardroom blog last year it says it was sheeted up pending removal in a couple of weeks, so presumably has left.

 

Hello,
I wonder where the LMS coach is now?
Some photos of the stock would be appreciated.....I must gather some funds and go on a photo tour of the GWSR!
Some interesting wagons to photograph


Nick

 

I think Peter who does the blog and occasionally posts here does something to do with recording all the rolling stock I think, but there's a fair amount of stuff hiding in Winchcombe yard that I don't think is recorded anywhere. Perhaps something I might look into helping with, I like nohing more than wandering round the yards looking at all the junk/future restoration projects!

 

Now I'm all confused again: http://cwatgwsr.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/a-stitch-up.html see the comments section, apparantly it is Andrew Goodman's GWR B set, it was LMS a minute ago according to VCT and here!

 

Many thanks for all your thoughts gentlemen, as feared it seems like I will be very lucky if I see any non corridor carriages in service. Another line I was taken on when very young was Staple Hill to Temple Meads, I do believe it originated at Bath Green Park. I don't have too many memories of this line other than the train bursting out of the tunnel which looked to be just at the end of the platform and fly into the station ( I was very frightened ) and only 5/6 years old. I guess these were also non corridor also. Many thanks.
Regards Paul

 

Hello,
LMS 16690 left the GWSR on Sept 2nd 2014 as per the blog.
I think the two GW coaches are still on the GWSR......could be wrong!

Now who owns them?.....!!!

Nick

 

I think you mean 16696? Which is the same carriage pointed to in the blog post I quoted earlier, commented on as being GWR! Oh well. the two LMS coaches which may or may not be somewhere are owned by the 8F group according to the VCT, and the two gwr coaches are owned by "Private: Member of Gwent 108 Group" again according to the VCT. So unusually nothing to do with Andrew Goodman!

 

When 5539 was purchased from Llan by the late Dave Rawlinson and taken to Steamport it was complete even down to the guard's letter racks and pictures in the compartments. Unfortunately, as in so many well-meaning restoration attempts, it was stripped before money/enthusiasm ran out. Some time later, due to pressure of space and lack of progress, it was put outside where the weather and vandals took their toll. It's a great shame that non-corridor stock, generally, is so poorly represented in preservation and I agree, it would be tragic for any of the few remaining examples to be lost. Ray.

 

there are a couple of grounded GWR bodies at Cynheidre - both were 6 wheelers.

 

It's a great shame that non-corridor stock, generally, is so poorly represented in preservation and I agree, it would be tragic for any of the few remaining examples to be lost. Ray.

I second that. One of the LNERCA's longer term aims is to create a set of non-corridor coaches in our furtherance of our wish to restore as representative cross section of LNER stock as possible. The NYMR does have Thompson CL 88339 as the nucleus of such a train but even that is OOU at the moment - hopefully not for too long.

 

Well there will be some Victorian GWR stock running on the Gwili in the near future.

 

The reason 5538 left the SVR was as it was non corridor it was harder for the guard to check the tickets, and more easy for damage to be done in the coaches without anybody else seeing what was happening. I do hope they are rescued and restored, and when 169 is restored by the 5542 group (which I am helping to do) it will prove there is no reason to scrap any coach regardless how bad the body is in as in this case 169 it most likely be at least 90% new timber work for the body.

Back to the topic, looking at photos of the Minehead branch the local trains seam to be a B set and another coach which most likely a full third. One of the coaches which is the only one I can read the number is 6262 which could be an E145 coach.

 

I've also heard that reason given, by other railways, for not using suburban stock but the KWVR, Bluebell, and IoW seem to use it without problems so is this a perceived difficulty rather than a real one? I believe that the major reason is the maintenance headache of all those extra doors particularly on Mk1 suburbans. It seems that many passengers would opt for compartment stock given the choice - maybe it's nostalgia or the novelty of it because they can travel in open stock any day of the week on the 'big railway'. Next time you're at a preserved railway look how many passengers "in the know" head for the SK or CK rather than a TSO. Just my 2p worth. Ray.