West Somerset Railway Wagon Restoration

Hello,
There has been a upsurge in wagon restoration/rebuild on the WSR

SR/ WD brake Van 49017 major rebuild
Two MOD Open wagons: 46253 & 46242 both have had a repaint and some plank replacement.
GWR 16307 Mink has been sign written
Esso Tank Wagon 1822 is in line for restoration
GWR Open Wagon 135744 is at Williton with major frame rebuild by WSRA Restorations.


Anyone down that neck of the woods will be welcome to come and give the WSR a helping hand.
Few more in the pipe line..........!

Will update as and when......

 

Facebook page for this group https://www.facebook.com/groups/181...lTBz4Os_A_UaMj-DfL_649wUfUcOg-acZF0gFkMKH-CIE . You might have to join the group to see much.

 

for those who are not on FB...
One of the WD Open Wagons:





Photograph: Ken Davidge

 

some photographs taken of GWR 135744 open wagon receiving some TLC in the Swindon Shed Williton
The highlighted areas show the placement of the original GWR W Irons.

 

Impressive work; normally if we find a wagon that needs that much frame replacement we put it back and pick another one out!

 

You'll summon you know who with that sort of talk!

 

The furthest we have had to go with wagons is; complete new oak frames, new W irons, new forged knee brackets, new set of road springs, new drawbar springs. It is all doable but you need the space, the budget and the will and dedication. When you have that it is easy

 

I'm sure we could do it, but given the choice... I'm more interested in getting to the sign-writing as quickly as possible!

 

Yes very much the icing on the cake.

 

Strange sounding question, but I presume its a little easier with wooden framed wagons? I guess with a wooden framed wagon, if the frames need to be slightly differently sized to what is commercially available then they can be worked accordingly, while I guess with steel framed you are a little bit stuck with what is available (at a price that suits!).

This is only what I presume though, so I may be completely wrong!

 

Yes that is a very good point, oak suppliers will supply to virtually any size that you specify. Whereas with steel you either stick with the sizes that are available or go to the trouble of fabricating the sizes that you need. We have replaced a good number of our coach headstocks, they are of a section and size that is unavailable so we fabricate to retain the original size.

 

The ropes look good

 

I know that Wagon Repairs at Bewdley usually have to do a lot of welding - and thats generally on overhauling (as distinct to restoring) wagons.

 

When I was an engineering trainee with the NCB I spent a few days in the wagon shops at Allerton Bywater. One day a timber framed coal wagon came in for new solebars. The whole job of replacing the two was done in one day. Admittedly, the replacement timber was largely prepared beforehand but I was still very impressed by it. From memory, wagon supported, all tie bar nuts undone/burned off, W irons dropped clear and other metalwork removed, buffer beams knocked off the tenons on one side, old solebar knocked off the stretchers and the new one knocked on. Any mis-aligned holes rectified with a red hot poker then all steelwork rebolted before repeating the process on the other side. Simples.

 

The new Oak frame sets are basically put together in one day, with the two length ways tie bars and the two crossways tie bars holding everything together. Wooden framed goods vehicles are actually quite simple to construct and cheap. The major costs would be wheelsets, axleboxes, buffing gear, springs etc the Oak frames cost typically £1,200 so not a great deal of money.

 

Fund has decided that 'restoration' of wagons has now become 'rebuild' of wagons. So if they require major surgery, then that is what is required.

 

Have been corrected on another site: replace buffer beam for headstock.

 

Any latest updates on this thread and in view of any evictions that may occur at Washford, are there any plans to re-locate?