Channel 4 Programme

It would be interesting to know exactly what is still around on the Island. We have records of many of them but I am sure that their must be more hidden away. The van body referred to by dlaiow was near Merstone but we had no idea that it was there until we were asked by its owners would we be interested in an old Railway carriage from the 1930s! it turned out to be an 1870's GER egg van that the IWCR bought second hand!

 

Is there any realistic chance of it getting on the 'to do' list (even a stabilisation/conservation plan) as anything beyond a general aspiration? .... like a restoration plan and fund? What with IWC vehicles being as common as dragon's teeth, I'd dig into my own horribly limited resources to contribute to seeing that one back in the land of the living. (Actually, if something is in the offing, I'm bunging a minimum tenner a month into my savings account within an hour of hearing about it - for real - pending a restoration fund to donate to).

 

How about a fund name- "I am the Egg Van"?
I'll just get my coat...

 

In the past goods vehicles have been accommodated in the workshop only when there is some space, I cannot imagine that will change in the near future, workshop space is at a premium at all times. Obviously a suitable workplan would have to be submitted after a survey to ascertain what we have in stock which could be useful ie wheelsets, axleboxes, drawgear, brakes. If we discover that we have little that will fit then it becomes much more difficult. I have over the years assembled a fair number if wheelsets and other spares. At the moment my efforts are being directed towards the entry into traffic of LBSCR 4115 and after that it will probably be SECR 4149. In other words the GER van is a backburner job, just waiting for an opportunity, to be brought forward into the limelight.

The van still has its corrugated cladding so is quite well conserved.

 

With the plan to bring in IWR21, Will 6336(IOW46) be put back into IOW livery at some stage to become part of an iow rly rake? all you need now is something period to haul it, W11 in IOW central livery maybe

 

That is the eventual plan but that is a long long way off.

 

A brake coach would also help.

I believe the IOWSR has ambitions to build a replica Beyer Peacock, or buy one from Australia. So that would be an even more appropriate loco.

If and when that ever happens remains to be seen.

 

The certificate from the 1986 competition is on show in the restaurant at Havenstreet in a frame together with a photograph of IWR 46 in varnished IWR livery as we first turned it out. Apologies for the reflections!!

 

I've just watched the first two episodes - I'm open minded when it comes to this kind of programme - but anything that brings the less glamorous side of things into the public psyche is more than welcome.

One question I have though about the Oldbury underframe is, given its engineered timber - what treatment if any has it had to protect it?....

 

The visible parts are varnished, I have never been underneath so don't know about that section for certain. Our oak wagon underframes have multiple coats of clear wood preservative, otherwise they are left to breath, I imagine this is the same.

 

That's an interesting combination!

I can understand oak being left as is, but I guess engineered timber is at the mo an unknown quantity & given the crud its likely to encounter I'd be surprised if it hasn't had treatment.....

 

The Oldbury underframe is Oak, engineered Oak. Knowing the frames designer Mark I do know that he will have covered all of the possible angles.

 

Wow. it was a stunning looking vehicle. Somehow I managed to miss It in its original guise, so this is the first time I've seen it. It must have been a very difficult decision, having to paint over that finish.

 

The varnished finish is still there under the green paint.

 

Am I right in saying that SR green is not actually authentic for 6336? I believe in ran for 2 or 3 years in SR service but never gained the livery?

Can see why it was done though. Fits in better with the other 4 wheelers until such time as it joins the IWR rake.

 

To me, the exterior of No. 10 shades that of the erstwhile No. 46, although the interiors are very comparable with 46 having a more plush 2nd(3rd) class. The underframe of No.10 is a real game changer for carriage restoration as a whole.

PH

 

Indeed it is, it has shown what CAN be done, and here I'm thinking particularly of no.48, the LCDR 6-wheel brake 3rd at the Bluebell, which for so long has been considered a basket case without much of any kind of future.
OK, it's a larger vehicle, but no.10's rebuild has, I'm sure, got people far beyond the Isle of Wight looking again at what lies under their tarpaulins.
A perfect application for this kind of design, and one very similar to the IWR train project, is the Bluebell's long term plan to recreate a Craven-era train.
The possibilities are plain to see, and I hope they are seized upon by other railways.

 

Very true, the new wooden underframe made for N010 is a game changer, how many other owners of other similar vintage grounded bodies are now looking again, its a pity than no genuine IOW Oldbury brakes appears not to have survived, but as Gary has said, they don't know 100 per cent whats out there hidden away as how many people who have an old chalet at the bottom of their garden with what looks like railway fittings actually are actively interested in finding out what it is? so the first anyone will know when you get the phone call, and Garry falls off his chair when someone says" We've found one" we've found an Oldbury Brake.

 

It was indeed a great episode, and a very beautiful carriage it turned out to be, in complete agreement about the underframe, a great marriage of modern technology in a time when using old growth hardwoods can't be justified really, I'm not fully schooled on what this type of 'engineered oak' actually is, as I can see the grain I guess the wood isn't shredded and then mixed with glue and molded into beams, presumably its strips of oak laminated together, like glulam correct?

 

Yes it is Glulam.