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Didcot: GWS Railcar/Rail Motor Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Breva, Nov 27, 2018.

  1. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for mention this book(s)
    I just love these very distinguish railcars! :)

    Have some of the streamlined versions (flying banana) survived into preservation?

    Knut
     
  2. MG 7305

    MG 7305 New Member

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    No 4 is part of the national collection in York.
     
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  3. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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  4. 240P15

    240P15 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for your answer. :)
     
  5. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    See also http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/GWRRailcar.html

    I have recently completely rewritten the page for No4 as my first effort was crap! This involved working with the NRM, as it's early preservation history was almost lost to us. Their Search Engine team were brilliant and thanks to them a much more comprehensive preservation history has now been written, it has been incorporated into that page with their permission.

    It's well worth a read for those interested in how the three preserved GWR Railcars have fared: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/4.html

    Sent from my HTC U Play using Tapatalk
     
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  6. DragonHandler

    DragonHandler Well-Known Member

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    An interesting article, thanks for the link.
    I remember seeing No.4 at Didcot during one of their open days and was able to go inside and have a look round.
    I remember being surprised that such a small vehicle would have a buffet.
    The last time I saw it was at Steam in Swindon.
     
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  7. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    The reason they had a buffet was that they did long distances. Later models were designed for slower, branch line work.

    On the right as you looked down the corridor at the buffet was a glass fronted cabinet for cigarettes and chocolate. Just what you needed in the 1930s :)
     
  8. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    Hi Chris, greatly enjoyed reading your account of #4's early preservation life http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/4.html Re the last photo of the railcar "at an unknown location" - I'm pretty sure that it's not Didcot as it is standing on temporary rails (BH on its side) and the building looks wrong. My first thought was at RESCO but the ferry van alongside suggests a rail connection which I didn't think RESCO had. Mmm!
    Ray.
     
  9. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    If it was RESCO at Woolwich, that didn't have a rail connection. Didn't stop it having rail vehicles though. I recall a GER 6 wheeler, an 08 shunter and a LNER third sleeper body amongst others. Wonder where that ended up?
    The building in the picture is not the Woolwich building I recall though.
     
  10. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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  11. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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  12. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/GWRRailcar.html Bottom right "Didoct".

    I'm embarrassed to say that I now can't see those on the other page. I'll keep looking.
     
  13. mikehartuk

    mikehartuk New Member

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    The picture is at workshop premises by Resco rented at Eirth

    The picture is at workshop premises Resco rented in Erith where the GWR railcar no 4 was restored for museum display. The van pictured alongside is ex Danish Railways, not a UK ferry van, having come to the UK at the same time as Nene Valley purchased some passenger coaches. The van later went to Thomas Hills works at Rotherham - Im not sure if it still exists.
     
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  14. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    If it was a sleeper, it was the ECJS one from Easingwold and, sadly, was broken up, although the owner did say that the interior had been retained. He wanted to use it on the main line ad held the view that it was the interior that passengers experienced rather than the exterior, therefore it could be rebuilt inside a more modern vehicle. Sadly, though, he never did! Hopefully, the bits are still in store somewhere. There was an LNER Gresley at Resco in Woolwich, TTO 56856, as its body only, supported by piles of sleepers, which was acquired by a group of LNERCA members and is now restored and in service on the NYMR.
     
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  15. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    I think it was this one:
    img728.jpg

    This would be 1981, a long time ago, but I recall looking round inside it, finding sleeper compartments (visible through the windows) and an open section at one end (the nearest).

    What became of it?
     
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  16. tor-cyan

    tor-cyan Well-Known Member

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    here's a short film shot at park royals factory of the first one resplendent in its GWR livery



    Colin
     
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  17. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    I'm pretty sure that's the Easingwold coach. Sadly, as mentioned above it was broken up. Hopefully, the interior survives somewhere.
     
  18. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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  19. wavey

    wavey New Member

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    This was ECJS diagram 70 Composite Sleeping Car No. 107 built at York in 1901. It had 6 wheeled bogies and an interesting internal layout of 6 first class Sleeping berths, 2 third class compartments seating 16, attendants compartment and 2 lavatories.
    Withdrawn in July 1927.
    26 years in use as a carriage, 52 years as a house, 10 years in ‘preservation’, then scrapped. A real shame.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
     
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  20. burnham-t

    burnham-t New Member

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    For the record, the ECJS body was at Tenterden at one time (I think just for storage, no work done on it there). Photo on 12 June 1977 -
     

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