Isle of Wight Steam Railway Carriage and Wagon updates

Pun intended?

 

Thank you Julian, the Bartletts underframe was well worth the wait, a superb piece of craftmanship. Another contractor completed the underframe for the Saloon composite, unfortunately not quite in the same league as the Bartletts one.

 

Of course (not!)

 

Sorry for the delay but the story of lots of the work done on 4149 to bring it back into traffic can now be read here:-

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nhczn7nql6o05r8/4149 restoration v800-f.pdf?dl=0

 

My document detailing the work done to restore Oldbury No.21 during the first two years can be found here:-

https://iwsteamrailway.co.uk/2021/01/oldbury-carriage-update/

Also late last year my document was published detailing lots of work to bring back 6375 into traffic, it can be found here:-

https://iwsteamrailway.co.uk/2020/11/restoration-of-6375/

 

These are very interesting documents - thank you for taking the time to document the work

 

Blimey! https://www.facebook.com/iwsteamrailway/posts/6344573498951410

 

A most pleasant surprise this news, as I had assumed the IoWSR had acquired all the carriages they could possibly wish to have or indeed be able to actually get, glad to learn I was wrong.

I was surprised too by the fact it's a medium term to restore the coach, considering how it's condition appears to be and what with the other carriages they've got waiting for restoration.

I suppose the condition of this carriage isn't as bad as it may first appear to be? In any case I've no doubt they'll do a superb job in restoring it, for few can match the quality of work they do with their carriage projects.

 

Well, whether it is good time or not to acquire an extra carriage, the fact is that Sod's Law tends to ensure that the timing will never be right, but the opportunities have to be taken when they arise. It is also provides a good answer to all those itching to dispose of the linear scrapards in a deconstructive way - had it been disposed of as an "eyesore" it would not have been available for a restoration that I'm sure most of us believe will be a first class job. I wonder how Paul Hitch will reconcile this acquisition with his dislike of linear scrapyards!!

 

The Birdcage was never going to be scrapped. Unlike some other vehicles, we still had hopes of it running as a pair with our other one. However, the IOW presented us with a proposal, and that gave the coach a better future than we could guarantee for it. Sometimes you have to ignore sentiment, and go with what is best for the artefact you are trying to preserve, even if that is letting it change hands and leave.

 

Was the coach owned by the KESR ? Because I thought most of the vintage stuff was privately owned, But of course, with owners having died, moved away, lost interest etc, does the railway assume ownership, if the owner can't be traced?

 

I'm most curious now, just what proposal did the IoWSR offer? A standard financial offer or something else?

It is unfortunately that it won't be able to run with the other carriage you have based there, though hopefully that now lone coach can still be of use in it's own right. The KESR does have an impressive array of vintage carriages in it's care I must say.

 

Yes, it was owned by the company.

 

By proposal, I wasn't referring to the financial side of the deal, but rather the chance for the coach to be restored much quicker than we could possibly get to it. As I said, what was best for the coach.

 

I haven't seen much about SECR 1106 other than via other sources. I don't recall the IOWSR previously having an ambition to recreate a 8 and a half compartment 3rd.

Seems to me an odd acquisition. Unless others can provide further information.

 

It has been a long held ambition to create another missing link from the last days of steam on the Island. At present the railway only has two full 3rd bogie coaches, two composites and three brakes, with a fourth brake under restoration. Another full 3rd will allow greater flexibility.

Consideration was given to convert one of the existing brakes into an 8 1/2 coupe but this is a better proposition.

 

To be fair, single "birdcage" carriages were very much a feature of K&ESR mixed trains in BR days in the early '50s...

 

I agree that linear scrapyards are no good to anyone, but we have already lost far too many historic carriages during the preservation era, and if we don't regret that already, I think the time will soon come when we will. As Mr Hitch himself has pointed out in the past, it's much harder to build a replica wooden-bodied coach than a loco, due to the non-availability of endangered exotic hardwoods. Once these coaches are gone, they're gone forever.

The absolute priority now must be to build carriage sheds wherever possible, get as many vehicles as possible undercover to arrest the deterioration. Then, even if it takes another fifty years to raise the funds to restore them, they'll still be there when the time comes.

 

Thank you, Gary, for your reply.

Cheers,
Julian

 

Wholeheartedly agree. There are different ways of going about provision of covered accommodation, too. The LMSCA built their own from a Nissen hut and the LNERCA has just taken on an industrial unit capable of providing storage and workshop space for three coaches. It could probably have taken four but with less working space around them. Another three are stored undercover in a corner of a haulage contactors shed in the North East, so it can be done.

As to why the coach was acquired - apart from filling a gap in the collection, it should be pretty obvious that, once restored, it will provide a lot of seats in a relatively lightweight form.