GCR Rolling Stock Trust

This was posted on their website yesterday...........
https://gcr-rollingstocktrust.co.uk/2022/02/28/we-are-hiring/
The figure quoted for a "dedicated workshop" seems a bit high when the 125 Group one to take 4 vehicles was being quoted as £100K.....

 

Were they like-for-like? (i.e. - what were the 125 group aiming for? Apologies, as not a group I follow) "Dedicated workshop" sounds to me like a building with lighting, heating, equipped with tools etc - which would be more than e.g. "storage shed".

Tom

 

The 125 Group page doesn't specify exactly, but they are obviously looking at performing maintenance work on their fleet in there....
https://www.125group.org.uk/depot/
That would have been erected by now if it hadn't been for the Ruddington saga of the past 20 months.

I do have an idea of how much the construction of a a single road workshop extension to an existing building, including all trackwork and workshop tools has been in the fairly recent past and that was considerably less than either of those projects, though prices are increasing significantly on such things at the moment..

 

The Trust's AGM took place just this last weekend (27/02/22), with regards to the workshop what is required is a building that
1) Has a ceiling height such that the carriage roofs can be accessed for re-canvassing
2) Has an inspection pit facility
3) Has an overhead crane so that the bodies can lifted off the chassis/ bogies if required

How that squares with a £250,000 price tag I don't know.

 

Overhead crane puts the price up considerably I suspect.

(Though - are lifting jacks a cheaper alternative for most - not all - of the same functionality?



Tom

 

Barnum #228 is currently on jacks- has been for the last two years or so due to various factors outside the Trust's control- jacks vs crane wasn't discussed at the AGM but the impression was that a crane was the preferred option.

 

I would have thought that an overhead crane will add considerably to the costs - the side walls of the building would need to be strong enough to support the weight of the crane plus the loads it was likely to lift. That basically rules out your "standard" metal framed and clad building as used by a number of preservation sites.
Jacks are certainly the best way to lift rolling stock rather than an overhead crane, as long as allowances are made (obviously) when the height of the building itself is decided upon.
Sounds like that rules out the much delayed "Building No.4" at Ruddington as being somewhere that work can be carried out on the Trusts vehicles......

 

For Jacks you may also need to consider a designed foundation pad.

 

I think it rather depends on what the overall strategy is. If they are successful in employing a self-financing fundraiser (something my wife did for a while, though in a different sector - so they do exist) then arguably the quickest way to get the remaining 7 vehicles restored is to send them offsite in turn. With that approach, I don’t see much need for more than a very basic workshop; the primary requirement would be to get all 8* vehicles under cover and to be able to carry out routine maintenance and basic repairs. (*Maybe with room for future expansion if other ex-GCR vehicles ever became available.)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Overhead crane for lifting bodies and frames off bogies? The additional height needed to sling and lift a body correctly would probably amount to a set of jacks. The ceiling height for canvassing. Our bodyshop at Kidderminster has a height of 6.2m. Weve canvassed numerous vehicles with a wire fall arrest system and tower scaffolds. Also the 6.2m gives us more then enough height to lift a coach to bring bogies out.
For ease of movement around the building and to lower the risks. Consideration of the pit outside, whilst not ideal would ease moving sack trucks, forklifts and other items around the workspace.
250k seems very cheap for the specs.

 

For lifting carriage bodies? I can understand SVR building one into their locomotive but a weight analysis and solution still has to work out cheaper than building in a crane.

 

When I fitted out the workshop at Kidderminster 30+ years ago I reasoned that the accessibility that lifting jacks would give you meant that pits inside the building would not be required. Another consideration was to give full accessibility to sack trucks and forklift trucks the floor had to be free of any obstructions. The concrete around the full length of the lifting road is considerably thicker and contains more reinforcement, this was designed by the SVR civil engineer Brian Jones. Hopefully the air main, vacuum main and steam main continue to be of great use.

 

Other than bits needing patching due to normal wear and tear and the odd gangway or buckeye being dropped on edge. The crete is still in good knick. We also have the pit outside when we tested the 175s in the 90s.

 

Prototype seat manufactured for the Barnum coaches....
https://gcr-rollingstocktrust.co.uk/2022/05/24/one-big-very-significant-step/

 

Good to see the progress being maintained. Thanks for posting Johann.

 

Now a fully operating brake system on the 6-wheeler currently based at the Mountsorrel Heritage Centre...
https://gcr-rollingstocktrust.co.uk...stone-for-our-quintinshill-memorial-carriage/

 

https://gcr-rollingstocktrust.co.uk...ic-achievement-major-bogie-rebuild-completed/

228's bogies and wheelsets are restored and back at Ruddington. And they look absolutely fantastic.

 

Thanks for posting that picture J Rob't....it looks as though that area is also a bit tidier?

 

Yes, the blue shipping container that used to sit on the apron has been removed.

 

They have seemingly launched an appeal on 30th November to get the first Barnum fully restored within 3 years but I haven't seen anything mentioned about it so far apart from their website.........
https://gcr-rollingstocktrust.co.uk...ct-gets-invaluable-heritage-rail-endorsement/