GWSR General Discussion and Operations

Is / was the problem due to signal strength?
Pat

 

I've had the same in the multi-storey in Winchester. That's what made me think of it.
Pat

 

Ringo problems in multi-storey car parks. That's wrong on so many levels...
(Sorry...)

 

Back to GWSR matters, if you do Facebook we have a new page showcasing our wagon activities www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087621331159 . We've kicked things off with some of our favourite photos we've seen of our pre-nationalisation set during the Mixed traction gala last weekend, but over the next few weeks we intend to post up some profiles of our existing running fleet along with regular updates on current projects. If you're not on Facebook, the contents of the C&W blog will not be changing, and will still feature wagon work as well as carriages.

 

And very nice they look too:

 

Ah, but in this case it was Paybyphone
Pat

 

This is what we like - more wagons

 

Of all my various roles and hats on the railway, wagons is definitely my favourite!

 

Is there anything you can tempt us with as likely candidates for next year?

Would love to see 2807's syphon G in the line up some time.

Is there anything that can be done to slow down or stop the deterioration after restoration? As there is some lovely examples done in the not so distant past that now need yet another good restoration.

Very pleased though that these often sidelined wagons on the GWSR are getting the love they deserve and showing all your teams skills off and more importantly being used and earning their keep.

 

Certainly!

At Toddington we have a GWR water tank which is slowly undergoing a very thorough rebuild:



We have a brand new tank on site which we are nearly ready to fit. Lots of new metal on this one, and my first experience of riveting too. Hopefully this will make it into the goods train for next Spring's steam gala, but it's not the sort of project were you can just throw more manpower at it to speed it up so we shall see.

At Winchcombe the 2 latest projects to be shunted into the shed:



On the left is a GWR Mogo. This is going to be the next major rebuild - it will be stripped back to a metal frame and all new top quality ply used which will hopefully last. We hope this will be done in time to run in the train for next Spring's steam gala.

On the right is a BR vanfit used by P'way for storage of tools, it does run when they require it to as well. The body on this was completely redone maybe 8 years ago? The steel and planks are in good condition with just some peeling paint, but the cheap plywood doors are shot. So we are building new planked doors and giving it all a good clean up and repaint whilst it's in. Hopefully this should be quite a quick turnaround, a month or 2 is the plan, then I'd like to get something else in that is largely a scrub up and repaint job if possible.

After those 2 are done and maybe something else having a quick repaint, we'd like to get the big Mink G in:



It is currently in the operational goods train, but it is looking very very tired. If we'd have got to it a few years ago it probably could have stood some patch timber replacement and a repaint to keep it going, but it's a bit beyond that now. When it comes in, full strip down and all new high quality timber all round. That will be next year's major project!

We have several lines of attack really. First off, use better quality materials. In the past we have sometimes scrimped a bit on the quality of wood we've used, not any more. Only the best timber from now on. Secondly, do as much of the painting as we can before assembly. So paint the steel frame and the timber before you put it all together. Thirdly, try and get into the habit of repainting things before they deteriorate too much. That is dependant on getting things shunted in the right place, so a little outside of our control, but we are getting better. And finally, actually run them a bit more often! Nothing worse than having them sit in a siding all the time, it just lets the moss and the damp grow. Since the return of the goods train we've already doubled its number of appearances with it coming out for the Autumn mixed traction gala as well as the Spring steam gala. I'd love to see it out on some fire and drives in the future. But that's one for another day.

Yes, we'd quite like to do something with that, or the Monster, or similar - tack it on the end of a short passenger set, much like we did with the S&D Trust's PMV we had last Spring. Both would probably need some time on the jacks before we could pass it as FTR though, which is tricky as slots are few and far between.

We have plenty more plans, but that's probably enough to be getting on with for now!

Edit - Ooh forgot, also this:



Which has received a very thorough de-rusting and repaint this Summer/Autumn. Although it looks complete from this angle, it currently has no timber deck at all. This will only ever be a static vehicle due to its condition, but we thought it would look good in the new goods dock so as not to obscure the view of the lovely Usk Hut that @Breva and team have done such a good job in rebuilding.

 

In other news I have just seen that some new brave soul has started up the much missed steam dept blog again, after the previous authors moved on to bigger and better things: gwsrsteamloco.blogspot.com enjoy!

 

Take it from me that there's no way on earth that tank will fit onto that chassis.

 

It's got six wheels, I thought we were onto a winner!

 

In post #1493 I see two actual pictures and two instances of just "

 

Have you replaced the timber cross beams?

 

Yes, all new timbers.

 

Sorry, is that better now?