WSR Warflat Query

Hi guys any confirmation on the following appreciated.
I have an ex MOD Warflat listed at the West Somerset Railway. Numbered 80016, later 8080, built GRCW 1940.
There was also an MOD Marchwood warflat, 8112, which was previously 80800, builder unknown.
The reason for this query is last week warflat 8080 was noted in use as an Internal User at Corus Aldwarke, South Yorkshire, carrying MD5 with the plate 8080 still in place.
Can anyone confirm the real identity of the WSR warflat or where it was acquired from and when.
Cheers
Steve

 

The WSR Stock Book says

"MoD No 8080: Built in 1942 for the War Department by Metropolitan-Cammell Ltd. at Saltley, and designated as a 'WARFLAT'. Few records were kept by the Military as to the use and location of this vehicle, but it saw service at Bicester before being transferred to Marchwood, Southampton. Jacks are fitted to facilitate easier loading as per the 'Rectanks' above, and it is of 50 tons capacity. Purchased by the Home Counties Group of the West Somerset Railway Association arriving on the line late 1998, it is intended to restore it for use in demonstration freight trains."

The WSR Stock Book author, Keith Smith, adds "It may have have started off life as WD FVF 20 (FVF = Fighting Vehicle Flat). It may later have become WD80113 whilst at Longmoor(?)."

Hope this helps - and, to all, I thoroughly recommend purchasing the WSR Stock Book as all proceeds go towards the WSRA's Home Counties Group funds which in turn have paid for many vehicles, such as the Warflat and more recently Mk1 TSO no 4956 (the blue/grey one).

Steve
(WSW)

 

Thanks for your help Steve. I'll update my records.
I didn't know the WSR still did a stock book. Is this a recent publication?
Steve

 

Not that recent, Steve. But I think an update (or two) have been issued.

Steve
(WSW)

 

Steve,

Talking of Warflats - your list has two warflats listed at the BRC:
 8118 MOD 50t Warflat Metro Cammel 1940
 8502 MOD 50t Warflat /????

There is only one Warflat at Quainton - No. 8118. I've double checked with the sites Curator and C&W guru, we're not sure where the other entry came from!

Keep up the good work with your stocklist project.

 

Reading back through this thread I can't help wondering if the WSR stock book is in error and their 8080 is really 80800? Any thoughts?

 

I also don't know where the other entry has come from! It's not even in a Warflat number sequence. I'll remove 8502. Thank you.
Steve

 

This was my initial thought Phil when 8080 was noted at Corus Aldwarke recently. However 80800 would've been carrying 8112 by this time. I still have this listed at Marchwood along with many other Warflats which I believe are actually long gone, I need to try & sort through these.
If the 8080 at Aldwarke has been reported correctly then this leaves a bit of a query one way or the other.
Steve

 

With regard to WGF8080, I inspected her at Marchwood about 20 years ago and could just make out the letters "LMR" in letters about 12 inches high under the current paint. From memory she was a 45-ton Warflat, which were the less common type that had plain solebars (the 50-ton version had reinforcement strips along both the top and bottom of the solebar).

Also from memory, I think 8502 was a 50-ton Warwell (not a Warflat) that I saw at MoD Bicester circa 1990. This was the only Warwell I ever saw in this number series. The Warwells were constructed by the Southern Railway, Gloucester Carriage & Wagon Co and, I believe, by Head Wrightson.

As for 80800 and 80801, these were dual gauge Tankflat wagons that were built by Gloucester Carriage & Wagon Co and were at one time at MoD Marchwood. Their standard gauge bogies had two axles. I never saw the metre gauge three axle bogies that had been supplied for these wagons. Changing gauge was simply a matter of changing the bogies.

Greg Martin.