SVR - LMS 10t Van 302080

Dear Members,

Can anyone tell me whether there is anything going on with the ex-Caledonian Railway van LMS 302080 on the SVR?

Over the years since I began taking photographs on the SVR, I have taken many photos of 302080 and I feel that it is such a shame that a van such as 302080 which has had quite a interesting history is now in the condition that it is. I feel it to be even more to be a shame as it has now reached it's centenary year with fellow ex-Caledonian van 304543, being built at Glasgow in 1910.

Below is my latest photo of the wagon at Kidderminster Station.

If anyone has any info on the current status of this wagon please do tell me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/4632539474/

All the best!
Garethp8873.

 

This is under the custodianship of the museam at kidder, her running days are, as far as we can tell, behind her, but I'm sure if some one was to have the time and money to restore her, the museum would be interested

 

Thanks Olly, Having just joined the SVR Wagon Department, I would like to try and do something for her. Can you possibly tell me who I would have to contact about 302080?

 

Apart from this one, are there any other Caledonian vans fitted with vacuum brakes? There are about 5 others in existence, all hand brake only I think.

I had some patterns made for making new steelwork for the doors for my Caledonian van (also formerly vac braked), and some new vent hoods produced, along with parts to rebuild the end shutters. Yet to start making new cladding for the doors (there are two thicknesses of butt-beaded T&G on these vans), but was able to complete one door using some new framing and the best parts of the two doors I had available.

Ben

 

There are the two on the SVR 302080 and 304543. 73004 and 73007 are owned by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society. There is another at Brechin awaiting restoration (number unknown) and the sixth van (907) is at Rutland.

 

So my van at Peak Rail makes seven? I am aware the Rutland van is hand brake only, as are the SRPS pair? 302080 is the only complete fitted van, which would be a good one to have a gander at when I rebuild the brakes on mine. The double hangers are in places, as are lamp irons and fixings for the cyclinder and vac pipe, but that's about it.

Any idea of any historical data on these vans? I have plenty of drawings, photographs and lot numbers for all of our Midland Railway vehicles, but the CR van remains elusive. When I bought it, the previous owner said it had been built in 1913, but I have nothing apart from the other survivors to this design being built around that time to suggest this is correct.

Ben

 

If you do have a look on my flickr page Midland Relic, there are plenty of photos of LMS 304543. I have been able to make more of a study of 304543 as it is more accessible to get at.

Garethp8873.

 

Gareth,

Superb, I shall do that this evening at some point.

Ben

 

Do you know the identity of your van or have any photos? I was not aware of its existence until you posted!

 

Yes I'd be interested to know as well. I thought I had Peak Rail nailed on wagon stock.
Talking of CR vans the one on the right here looks very likely to me. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1798815
Still haven't figured out the one on left yet for sure, without seeing a door but is probably a LNWR tranship van. So two rare vans next to each other!
Steve

 

Sorry for the slow reply, probably Dave Postle at kidder museum.

 

No idea of the original, or even later number. The usual site was on the door, and both of them had been all but destroyed by the time I acquired it. I have reconstructed one door, and have a kit of parts of one more off another van. The last owner of my van bought a pair of grounded bodies, both came to Rowsley, and one was dismantled (as agreed) to provide body parts for the other, including doors, vents, planking and framing. The survivor is currently used as a store, and all we know about it is that it was vacuum braked. I'll upload some images when I've taken some. I have most of the chassis parts required to rewheel it, although not the vac brake parts. However, this van is in the queue behind a wooden u/f Midland van which arrived recently, and I don't know the number of that either! Perhaps I should send the VCT some updates. There are a couple of other things hidden, you never know what someone has squirrelled away!

 

Would this CR van body be the one that used to be grounded near the north end of the new engine shed at Rowsley but moved c2009 from this area as the new shed opened? I assumed this was disposed of. Is it still actually on site at Rowsley & will this be rebuilt with u/f, wheels from wagon stock currently on site?
The MR van used to carry a small gold coloured plate 'CEGB 5' but I don't know its original number, thats if we're talking about the ex Foxfield van.
Cheers
Steve

 

No, I don't remember there being a van in front of the shed other than the vanwide, which is still there. The CR van arrived about 7 years ago, and has been near the carriage shed ever since.

The plan is to restore it to running condition, still gathering all the parts required to do so. The plan is not to simply scrap something else at the railway, mainly because there's nothing suitable.

The MR van from the Foxfield did, I believe carry that plate, but I was referring to another Midland van, one of the wooden u/f 10 tonners, which recently arrived to be dismantled and rebuilt, incorporating a largely new chassis, and then most of the original bodywork.

 

Ah thank you.
So I need to add 2 vans at Peak Rail. One CR & one MR. Do you have any idea where the CR van was recovered from & when the MR van arrived?
It's good to hear positive plans for wagon stock at PR.
Cheers
Steve

 

Really encouraging to hear the wagon progress at Peak Rail. You mentioned one grounded Caledinian Railway body at Rowsley came for spares and the other to be restored. Were these the same two grounded CR vans that were at Cheddleton for a while? If so they'd be the ones that came from near Milton station on the NSR Leek line several years before? If not where did yours originate and are the Cheddleton ones still at the CVR?
There are still quite a few grounded CR van bodies around in North Staffordshire, the reason for this being, I was told by one elderly owner with one in his garden, that in the 1960s lots went for scrap at Crewe and being among the last all-timber vehicles in service were cheaper to buy as a shed, etc that ones with more metal in them. I can think of three CR vans still in daily use in gardens or smallholdings which I pass regularly. Also, there are two surviving CR van bodies on brick plinths right in the middle of Ashbourne.
Hope the work goes well on yours, have you sourced any CR axleboxes?
Mark

 

Mark,

Good question! I never asked. The chap who bought them originally was also a CVR volunteer, so maybe, although I gather wherever they were to start with there was a third van in better condition, which was burnt, and these two, which were both rather ropey, the best of which survives today, with the other piled beside it. I've incorporated some material into the survivor already.

I do have a set of 4 CR axlebox covers, about 9"x4" I reckon, but no boxes. More akin to carriage covers really (I initially acquired them as spares for my LMS CK), but as my van was originally an XP vac braked version, I might use them eventually on it.

Very short of parts for the Caley van, and it has now been overtaken by a similar Midland van, significantly more decrepit, but with a chassis now arrived from the Midland Railway Centre, I have all the bits to rebuild it without manufacturing many new components. After that we have an LMS cattle van in bits (somewhere!), again a better prospect than the CR van at present, although she is doing a superb job as a store for carriage parts.

2 open wagons on the waiting list as well (a third just finished), so perhaps the CR van will have to wait until I find the parts, or get some sudden inspiration. Beautiful van though.

Ben

 

Went to the SVR today. 302080 has now been moved to another piece of track with several of the other wagons that were in that rake. From what I was told by a gentleman at the Kidderminster Museum, the wagons are awaiting restoration. For 302080, he guessed it may cost around £5000 - £10000 to restore. Whether this to full working condition I do not know.

 

Hi Midland Relic! Have you had any updates regarding the 10t Caledonian Van on your railway?

Garethp8873.

 

Gareth,

Not really! Roof is being felted after I removed the old canvas and nails etc. My CR van is fairly low down on the list of LMS constituent vehicles to be processed, but it will happen eventually, probably more likely if I can acquire some more spares to rebuild the chassis with. I'm ploughing my time into LMS TO No.7828 at present, along with some parts for another carriage. One ridiculous project at a time, eh?

Thanks for your interest, I shall keep you posted!

Ben