The value of a Van or Coach

Following on from the thread about the price for an 08 Shunter, I was curious about the typical cost for items of rolling stock.

Transport is probably the biggest cost, I suppose - much greater in relation to the price of the stock than it would be for a loco.

 

If i remember right the transport cost starts at approx £1000, a coach can range from also £1000 upwards whilst van depending on again type as well as condition can start from 300 to 400 quid

 

No, restoration is the biggest part of the cost. It's relatively easy and relatively cheap to buy and transport a wagon or coach - much more expensive (and time consuming) to fix them. Hence the rows of rotting carcasses around the country...

One of my box vans was "free to a good home" on the condition that I restored it (which I haven't, yet, but that's another matter!). At the other end of the scale a scrap man offered to sell me one a couple of years ago at about £300/ton, which for about 8T of wagon (quite a lot of which was rotten wood) seemed rather steep, so I declined. Shame though as it was a rare type (only 2 or 3 other survivors), and was cut up shortly afterwards. In-between that, it rather depends on who is selling them and for what purpose.

Depending on circumstances it's probably better to take on an abandoned vehicle on the railway you're already involved with as you (a) don't have to pay transport and (b) are fixing the problem rather than adding to it.

As far as coaches are concerned there are some appallingly bad coaches which still fetch good money, just because they're not available in numbers any more, but anyone taking them on needs to have deep pockets.

Phil

 

Hi Phil,

Just out of interest, what type of wagon was this please?

Paul

 

Thanks Phil, I realise that restoration will be a big cost - and certainly not something I will be able to achieve overnight! However, the actual cost/value of the item of rolling stock is what interests me - its going to be the first thing I am going to have to save up money for, after all.

 

A friend of mine bought a few coaches (MK1's) for around the £1.5- 2.5K mark. The restoration to full working order cost around £20k and that was one in reasonable condition. It depends how much rust is involved and what parts are missing. It also depends if you need to remove asbestos. That can cost in the region of £5k.

 

Paul,
Both of the vehicles I was using as examples were box vans. The scrapped one was a BR-built LMS-style plywood example of which not many were built. Had it been the last one left, and/or had I had the money burning a hole in my pocket at the time, I would probably have haggled a bit more and bought it anyway, but the asking price simply wasn't worth it, especially given the poor condition of the vehicle.
Box vans do make for good storage space so perhaps they're worth a bit more than an open wagon - but they also cost more to look after. Still a lot cheaper than buying a lock-up garage though.
Phil

 

I believe a plywood van still exists at East Kent Railway although in a very poor state

 

Thanks for this, was just curious!

Paul

 

Can't find any reference to one at East Kent so unless (a) you're talking about a completely different type of plywood van or (b) someone has a photo, I shan't bother making a special trip to see it...

 

The one I am on about is http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=4255

 

Unfortunately that appears to be a standard BR banana van, of which several survive either as grounded bodies or restored wagons. We have an operational example at NVR (repainted since this photo, but still needs the bodywork sorting): http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=3740

I might well be wrong here, but I'm assuming Phil meant something like this: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brlmsvan It would be interesting to know where the survivors are and what sort of state they're in.

 

Can't access Paul's site these days but the type I was referring to are these:

http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=5351

Possibly not that exact variation, I can't remember if the scrapped one had the same brake rigging and springing.

Don't be too disheartened by having a banana van though, they're not that common.

 

Yep as I thought, although surprised the link didn't work? This is a page from his new Zenfolio site since the demise of Fotopic, well worth bookmarking if wagons/modelling are your thing.

Had a quick check on the VCT database, there are about 70 BR banana vans still around but the vast majority are grounded bodies. Only about 10 or 11 retain their running gear including the one at East Kent, so complete examples are more unusual than I originally thought.

Anyway thanks for clearing that up for me re: BR LMS ply vans, I seem to have a habit of hijacking threads for which I apologise!

Paul

 

I'm sure the link is fine but my employer evidently thinks it's dodgy...

Still miffed I let that van go really. If I'd had more disposable cash in the piggy bank I think heart may have over-ruled head. Still, can't save 'em all.