Channel 4 Programme

Originally these vehicles had either a table or a pair of armchairs in the middle according to demand.

I have no idea how this vehicle will be marketed. Some sort of luncheon/tea basket could be a possibility and this sort of thing has often struck me as more sensible than lugging heavy, maintenance hungry, buffet cars around. However, that Oriental rug looks a bit vulnerable to spillages of tea or jam!

PH

 

The webpage came back light grey .... but the photo...

WOW!

If the IWR spent on that kind of finish, no wonder they couldn't afford to take delivery of two of the five locos originally ordered! It's wonderful to see the interior described in Maycock & Silsbury and Maycock & Reed histories and the stained glass looks as great as described. Can't wait to see an external evening view, with the lights on (and some photos of the light fittings and the luggage racks and the ......).

'Ey Up @gwalkeriow, what d'ya reckon to a 'second' next .... pretty please?

From memory, 3rd class plebs received the absolute minimum demanded by legislation for quite a few years. The neighbours over at Newport had some truly dreadful workmans carriages which wouldn't have looked too far out of place on a train to the Siberian gulags. Sods Law says one of the things is still hiding in the undergrowth somewhere (photos suggest they were built like warships) but, I grudgingly admit, one would complement the old C&N Wright carriages nicely.

 

That is the first class saloon, the two second class compartments are sparse in every sense of the word. You and I will have too wait for the program to see it in all it’s glory. I imagine it will be a bit like the big reveal at the end of grand designs.

This is a project that I had little input with other that working with one other to overhaul the 154 year old door locks. Incidentally the door handle is on the left hand side of the door, I wonder when right became the standard.

PS do not forget three other coaches are also featured

 

So the first class ticket holders get luncheon, whilst the poor 3rd class might if their lucky get to chew on a discarded chicken leg!!

 

Too true! It's not a competition.

PH

 

I am looking forward to the programs. I assuming that it was paid or mostly paid staff doing the work full time to complete in a six month timescale. Can anyone confirm that ?

 

Majority paid but also a big volunteer input. This was the only way given the very tight time scale for a full restoration from very poor chicken shed condition.

 

Well i enjoyed the show, yes its got some drama for joe public watching it they did nice job one less unrestored carriage, and it puts vintage carriage restoration on the spotlight instead of locomotives. Look forward to next weeks IOWR 4 wheeler

 

So, who just watched the first programme tonight? what did you make of it, Anyone who has worked on wooden bodied coaching stock I dare say was not surprised , old coaches are a challenge with set backs , as well as some bits in better condition than they should be, often original material lasts longer than what ever BR used to patch them.

 

First one down and all in all an enjoyable program. I remembered when the Llangollen coach was at Bewdley in the back road as a workshop vehicle, does anyone know if it is now in use?

 

Wonder just how much of what was shot will actually appear next week? Although Havenstreet appeared quite often this evening.

 

Still needs work before entering service. It's moving to Carrog tomorrow evening for public display for the Summer, then back to the workshop for work this coming Winter.

Bob.

 

Yes indeed. It shows how much of the blame for the deplorable "Trainspotters" programmes did not lie with the presenters.

Paul H

 

Very interesting first programme and well done to the Llangollen team. Nice to see this link on the HRA's Facebook page https://www.shropshirestar.com/ente.../vintage-railway-carriage-stars-in-tv-series/ but I am intreagued by this quote "Despite the restoration, current safety regulations ban the public from riding in the coach." What needs to be done to make it useable?

 

Can I refer you to post 152 Nick, I imagine that just enough was done ( in an extremely demanding timescale) to enable the coach to run in episode 5.

 

Fully understand the timescale constraints Gary, as you know! To do all that in 6 months was a major achievement.

 

Well we never did see those toilets installed... Just a guess, vacuum brakes not being sorted could be another, or doors not operating, thinking of things that could cause a coach to be out of traffic on safety grounds but not obvious from filming.

Anyway, I thought it was an excellent start, I really enjoyed it. Peter Snow's not all bad after all!

 

Just watched it. All a bit challenge Anneka at the KESR in the late 80s.

There had obviously been much work carried out on it before we it was fairly well stripped at the start.

Half an interior missing so just put some miscellaneous tables and chairs in and call it a wheelchair saloon. If it was a wheelchair saloon proper it would have had ramps designed and installed. Where was the steam heat fittings in the saloon?

Bodged up teak panels stuck together and varnished with a bass broom covered in sand. Absolutely no effort to clean the wood with oxalic acid before goldsizing and varnishing. What mitigating measures were taken to minimise the possibility of the panel splitting again such as hessian glued onto the back? Gaps between mouldings - how much water will they keep out?

Roof at least got a new canvass but not sure about what happened to the wet / dry rot in the cant rail?

Mechanical overhaul that comprised soley of repairing the centre castings and apparently not a lot else.

Come on that's not sustainable restoration for a long term traffic vehicle. That's a film set destined to go back down the siding of doom or back into the works to be done properly. One day...

 

So you think the only bits of restoration that occurred was that shown on the telly!? Come on!... It looked like the bogies had been completely shotblasted to me for a start, and they definitely said they were replacing that rotten bit of cantrail, we just didn't see it. As you say, clearly work had been carried out before the "start" and work has continued after the "finish".

 

Why would the experienced railway people at the railways concerned give up their time (even if paid for by the programme) for a bodge job that won't be useable? That just wouldn't make sense