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Isle of Wight Steam Railway Carriage and Wagon updates

Discussion in 'Heritage Rolling Stock' started by gwalkeriow, Jul 28, 2011.

  1. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    Yes as a kit of parts, personally I would not like to see a goods brake van in a passenger set and yes to grants.. The next grounded body is likely to be LCDR 4134 4 compartment brake 3rd
     
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  2. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    They can always be new although at increased cost.
     
  3. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    If Mansell wheels are involved, perhaps there's scope for a "cottage industry" approach to the making up the requisite blocks from recycled hardwoods. It'd certainly give interesting scope for offsite involvement.
     
  4. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Anything which draws today's generation into our particular chosen lunacy is to be welcomed. One of the things I love about so many heritage sites these days is the way they facilitate hands-on practical experience as part of properly accredited aprenticeships.
     
  5. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    We already employ two apprentices in C&W, they are absolutely essential. two of the older members of staff have retired in the last couple of years. Sadly we cannot go on for ever.
     
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  6. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    If my hair had not fallen out years ago, much of this correspondence would have prompted me to pull it out!

    There is enough stuff lying around Havenstreet (or rather laid out neatly around H.........) to see us all out, especially when it is realised that every vehicle restored will increase the time needed for maintenance and reduce the time available for further restoration

    The railway is a business and this business needs rolling stock in order to function. Sometimes this has been a "damned close run thing". Not an easy task when, laudably, none of the carriage stock is later than 1924.

    Please, get thee behind me W.I.B.N. Hard realism is what is needed.

    PH
     
  7. andrewtoplis

    andrewtoplis Well-Known Member

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    A bit of Friday afternoon syndrome here... Calm down Paul
     
  8. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Deleted. I'll try again when my Android stops sulking!
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2017
  9. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Deleted
     
  10. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    i dont know why he reacts as he does, with one exception all the talk has been about the next coaches to enter works and future restorations, and possible options for under frames, or is paul advocating that the Oldbury's are not restored? yet he says that the availability at times has been very tight, every railway has its pinch points, things can go wrong, but the railway always gets through it, its always a juggling act between maintaince and restoration work, its the same people doing both at the end of the day, if a coach fails an inspection, or has a fault its inconvienient, but you have to err on the side of safety .
     
  11. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    That comment is unworthy of you.
    The problem with the Oldburys is that there are no brake compartments in them and there is a particular shortage of vehicles with such facilities. IMHO restoration of the Oldbury stock should await the availability of further vehicles that are so equipped. In other words a little later down the queue.

    PH
     
  12. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    The Oldburys will be "later down the queue" They will be part of the big lottery application that is in the process of being put together no doubt the lack ok brakes will be worked into the application.
     
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  13. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Even lying about (or neatly laid out), there will always be some conservation effort required to prevent deterioration of stored kit. There's obviously a limit to what can, or perhaps should, be restored. Even the mighty Blodge has to prioritise maintaining service stock 'during the season'. The one thing conspicuous by it's absence from so many suggestions (especially - mine not excluded! - on forums like ours) is how on earth to finance both implementation and ongoing costs, without adversely affecting the very operations which bring the passengers in. This shouldn't, however, preclude examining options for all the historic items found around most lines, after all, there's the future to consider too.

    Consolidation of existing operations is clearly a vital consideration, but so is the danger of stagnation. The balance between these two isn't always readily apparent. The odd bucket of cold water may be uncomfortable, but doesn't always go amiss, as it often puts matters into perspective. Jam can only be spread 'so' thinly, and concern about capacity to undertake large projects, such as restoration of a complete set of carriages from grounded stock is merely expressing common sense.

    I understand the frustration expressed by some of those (Hi Paul!) who live at the sharp end, actually involved in the work needed to keep heritage lines running, but, as I understand it, the IWSR Oldbury stock (at least) is the subject of a definite plan for restoration, and when somebody such as Gary, with considerable first hand experience on the line in question, speaks of longer term plans, then it shouldn't be summarily dismissed as just so much ill-informed wishful thinking.

    In the case of the Met 8 wheelers, it seems only logical to discuss potential (for that is all it is at present) restoration considerations. Only when some plan is laid out is it possible to address costings. Whether restoration to original chassis configuration, or some degree of redesign to accommodate bogies seems to me a fair subject for discussion ahead of detailed proposals, and this forum seems a fair place to air such matters... however far ahead of the event.

    Does the IWSR need all these carriages? Or an appropriate loco to haul them? From a purely operational viewpoint, no. The VoR manages quite nicely with (for now) just 2 out of it's 3 obscenely reliable 94 year old locos, 14 out of it's 16 original carriages plus a brake van, one of those diesel things and some pw kit, running over it's original route, which nobody is suggesting would benefit from extended mileage. Does that make it the sole exemplar for all other heritage operations? Again, no. There is no single solution, each heritage line is unique.
     
  14. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Just so! Let me hasten to say that Gary is the person who really knows about carriage restoration from a "hands on" perspective, certainly not me. However there have been times when I have had to travel in the van (no hardship for me) because every seat has been taken. Illustrates the pressure at times and why I get so irritated by W.I.B.N.

    Paul H
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 22, 2017
  15. gwalkeriow

    gwalkeriow Well-Known Member

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    The isle of Wight steam railway is not just about running trains, it is telling the story of a unique Island system. The VoR only ever had 16 coaches but the Isle of Wight fleet evolved over the years. We have the potential to restore to use rakes of coaches that represent every period of the Island's railways. Imagine if were in apposition to have days or weeks where it only used 4 wheel coaches, even on a two or three train service. Especially if we had the correct period Locos to haul them I.E. two terriers and lets say a Beyer Peacock.

    It has the potential to have one Oldbury set of approx 8 vehicles that will represent the 1860s through to the early 1900s
    A rake of approx 10 four wheel LBSCR,LCDR,MSLR and NLR coaches to represent the period from the early 1900 through to the 1930s
    A small rake of perhaps 4 or 5 LCDR and Metropolitan 8 wheel/bogie coaches to represent the early bogie period
    A rake of 7 LBSCR and SECR bogie coaches to represent the period from the 1930s through to the end in 1966

    Given time all of the above is perfectly possible

    At the moment the bogie set is in use every single running day, in season maintenance has to be done after the service with staff and volunteers starting late in the afternoon. We need the flexibility to be able to say lets not use the bogie set, let us use something else. The bogie set could then have the in season clean that it sometimes desperately needs.

    One essential item to allow this to happen is an enlarged Train story, to be able to put things away after use is a must.
     
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  16. wavey

    wavey New Member

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    As I involved in the restoration of LNER carriages on the NYMR and recently visited the IOWSR I can honestly say I was very impressed. So refreshing to visit a Railway with no mark 1's and what I really liked was the unrestored stock in the museum for visitors to see and compare against the restored stock. Those unrestored grounded bodies have a story to tell and it is important to keep saving more of those for future generations. Once they are gone they are gone for good.
    You know the other thing that I loved was the carriage body that had been a beach holiday cottage for years and it has been restored as it would have looked in the 1950's - brilliant! Really imaginative and clever conservation of a body that may be a long way down the line for returning to use.
    Got to say as an outsider looking in there is much to commend in the carriage restoration facilities and policies on the IOWSR.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
     
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  17. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    Apologies for going slightly off topic but the wonderful old swan neck gas lamps at Brading have just been replaced, seemingly in the last week or two - any idea if they were rescued?
     
  18. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Enquiry: Other than the lovely IWC (ex-Midland) crane, does anything of any pre-grouping non-passenger stock, even just metalwork, axlebox covers etc. survive at Haven Street or elsewhere on the island?
     
  19. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    I had better leave the details to Gary Walker but an ex IWC van was recently recovered and I believe efforts are being/have been made to find suitable running gear. There is an axlebox in the small objects museum but this may well be off a IWR passenger vehicle.

    Paul H
     
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  20. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thanks Paul. I expect there are still many overgrown backwaters round the island concealing who knows what!

    I'd assume recreated wooden frames for freight stock wouldn't fall foul of the sort of regs covering passenger stock. I know the Corris have built some entirely new oak frames (for a couple of iron bodied coal wagons and at least one slate slab trestle wagon). I can't imagine SG frames from scratch would present that much more (or less!) of a challenge, given sufficiently large lumps of oak.
     

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