London Midland Brake van No. 95003

This is my principal project at present. The brake van is based at Wirksworth and the progress can be viewed online as it is currently in centre shot on the Wirksworth Middle Yard webcam on the EVR website.

Restoration began in earnest in late 2010. So far the brake van has received a replacement brake wheel, and a new floor, also new end sheets, sides and windows and a mostly new roof. The side lookout duckets have been repaired and refitted. The guards stove was missing, and has been replaced with a narrow boat pattern logburner. My reckoning is that well over 2000 woodscrews have gone into the reconstruction so far.

The next major job on the list is to replace the footboards, after which preparations can be made for final repainting, though there is a long list of minor jobs before it is fit to enter traffic.

I'd like to thank Rob, Barry, Richard, Craig, and the Wirksworth carriage gang for all their help.

Tim

 

Some good progress over the last 4 months. The new footboards have been fitted, and one side and one verandah end are in final coat gloss ready for lettering. Further external painting and lettering will have to wait until spring. Inside, the ceiling is now white, upper sides cream, lower sides chocolate brown. It is toasty warm with the log burner fired up. The new settle style bench is not authentic, but a lot more comfortable than the original. The van will, I hope, shortly be masquerading as a reindeer carrier of the Lapland Murmansk and Siberian Railways.

AS eever, many thanks to the gang.

Tim

 

Good to hear of brake van restoration alive and kicking! (I'm got a similar project at the Churnet Valley not a million miles from EVR). What sort of potential does the line have for showing off the van when complete? Is there enough stock for a short demonstration freight?

 

Opoerations in the Wirksworth station area are pretty flexible, and there are plans at an early stage for a steam gala next year. Apart from the brake van I have a lowmac in LNER livery and a 30' LMS grey plate wagon, which last needs re-lettering in the spring. There are various vans and service vehicles and a second LMS brake van which could be used on a demonstration freight.
The van is currently in Platform 3, so is probably out of shot of the web cameras.

Tim

 

Good luck with the projects, hopefully things don't deteriorate too quickly in the Derbyshire winters!