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Carriage & Wagon Works News

GWR 5-plank open wagon No.87782 - A Veteran of the Great War!

Restoration Progress Report.



Just to recap, the Bluebell Railway Trust has agreed to hold donations from individuals towards the restoration of this historic (albeit non-SR!) wagon. All work is being undertaken by volunteer members of the BRPS. By September 2009, it was clear that we were more likely to raise the money for the project than not, so with a few hundred pounds in the kitty and work on LMS medium goods wagon 474558 drawing to a close, we requested that GW 87782 be brought over to the down yard at Horsted Keynes so that we could commence work on it.

If you would like to support the work on this wagon, you can give to the Bluebell Railway Trust on-line using your credit or debit card, through the Charities Aid Foundation, which reclaims the Gift Aid on our behalf. To donate through this to the GW 87782 project, there is provision for adding a note to that effect.
If you donate directly to us, and give £25 or more and are a UK taxpayer, the Trust can recover the income tax you have paid on your donation if you complete a Gift Aid form. Gift Aid/Donation forms are available on-line here or from:

The Bluebell Railway Trust,
c/o Graham Flight,
22 Christopher Road,
East Grinstead
RH19 3BT.

Cheques payable to The Bluebell Railway Trust should also be sent to the same address. Please indicate that you wish your donation to be put towards the GW 87782 project.
Please note that, to keep costs down, acknowledgement of donations to the Trust will not be sent unless you include a Stamped Addressed Envelope.

Thank you for your support,
Martin Skrzetuszewski and the Horsted Keynes Volunteer Wagon Gang.

November 2009

At the end of October GW 87782 was moved outside the paint shop to allow easier access with air and electric tools. The first job was to finish removing the non original door stanchion fittings on the East side, nearest the camera in the picture below. Needle gunning of the underframe then commenced with the nearest GWR OK 'F' axlebox and axleguard.

GWR 87782 GWR 87782

Upon cleaning up the axleguards, a stamping was observed 'GRC&WCo' which confirmed that this axleguard originated from the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, the original builder of GW 87782. It is always nice to confirm which parts are original on vehicles of this age, and if there was any doubt about the original number of GW 87782, it was confirmed by a further stamping of the vehicle number on the left hand end of both solebars.

GWR 87782 GWR 87782


The final two pictures show the current progress of needle gunning and priming. Tom Simcock is shown cleaning up the solebar and I have indicated in this picture the position where the vehicle number is stamped into the solebar.

GWR 87782 GWR 87782


Photos by Andy Prime

October 2009

15th October saw the arrival of GW 87782 from the up yard at Horsted Keynes.

GWR 87782 GWR 87782

Photos by David Chappell

Over subsequent weekends, all the old and rotten timber has been removed, several pieces being retained as patterns. The door pillars on one side and the end tees at one end (all Port of Bristol Authority repairs) have been removed and put into stock for modification to correct pattern or re-use on something more appropriate in the future.

September 2009

Since metrication and the diminishing of the British steel industry, many steel sections are no longer available. Two new door pillars will be made from these four end stanchion tees (probably from a BR tube or pipe wagon) which have been on site for at least 15 years - perhaps everything that looks like junk or scrap at Horsted Keynes is not so?

GWR 87782 Stanchions - Dave Clarke GWR 87782 Stanchions - Andy Prime


Roger Barton (a structural steelwork designer in a previous life!) is in charge of this job and is seen above preparing the replacement door pillars.

Photos by Dave Clarke (left) and Andy Prime (right)

Go to the web page for this wagon

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