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South Eastern & Chatham Railway 719 - Birdcage Brake Van (1905)

Type: Guard / Luggage Van
Built: (by Metropolitan Amalgamated Carriage & Wagon Co., in Birmingham) 1905
Original No: 719
Other Nos: 719A, 616, 1601S
Length: 32'
Weight: 13 Tons
Withdrawn: 1941, 1967
Preserved: 1967
To Bluebell: 9/2/1972

This six-wheeled van is unusual in that it has both a "birdcage" lookout on the roof and side duckets for the guard. In addition to accommodation for the guard, the rest of the space was used for luggage. On withdrawal it was transferred for service use as an ARP Cleansing Van, based at Bricklayers Arms Locomotive Depot in London.

With no further use for it after the war, in 1947 it was sold to the independent Derwent Valley Light Railway in Yorkshire. On its second withdrawal from service it was bought by the Southern Locomotive Preservation Co., who moved it, with the rest of their stock, to the Bluebell in late 1971 and early 1972.

Roger Barton, one of the Bluebell's C&W volunteers, is currently trying to gain support for its overhaul. The first job would be the complete reconstruction of its six-wheeled timber and steel underframe, such matters being Roger's speciality. The Bluebell Railway Trust have agreed to fund the cost of materials to rebuild the underframe. I have promised to lend a hand with making the new exterior mouldings.