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Southern Railway 13 Ton 5-plank Open Merchandise Wagon No.12058

Underframe of 12058, having had internal-user modifications removed - July 2005. Richard Salmon

Following the "Grouping" of 1923, the Southern Railway completed outstanding pre-1923 orders for new open wagons, then ordered some additional vehicles to pre-grouping designs. The period around 1930 saw batches of "standard" designs built, fitted with secondhand ex-LSWR (see 9604 and 9752) or ex-SECR running gear and a reduced carrying capacity of 10 vice 12 Tons.

The favoured open wagon design during the "Maunsell" era was the 8-plank (see 30004 and 37786). When Bulleid took over as Chief Mechanical Engineer, WW2 was on the horizon. Over 6000 examples of a standard 13 Ton capacity,10 feet wheelbase, 5-plank design to diagram 1375 were produced from 1939 through Nationalisation to 1950, adopting various material-saving, cost-saving and reliability variations as necessary.

In early 2005, this underframe of a post-1945 SR diagram 1375 wagon, fitted with handbrake only, was acquired by the Bluebell from Eastleigh Works in Hampshire. It had been modified as an adaptor wagon for moving individual SUB/EPB type electric multiple unit vehicles around the works. The body ironwork had been removed, and redundant wagon wheels welded to the frame to act as ballast, but the underframe remained in particularly good condition.

This wagon underframe was one of three similar diagram 1375 types modified as EMU adaptor wagons at Eastleigh. It is believed to be SR No. 12058, built in January 1946 at Ashford Works to order A3127, which was transferred to departmental use in October 1972 and withdrawn (presumably for internal use within Eastleigh Works) in March 1975.

In view of its good overall condition, it has been decided to remake and fit the bodywork, restoring the wagon to its original "Bulleid" era condition. It is hoped that the Bulleid Society may assist with funding for this project, for which the anticipated start date is late 2005/2006, although preparatory work has already commenced.