Measuring up the carriages...
Claire Sheppy reports:
"On Sunday June 27th a start was made by Jennie and Mike Dunse and myself on measuring all of the coaches that currently reside in the former concrete works part of the Williton yard. At present there are five of them, namely TK3631, a Toplight coach built to diagram C28, Lot 1136, (the same lot as TK 3639, the one currently in the Swindon shed, which coach will probably have to come out of it to make way for something else, such as Collett 6705, currently at Crewe); TK 3665, also Diagram C28; TK4546, a Collett era bow-ended Corridor to diagram C54 lot 1352; and two Collett era Full Corridor Thirds built 1935, numbers TK 5929 and TK 5986, both built to diagram dia C67 lot 1527. "
"Because coach TK 5986 (the coach that came from Tintern) is generally considered to be in the best condition of the five, we concentrated initially on this coach. However TK 5929 has had all of its internal lining removed, which means that it has been possible to measure its structural timbers. Theroretically this therefore provides all the necessary information for the structural timbers for TK 5986. It would be nice (In some ways!) if it were that simple, for we straight away discovered that both coaches ( both of which have almost certainly been in departmental use at some stage) have had alterations, in the shape of double doors being substituted, and to make matters more interesting, the one had double doors fitted on the corridor side and the other on the compartment side. I therefore intend to draw the coaches as they were originally designed and built, but also to show the variations, for in these days of disabled access being desirable it is
just possible that the double doors on the one coach might be retained."
"I said 'in some ways' because it is the variations that make the task of measuring and then drawing the coaches all the more interesting. Puzzling all this out can be likened to having several boxes of the same jigsaw, where all of them have some pieces missing. But as it is not possible to know exactly which pieces are actually missing, the only way is to do each jigsaw until the picture is clearer, even with pieces missing. In my case, this means drawing out each coach, using information from measurements of other coaches as a guide to fill in the gaps, until the picture (ie the drawing) is complete."
"At the end of the day, we then went into TK 4546. This coach is in a deplorable state but even so it is capable of providing a lot of useful information, for it is the only coach that I have seen so far (until 6705 comes south) that has any of its compartmentation remaining. It also has its water tank which can be measured and drawn as a pattern for others. "
"It is for this reason that it is absoluteluy essential that none of the coaches are destroyed any more then they have been already, until every last piece of information concerning them has been rescued."
"Jennie, Mike and I resolved to reconvene at the beginning of September for another session, in the meantime I shall spend part of the rest of the summer fathoming out and then using all the information that we obtained on Sunday. "
"And finally, if anyone has any drawings already of any of the coaches mentioned, (especially coach interiors) or indeed for any of the other coaches for the intended WSR heritage fleet, then please send me copies of them. I know that a lot of well intentioned people have suggested going to various sources, indeed I have already written to them all, but the bottom line is that I can actually measure and draw from our full size examples here on the WSR quicker than I can acheive by spending more time writing, (mostly in vain) for drawings from other sources."
Discussing sketch drawing of TK 5929 structural timbers. © Mike Dunse
Measuring the corridor side of TK 5856. © Mike Dunse
Measuring the roof structure of TK 5929. © Mike Dunse
Measuring the coach end of TK 5856. © Mike Dunse
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No 6705 - a Progress Report from Crewe
Walt Denning writes "No 6705 is coming along nicely with the woodwork almost complete. Colin [Worrall] thinks that the metal sheets should start going on in about two weeks time. I have started painting the solebar. The latest photos show Colin alongside one of the rehung doors, a new angle bracket (one of many) securing new woodwork, the rebuilt corridor at the 3rd class toilet end and another rebuilt door with new panels."
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The Olympic Set for 2012
A three coach rake of heritage carriages could be running on the Minehead Branch by 2012. With Stage One (acquisition of candidate carriages) completed, Stage Two of the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust's Heritage Carriages Project is currently planned to be a rake of three vehicles. The likely contenders would be GWR BCK no 6705 (currently under restoration at Crewe and due to be completed in 2010) and two further carriages - probably TK no 5856 and another TK yet to be identified. These could be restored fairly quickly and, assuming the cash can be raised, could be completed by 2012. Thus the Railway could have the Olympic Set running - named after another event taking place the same year. It is estimated each TK would cost approx £125K to restore to running order meaning only £250K needs to be raised to have a three coach branch line set completed.
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Carriages repositioned at Williton
David Holmes writes:
The Heritage Carriage Project led by the West Somerset Steam Trust has ambitious plans to restore a rake of GWR carriages. Whilst 6705, brought back from the USA, in currently under restoration at Crewe some of the other coaches owned by the project are in store at various locations. Five of these are currently stored At Williton.
Three have been standing in the car park of Williton Restorations since delivery some fifteen months ago and as they were providing a serious impediment it was important to move them to a more suitable location. An area of land was cleared and lightly ballasted late last Autumn and the coach recovered from Tintern was the first to be positioned on this area before wet weather made it too soft to move any others.
The recent dry spell has hardened the ground and allowed the move to be carried out. This weekend two of the carriages have been re-located from the car park onto sections of rail laid directly on the ground. The team used a JCB to tow the carriages across the Tarmac until the reached the ballast edge. The front bogie was steered by the direction of the JCB and the trailing one using a winch to apply a sideways pull as required.
Once close to the ballast pairs of short rails were laid on their side and the wheel flanges run into the web. As the carriages moved forward rails were lifted from behind and run around to the front in a scene reminiscent of a cartoon scene!
Sadly time intervened and the third coach remains in the car park for he moment although its track awaits and it will join the others in a few short weeks once the team have regained their strength.
Moving these coaches will allow the HCP to begin to properly assess and start preparation and conservation on these historic vehicles. If you would like to get involved with this project please contact Ian Colby c/o The WSSRT, Williton Station.
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© David Holmes
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Update on progress with No 6705
Colin Worrall writes:
All door repairs are now completed except toplights which are being renewed. Unfortuanatley one door is beyond repair and a new one is being made. The door repairs have been very complex! All existing hinge screw holes have been pegged some hinge cutouts redone with new timber and recut. This has required numerous rebates and damaged timber to be renewed. The droplight cills (which are brass) have been cleaned and new screws fitted. All bottom door cills have been replaced,all hinges have been taken off and cleaned. Lots of screws needed drilling out. All steel gussetts have been made and the galvanized sheeting is being made. Next stage is to fix the gussetts , fix new floor boarding and rehang doors ready for new sheeting...... and lots of screws! Pictures
GWR Toplight no 3639
Claire Sheppy writes:
Chris Van den Arend is convening a meeting of interested parties to be held at the Williton Refreshment Room, at 2.30 pm on Sunday 24th January, (weather permitting, we will contact everyone again by email if the meeting has to be postponed due to the weather) to discuss how to make further progress with Toplight 3639.
We now have a joiner interested in helping us to take this project forward, and the purpose of the meeting will be mainly to explore how further progress can be made. Several people have already confirmed that they will endeavour to be at the meeting, at which we shall voice our own, and listen to and debate other suggestions as to how best to proceed. Thus we have a small nucleus of volunteers, but would like to hear from anyone who would be prepared to come along and assist, even on an occasional basis. And if you can come to the meeting too, we will be pleased to welcome you."
| Saturday 28 November 2009
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News about No 6705
Claire Sheppy writes:
The job, as is the way with these things, is getting bigger in that the main timbers above the solebars are in worse condition than was thought and one will have to be replaced completely, and the other for most of its length. Walt Denning reports that the metal brackets that hold the solebar to the uprights are currently being cut away.
The two photographs (taken by Walt Denning) show the coach end with corridor connection removed (same at both ends) and the corridor side with main solebar removed."
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© Walt Denning
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© Walt Denning
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| Thursday 12 November 2009
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Heritage Carriages Project update
Claire Sheppy writes:
More than most people will realise, has happened at the Williton former concrete works site, since we first took delivery of the drawing board, donated courtesy of IBM at Hursley, Hants, Steve Richardson, who co-ordinated things, and the Hawkins family who arranged to transport the board, last March.
For a start, all of the three manholes, (two for foul sewers and one for a water main, ) have been raised to allow for the raising of the dip in the ground to the North West of the Swindon shed, right where it is hoped to bring in the two new sidings.
Secondly, the far (North Western ) corner of the site has been cleared of grass, scrub and topsoil and the area topped off with scalpings, which tidied up that corner considerably and presented a more suitable base for the arrival of another coach.
Thirdly, all of the Statutory Bodies (ie gas, electricity, telephones, water mains and sewers) have been approached and have supplied records of their various services either across or on the edge of the site, this information has been transferred to one drawing , which also contained all of the spot levels around the site. (I say contained because some of these levels are already out of date due the raising of the level in the North East corner of the site.)
The relevance of all of this was that it was all necessary preparation work for the fact that for the time being (other than the work being caried out at Crewe), the Williton concrete works site will be the centre for such renovation work as can be carried out at present, further work depends very much on more volunteers coming forward, to assist in the work.
Fourthly, a further coach has now arrived at Williton. This coach has come from Tintern, in the Wye Valley. It is a Collett era Gangwayed flat ended Third, built to diagram C67, lot 1509, completed on 28-2-35, and numbered 5856. This coach is by all early inspections, in a considerably better condition than some of the coaches already at Williton.
And finally….. Wanted: One or more Joiners who are interested in Railway restoration and would like to become an essential part of this fascinating project. Bear in mind that these coaches are either already or are approaching 100 years old, and that if they are left to disintegrate, a very essential part of our railway heritage will have gone for ever. "
© West Somerset Steam Railway Trust
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• No 6705
• Previous News
From 2009
From 2008
From 2006 and 2007
• Pictures
Proposed Museum/Carriage Shed
Artists impression of the future...
No 6705 moves from USA to UK...
GWR Toplight CK No 7740...
• The Project Team
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Ian Coleby
Chairman and Project Leader |
Chris Dowrick
Trust rep |
David Holmes
WSRA rep |
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Don Bishop
WSRA rep |
Mark Smith
WSR Plc rep |
Roger Lizars
WSR Plc rep |
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