Carriage & Wagon Report, March 2004
by Richard Johnson

The main activity in the Department in the last few weeks has been the exterior refurbishment of our Chocolate & Cream BSK (Brake Corridor Second) 34676. This had last been overhauled and painted five years previously. It had not worn well and was looking decidedly shabby, so it was decided to refurbish it.

We had to have it available again by the beginning of March as three brake coaches are needed for our most intensive services, and we managed it with a week to spare. It was repainted externally, given a thorough clean internally and the disabled compartment and toilet were spruced up. It should now be available for a few more years service.

We have now started work on the BG (Gangwayed Brake) 81039. This is being refurbished and will go into Carmine & Cream. In addition to being available as a spare brake coach, it will also accommodate two Santa’s Grottos, and will become our second grotto coach. Unlike the other one, this will be fully mobile and will be able to travel in service trains. The plan (once the signalling is complete) is to operate it from Cheltenham to Gotherington and back.

81039 has been on the railway for about 15 years. It was built in the 1950’s, and was used on parcels traffic. Later in its life it was converted to high security use for the Southern region of BR. It was withdrawn as redundant in 1988 and purchased from Rotherham. It has been in use on the railway until fairly recently as a store for the Loco department.

Also under refurbishment is the Rbr (Restaurant Buffet refurbished) 1672. This was purchased from the Shackerstone Railway by a group of our On-Train Caterers about two years ago. It was basically complete, but the bodywork was in a poor condition. After six months of effort it has been turned out in Chocolate & Cream. There is still an amount of work to do internally. The hot water boiler is currently being overhauled, before being refitted. The entire flooring structure in the kitchen area was rotten, and had to be taken up and replaced, and awaits its final covering.

This vehicle has a full gas range, two twin sinks, and capacity to prepare up to 100 full meals in one sitting. It is unlikely that our OTC will aspire to quite that. The immediate plan is to serve hot snacks from the Buffet Counter, which is also incorporated. The refurbished passenger area seats 23 at tables, and our upholsterers have reupholstered 23 original BR Restaurant car chairs which we purchased from a railway in the South. 1672 is hoped to be in use on our railway in the very near future to replace our existing Chocolate & Cream RMB (Restaurant Miniature Buffet ) 1811 which is well overdue for a facelift.

Goods wagons have also been attended to recently. We overhauled, refurbished and repainted the SHARK Ballast Plough, for use by P / Way in the recent track relaying. We are now working on a post war GWR MOGO van (Motor Car Goods Van). This is having a brand new roof to replace the original which was rotten. It has been overhauled and is currently being repainted and will end up in GWR grey. It will go back to work in the P / Way train. This vehicle is built of plywood, as it was built just after the war when supplies of good quality timber were hard to get.

Because of the success of the railway last year, we have had to give serious consideration to capacity on some trains. Most of our trains are six coaches long, with a seating capacity of about 250. That was severely tested on occasions last year. During the Winter, the Railway has therefore purchased three Mk 1 TSO’s (Tourist Second Opens). These have 64 seats each, and the plan is to try and refurbish them as soon as possible, and put one on each train-set to increase capacity. One was purchased from The West Somerset Railway, and two from The Dart Valley Railway will arrive here shortly.

We now operate and maintain 22 ex-BR Mk 1 coaches, with two more (mentioned above) due for completion fairly shortly. The immediate plan is to have three fully refurbished and matching rakes of six, together with the Elegant Excursions set. Additionally, we  plan for the spare Brake Coach and two or three spares so that coaches can be rotated for overhaul and maintenance. That is a total of about 28, so there is plenty of work yet before we achieve that.