SPRING 2007

GREAT WESTERN(SVR) ASSOCIATION

Great Western (SVR) AssociationBewdley Station • Bewdley • Worcestershire

GREAT WESTERN(SVR) ASSOCIATION

Great Western (SVR) Association Trustees and Committee Members

Mick Haynes - Chairman

Phil James - Secretary & Newsletter Editor8 Stanton Close, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 2LPemail: info@gw-svr-a.org.uk

Dave Massey - Treasurer

Colin Jenkins - Membership Secretary

Columb Howell

Ken Russell

Pete Simpson

Graham Gardener - Restoration building project

Paul Bennett - Publicity and Websiteemail: webmaster@gw-svr-a.org.uk

Website: www.gw-svr-a.org.uk

Email: info@gw-svr-a.org.uk

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Front cover photo: A timeless scene on the Valley. Recently overhauled Great Western small prairie4566 with 2303 Fruit Van and two of the Association's carriages, 6913 and 1146. 23rd February2007. Photo: Paul Bennett

� Improve fund raising

With these aims in mind some practical action is already been undertaken to promote theAssociation:

On and around the railway

� Produce a new publicity/membership leaflet for distribution in the Association’s shop,Bewdley Station, Kidderminster Station and the Engine House, Highley

� Produce information panels to attach to rolling stock under restoration

SVR Membership

� Regular news updates and articles in the SVR news.

Website

� Continue to develop the website.

Open coach

� Open 9103 for viewing on members/shareholders weekend and gala weekends

Enthusiasts Press

� Send regular updates to Heritage Railway, Steam Railway and Railway Magazine

Fund raising

� Develop sponsorship of specific items rather than asking for general donations.

Members who would like a full copy of ‘Recruiting New Members’ please get in touch with thesecretary, address at back of newsletter.

Many thanks to Roger Stubbs for giving us a timely boot up the backside.

EditorialFollowing comments in thelast newsletter editorial,Roger Stubbs produced adiscussion document, whichwas circulated at the OctoberAGM. A summary of hiscomments and the responseof your committee areincluded in this newsletter.

One action that has beentaken is to co-opt twomembers onto the commit-tee. Paul Bennett, who isresponsible for our awardwinning website and theproduction of our Newsletteris to take charge of publicity.Graham Gardener, who hashelped the Association for anumber of years ferrying patterns and cast-ings backwards and forwards to variousfoundries is going to assist me with theCarriage Restoration Shed project, which atpresent is stalled.

The major event on the SVR this year will bethe opening of the Engine House at Highley.This modern Visitor and Education Centrewill not only display some of our ‘out ofticket’ locos, but will enable the visitor tolearn more about railway preservation andthe Severn Valley Railway.

The SVR is anxious that the various loco androlling stock groups are involved with thisproject. There will be an opportunity for theAssociation to tell its story to a much widerpublic. It is a chance not to be missed.

Phil James

1399Members will have been saddened to learnthat Audrey Commander passed away onThursday the 5th October 2006. A full obit-uary was published in the Autumn 2006SVR News. Husband Ken continues toregularly man the Sales Stand at weekendsso if you are passing please call in to sayhello.

Ken still requires quality items to sellincluding unwanted gifts and bric-a-brac;paperbacks and CD’s sell well, but no elec-trical goods, recent railway magazines,cassettes or bulky items please, there is noroom!

With a good spell of warm dry weather there-painting should be finished and 1399 willonce again be looking smart.

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The SVR’s new ‘Engine House’ is rapidly taking shape atHighley as seen 23rd February 2007. 7325 should be in resi-dence later this year.

Collett Mogul 7325

The SVR has written to the Associationrequesting permission to return 7325 fromthe Steam Museum Swindon to the EngineHouse Highley in time for the proposedopening in June. Certainly the loco has noobjections, a case of quitting the Ritz andentering the Savoy.

We understand that the loco will be splitfrom its tender so that the public will be ableto view the footplate. The SVR is anxiousthat the Association is fully involved whilstthe loco is on display. Members will beinvited to make regular visits armed withplenty of dusters and Brasso. After all thepampering 7325 has received at Swindon it isthe very least we can do.

Siphon G 1257

Following completion of roof repairs andsome attention to the buffers and drawgear,1257 left Bewdley at the end of October totake up its Santa special duty ferrying pres-ents. It returned in January so that repairs tothe louvres and doors can be completedbefore having a full repaint. It will then bestored in the Carriage Shed between specialappearances. During its time at Arley, duringthe 1980’s, the internal characteristic shelv-ing was removed and it was thoughtdestroyed. However, it may well have beenstored at Kidderminster and efforts arebeing made to find and retrieve it.

Hawksworth 2119The opportunity was taken in November tomove 2119 from Kidderminster to the spacevacated by 1257 at Bewdley. A survey of thecondition of the coach was undertaken toassess the extent of repairs that will have tobe undertaken. All asbestos was stripped outbefore re-sheeting and making the coachwatertight. The Association continues topress for a full restoration of 2119 to beundertaken as soon as possible. This hasbeen agreed, although no start date has yetbeen confirmed. 2119 is now back atKidderminster stored on the new siding laidbetween the rear of The Harriers football

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Recruiting New MembersA discussion paper, written by Roger Stubbs and entitled ‘Recruiting New Members,’ wascirculated at the Associations October AGM. Roger wrote the paper in response to the edito-rial in the Summer Newsletter, which asked why was the Association less successful in recruit-ing new members in comparison to other similar groups on the SVR.

It is difficult to condense a four-page concisely written paper into a few paragraphs. But thefollowing were some of the main points:

� The GW(SVR)A has a very low profile

� The GW(SVR)A does not have a good reputation for making new helpers welcome

� The GW(SVR)A does not regularly publicise its needs - money and labour - outside itsown membership; even within the membership, the message is one of everlasting toil andstruggle to complete projects that have been running for years

� The GW(SVR)A does not appear to have a well defined business plan; it has lots of proj-ects that it would like to progress – but these are more like a ‘wish list’ than a structured,realistic plan for the next few years.

In suggesting ways to improve this situation Roger suggests the following:-

� Raise the Association’s profile

� Let all SVR members and shareholders know the valuable contribution that theAssociation makes to the railway

� Put more effort into recruiting more helpers/members

� Make sure we get our fair share of new SVR volunteers

� Produce an up-to-date list of jobs (and related skills) that we need to get done

� Make new helpers/members really welcome

� Motivate our existing members.

In summary we have to put as much effort into recruitment and welcoming newmembers/helpers as we put into restoration and the maintenance of our rolling stock.

In accepting much of what has been argued in the paper Paul Bennett was co-opted onto thecommittee with a view to improving the Association’s profile and publicity.

Paul has been working hard and has produced a plan, which has the following aims:

� Create greater awareness of our work, both on and off the railway

� Increase membership

� Encourage new working members

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9369Over the winter 9369 hasbeen through in theBewdley paint shop andemerged in 30's stylelivery with single waistband and GWR roundel.Before returning to traf-fic, George Tarrant, withsister Ros and his twochildren took the opportunity to view thecarriage and the new tables installed asmemorial to his father, John.

650 Appeal Following on fromColin's article we arelaunching a fund rais-ing appeal towards tothe restoration ofGWR Excursion Brake 650. Clearly there's isstill much to do on 9103 but as we work tofinish this here's a good opportunity toshorten the restoration time needed on 650by manufacturing as many of the compo-nents parts as possible beforehand. So when650 is shunted into Bewdley yard everythingwill ready just to bolt in to place… we canbut dream!

Colin, in particular, has already been busybehind the scenes sourcing parts and havingcomponents made but there's still much to do.

How much we can achieve is going to bedependent on the funds available, so we dohope you will be able to support this appeal.A leaflet is enclosed with this Newsletter.

650 is unique, and as an open brake will bean extremely useful vehicle to the Railway.

650APPEAL650APPEAL

Coach OpeningWe are planning to open up 9103 for over theforthcoming Members and Shareholdersweekend on March 24th and 25th. Whilst9103 isn’t in the most accessible location inthe yard there are only a few opportunities inthe year to present our work to the largerSVR membership so we need to take thechance whilst we can. We will be preparingsome extra leaflets and may well have somepart from 650 on display as well.

Membership RenewalsIt's that time of year again and membershipsubscriptions are now due for 2007. Therenewal form is enclosed and your continuedsupport is appreciated.

ground and the row of diesel locos. Thissiding, which can accommodated fivecoaches, has helped to ease operationalproblems at Kidderminster.

91039103 sits inside the scaffolding cage enablingwork on the roof to be undertaken in safety.Work has begun on stripping the old paintfrom the roof and one of the roof tanks hasbeen removed. Both tanks will be replacedwith stainless steel new-builds. Further workwill involve the removal of rain gutters andthe steel hoops, which cover the jointsbetween each roof sheet. The sheets willthen be removed and the exposed woodenhoops checked for deterioration before re-fitting the sheets. The joint between theadjacent sheets will be covered with a popriveted metal strip to eliminate water leaks, acommon fault with this method of construc-tion. The metal hoops will then be replacedto retain the characteristic appearance of thebow ender and the rain gutters re-fitted.

Other external work includes checking thelevel of the counter-sunk screw heads oneach body panel, prior to filling; there arethousands!

The south end has now receivedit finishing black and the corri-dor connection and canvasfitted. Similar work has begunon the north end.

Internal work has concentratedon adjusting the width of theupholstered seat backs to enablethe side panels to be fitted. Thishas now been completed and itonly remains to screw the arm-rests into position. Similar workhas been completed in theGuards Van; in addition thegauges have been fitted andrepairs to the vacuum setter andsteam heat completed.

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A shunt of the stock in Bewdley yard saw Syphon G 1257moved out of the scaffold and 9103 take its place.

8In 1937 two more trainsappeared, VT3 and VT4. Thesecomprised of Lots; 1575, Third,1576, Brake Third and 1577Kitchen Car. Still being built withrecessed gutters and to 9ft bodyprofile, the window bottoms werenow radiussed which helpeddisperse the rainwater.

In 1938, the Great Westernadopted an 8ft 11inch bodyprofile for all its stock therebymaking it acceptable over most ofthe national network. This newstandard body was lengthened to60ft 11 inches. At same time, therecessed gutters were finally doneaway with and the new gutter sat flush withthe bodyside.

Lot 1591, Third and Lot 1592, Brake Thirdappeared in 1938 to the new body profile butotherwise unchanged. To provide the diningfacilities, for VT5, two 12 wheeled KitchenCars were built on Lot 1603 also to the new

body profile. During 1938 more Thirds werebuilt to Lot 1625.

The final carriages of this type were built in1940 to Lot 1643, Third and our very ownLot 1644, Brake Third. It seems that thesevehicles were never formed up as sets butwere put into general use no doubt becauseof the exigencies of war.

One interesting thing aboutthe sets was that the vansgot progressively shorterover the years. The firstbrakes only had two bays ofseats with accommodationfor 16 passengers and Lotsof room for the crates ofbeer. The later brakes hadfour bays of seats withaccommodation for 32passengers. 650 has five baysof seats with accommoda-tion for 40 passengers.

To be continued next issue.

An interior view of one of the first Lots with the Beclawatwindows. Dia C68, Lot 1530, No 4568.

Two further offical views of Dia C68, Lot1530, No 4568.

Work on connecting the exhaust pipes thatrun from the steam heat radiators, in bothsaloons, has also been completed. In order toavoid water exhausting onto the underframeeight of the fourteen pipes had to be selec-tively bent before threading and fitting. Thetwo saloon tables have also been finishedand will be fitted once the saloons have beencleared and tidied.

Castings for the window poles and doorstops have arrived and require machiningprior to fitting.

Overall the interior nears completion withonly the toilets requiring finishing and thecorridor graining. Lunchbox adverts willhave to be fitted above each door and thewest-side door draught excluders also fitted.

2426The Association is now pressing for 2426 tobe taken out of use as station staff accommo-dation at Hampton Loade. It is essential thatthe coach is moved into the Carriage Shed atKidderminster during the summer to enablethe framework to dry out before sheetingover and putting into external store prior torestoration.

1145There are some ongoingdevelopments regardingthe future of 1145. ThisChurchward PassengerBrake was built in 1922and was purchased bymember Phil Fryer in1973, whilst located in theBristol area. For manyyears it was used as aSanta Grotto at Arley.More recently it was used

as a temporary shop for the Bewdley Stationand LNER Coach funds. At present it isstored out of use at Kidderminster.

With work on Gresley Compo 2701 nearingcompletion the LNER Coach Fund wish tocommence the restoration of its Pigeon Van70759, which currently houses the BewdleyStation and LNER Coach Fund shop.

Phil Fryer has indicated that he would behappy for 1145 to once more take on thisrole. Phil has also indicated that he wouldlike to donate 1145 to the Association.

Whilst a full survey has yet to be made it isknown that the coach is in need of a lot ofTLC, particularly to the roof, which hassuffered from the removal of the guardscompartment partitions, whilst in use atArley. All fourteen doors also require majorattention.

Negotiations are still at an early stage, butthere is a possibility that a co-operativeeffort, including the SVR, the LNER CoachFund and the Association will result in 1145having both a secure future and also becom-ing an attractive static exhibit at Bewdley.

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Churchward Passenger Brake 1145 at Kidderminster.

window to be lowered for ventilation. Thewindows were also inset and this allowedwater to get into the framing.

The interiors were right up to date using ArtDeco styling to very good effect. The framingwas in mahogany whist the panelling was inbirch. The fittings were were of oxidisedbronze. Upholstery was in the fan motif.

The carriages were used in fixed formationsand to start with were used only on excursiontraffic, being known as Vestibule Trains. VT1contained the two Kitchen Cars while VT2were given a triplet set from the disbandedarticulated trains. This state of affairs contin-ued until new Thirds of Lot 1558 of 1936were built. These carriages were also built tothe 9ft body profile. They also had therecessed gutters but the windows were nowfixed and flush with sliding lights at the top.The tops of the windows were radiussed, butthe bottoms were square. From the start,there had been complaints from cateringstaff about the difficulty of serving meals toevery seat and more often than not, thetrains ran without the Kitchen Cars.

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Colin Jenkins

Now that the restoration of9103 is coming to an end,thoughts are turning to 650, ourBrake Open Third.

The Excursions were built overa period of five years, from1935 to 1940. They are gener-ally considered to be the first ofthe ‘modern’ Great Westerncarriages although the first Lotscarried over some of the lessdesirable features of their pred-ecessors.

The first Lots; 1529, KitchenCars, 1530, Thirds and 1531,Brake Thirds were built in 1935to a 9ft body profile. They had the fullyrecessed gutters of previous vehicles which,although very good at getting rid of rainwa-ter, were prone to leaking if not regularlymaintained. They were also fitted with very

large windows which could be lowered byabout nine inches using the ‘Beclawat’system. This comprised a handle and arubber flap inside the window which couldbe moved to release the glass and allow the

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The distinctive Art Deco styling of the Excursions is shown togood effect here. Dia C74, Lot 1575, No 1285.

650 was one of only two coaches built to DiaC130, Lot 1644. This is an official view ofsister vehicle 651.

Excursion to Kidderminster - Part 1

One of a series of official photographs showingthe interior of Dia C68, Lot 1530, No 4568.