Difference between revisions of "Caledonian Railway Covered Goods Van 302080"

Diagram 67

Between 1903 and 1918, a total of 1,316 vans were constructed to this diagram by the Caledonian and private builders. The wide-ranging and apparently random numbers allocated to many of the vans suggested they replaced earlier vehicles. A number of design modifications were introduced over time.^[1]

The first 200 vans to Diagram 67 were built with a roof door and had brakes which acted on the wheels on one side only. By the time Order G290 was authorised in 1907, the roof door had been discontinued and replaced by end ventilators. Order G280 (Drawing 14789), built in 1909 and which included MortonA type of brakes used on GWR wagons after Grouping in 1923, replacing the earlier DC (Dean Churchward) types. brakes on both sides of the van for the first time, were the first with wooden outside framing. 20 vans to Order G290^{[note 1]} built in the half-year to July 1910 (Drawing 16215) had 3-foot 9-inch wheels and tie rods between the axle guards. Later Orders G307, G325 and G360 authorised in 1911 were recorded as fitted with Dual brakes.^[1]

During WW1 a further 45 with dual brakes were built to Orders G371 and G391, some of which were probably insulated to carry frozen meat. Seventeen others were converted to carry cordite paste, used in the manufacture of munitions, and a further 150 were constructed for the purpose.^{[1][note 2]} Several were later sold to private owner use.^[2]

2080 in service and preservation

2080 was built at the St Rollox works of the Caledonian Railway, Glasgow in 1910. It was taken on by the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway at Grouping in 1923, and renumbered 302080. It was later sold to Cadbury, which operated an extensive internal railway system at Bournville, where it was an internal user vehicle numbered 278.

278 was donated to the Severn Valley Railway Society by Cadbury along with sister vans 266 (304543), 268 (300682) and 269 (307455). The four vans arrived from Bournville on Saturday 24 June 1967 and were collected from Alveley Sidings and delivered to Bridgnorth by 3205.^[3] They were the first wagons to arrive on the SVRSevern Valley Railway post-preservation.^[4]

The four vans were identical in appearance, although only 278 was vacuum fitted. After arrival they were inspected and found to be of Caledonian Railway origin, sporting 'C.R.' on the buffer shanks. At the time David Carr was in charge of C&WCarriage & Wagon activities; SVRSevern Valley Railway News noted that he would be involved in the restoration of the four wagons into Caledonian livery.^[3]

After space at Bewdley was rented in 1968 for stock restoration, 278 was moved there for attention during 1969. It was restored and repainted in a Caledonian Railway brick red livery numbered 'CR 2080'.^[5] The other three vans appear never to have become a priority for restoration to use due to their lack of vacuum brakes, the 1970 stock book describing them as "DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. use only, limited running".

By 1977 2080 had been repainted in LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway Bauxite livery as 302080.^[6][7] It appeared in that livery in a shunting scene at Arley in the 1980 TV drama God's Wonderful Railway ^[8].

• 

  302080 is at the rear of the train as another wagon is loose shunted

• 

  302080 is loose shunted in turn

In 1990 304543, which had spent many years in static use at Hampton Loade as an S&TSignals & Telegraph store, was being repainted from Cadbury livery to CR livery as 4543, the Stock Book noted that 302080 was "due to go to Bewdley for similar treatment".^[9] This may have been around the time 302080 was repainted into the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway later grey livery it subsequently carried,^[8] although it was not reported in SVRSevern Valley Railway News.

By 1998 the final SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book noted that 302080, "still in LMSR livery, has been located at Kidderminster Museum, its running career over."^[10] It remained stored at Kidderminster Railway Museum until it left the SVRSevern Valley Railway in May 2016 with 304543 for a new home on Caledonian metals at Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust, Aberdeen.^[11]

In 2024 Rapido Trains announced a commercial OO gauge model of the Caledonian Railway Dia.67 Goods Van. Two liveries are being produced of 302080, Caledonian Railway 2080^[12] and Cadbury 278^[13].

See also

• Wagons formerly resident on the SVR
• Models of the Severn Valley Railway

Notes

1. ↑ The Railway Heritage Register Wagon Survey records 2080 as Lot 29x of 1910 and 4543 as Lot 32X, also of 1910. These Lot numbers appear to equate to the related Order numbers G290 and G325 listed in Williams (2013), although with a possible discrepancy on the latter date.
2. ↑ The huge HM Factory at Gretna was connected to the main North British and Caledonian Railways.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Williams (2013) pp. 153-160.
2. ↑ Rapido Trains website (Retrieved 5 May 2024)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} SVRSevern Valley Railway News 6
4. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Second Edition, Summer 1970
5. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 14
6. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Sixth Edition, August 1977
7. ↑ Railways in Worcestershire website (Retrieved 30 April 2024)
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Gareth Price, RM web, 16 February 2024 (Retrieved 5 May 2024)
9. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Eight Edition, February 1990
10. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Ninth Edition, June 1998
11. ↑ SVR Forum thread
12. ↑ Rapido Trains, CR Dia.67 10t Van – CR No.2080 (Retrieved 29 April 2024)
13. ↑ Rapido Trains, CR Dia.67 10t Van – Cadbury No.278 (Retrieved 29 April 2024)]

Railway Heritage Register Wagon Survey

Links

• CR 302080 Goods Van built 1910 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line
• Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust
• 'TrainsandTravel' Flickr image of restored CR 2080 at Bridgnorth 26 April 1970