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}}20 ton 'Toad' Brake Van 17410 was built at Swindon in 1940, one of a batch of 100 financed by the War Department but taken straight into GWR stock. The diagram number was AA.21, lot number 1370. It was vacuum fitted with screw couplings. When An original stencil on an internal wall suggests that its first allocation was to Cardiff, but when last in SVR service it was lettered in late GWR style grey livery and allocated to "Bristol RU".Early in its life the sanding gear was removed, and its place was taken by additional ballast. It is believed that the additional adhesion weight would have been of more use to a fitted brake van. Many other preserved vac. fitted Toads have undergone the same modification.

==History17140 in preservation==It arrived on the SVR in November 1970, purchased by a group of working members known as the 17410 Fund, and was restored the following year, after which it saw regular use by the PW Department. Following withdrawal as surplus to PW requirements and in very poor condition it languished in Bewdley yard, but in December 2015 its restoration, by the [[The LNER Carriage Group|LNER Carriage Group]], started. In early 2016 the 17410 Fund transferred ownership to the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd|SVR Charitable Trust]] for restoration and continued preservation on the SVR.<ref>[http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/gwr_toad_17410.pdf Public Notice GWR ‘Toad’ 17410], dated 01/09/1 September 2015, accessed 10/11/November 2015</ref> The van is known to many on the SVR as "Don Wilcox's toad". Once restored its hoped to use it as a fitted brake van on demonstration freight trains, filming and photo charters, and for brake van rides, for which it will be most suitable. A new pair of veranda side doors have been made, and replacement opening window frames are under construction. The layers of paint were removed from the interior, when it was found that its first, "as built" internal finish was scumble grained in imitation beech and cedar with a light oak ceiling. The number 17410 was stenciled opposite the guard's seat in pink lettering, with the word "CARDIFF" (presumably its first allocation) below. Its later (presumed BR) interior finish was off white (ivory) and bauxite with a white ceiling.

===2015 restoration=== Much progress with its restoration has been made, the continued rate of which will depend largely on the raising of funds for materials. A new pair of veranda side doors and replacement opening window frames have been made, and the end hatch restored. The sanding gear is currently missinglayers of paint were removed from the interior, when it was found that its first, "as built" internal finish was scumble grained in imitation beech and cedar with a light oak ceiling. The number 17410 was stenciled opposite the guard's seat in pink lettering, with the GWR drawing has been locatedword "CARDIFF" (presumably its first allocation) below. Its later (presumed BR) interior finish was off white (ivory) and bauxite with a white ceiling. It appears that several other groups Regular progress reports and detailed pictures are short posted on [http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/gwrtoad17410prog2016.html LNER(SVR)Coach Fund Toad Progress Page] Much of sanding gear for their Toadsthe steelwork, the entire wooden floor and its hoped most of the side/end/roof planking needs replacing. The tyres need to join with them in a scheme be turned to construct a batchremove flats. Vacuum cylinder, brakegear pins and bushes must be refurbished. A new stove and roof canvass will be essential.

Much progress has recently been made on stripping During the summer/autumn of 2016, the vacuum brake cylinder and handbrake pedestal were removed to safe storage and the vehicle prior rotten steel veranda sides and underfloor platework were consigned to restoration, the rate scrapheap. A considerable amount of which will depend (very necessary) weld repair was then carried out by a skilled volunteer on fundraising for materials. Much the exposed section of the steelworkunderframe, the entire wooden floor ballast bins and most bases of the cabin and sidedoor posts.<ref>[https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/svr-wagons-2016.631598/page-5 NatPres forum SVR Wagons Thread]</ref><ref>[http://endwww.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/roof planking needs replacinggwrtoad17410prog2016.html 17410 restoration updates on www. The tyres need to be turned to remove flatslnersvrcoachfund. Vacuum cylinder, brakegear pins and bushes must be refurbishedorg. uk]</ref> A new stove heavy job completed in early October was the emptying, cleaning, strengthening, painting and roof canvass will be essentialre-filling of all eight underfloor ballast bins.

By July 2016, the rotten steel New veranda sides side and end plates,underfloor platework which supported the sandboxessupport plates, vac cylinder kerb rails and handbrake pedestal had been consigned to the scrapheap, plywood templates corner posts were made, and prices were being sought for their replacement. By September of that year a considerable amount of (very necessary) weld repair had been carried out on the exposed section of underframe, ballast bins and bases of the supporting steelwork.<ref>[http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/svr-wagons-2016.631598/pagefitted by Mawley Engineering Ltd between 18-5 NatPres forum SVR Wagons Thread]</ref><ref>[http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/gwrtoad17410prog2016.html 17410 restoration updates on www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk]</ref> All new veranda steelwork to form both supporting framework and paneling is due to be fitted in 20 October 2016 to replace the thoroughly rotten originaloriginals. To finance However the very prominent waist level angle irons, the two vertical "T" sections at the restoration end, and the two side door slam posts were in good condition and have been refurbished and re-used. The SVR Charitable Trust is seeking donations and component sponsorshipnew structure was seal welded to prolong its life expectancy, both but volunteers have commenced the time consuming job of drilling the new steelwork for snap head rivets which can be Gift Aided. A form can be accessed by clicking on will maintain the link [http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/Donations_and_Gift_aid_TOAD_17410_formauthentic look.pdf Donate]

Toad_New_side_and_end.jpg |New sides and end to the veranda.Toad_inside_new_floor_plates.jpg |New underfloor plates.Toad_refurbished_door_pillars.jpg |Refurbished Side Door Pillar.17410_veranda_new_side_door.jpg |Newly constructed side door in position.Seen here before the new side panels were fitted.Toad_Handbrake.jpg | Handbrake pillar and sandbox corner brackets.Further_welding_and_straightening.jpg |New side doorpanel is now seal welded to kerb rail.Side_doors_now_close.jpg | The new side doors have been made to close correctly.Floor_plate_MC.jpg | At the van end the rust under the floor plate has been cleaned out, and the plate seam welded in its correct position.17410_side_water_excluder.jpg| Two steel strips riveted to the top of the lower van sides were meant to keep them rigid and exclude water. After 70 years they were doing neither. 

==See Alsoalso==[[Goods Wagons | List of goods wagons]]<br>[[Rolling stock currently under restoration]]