Changes

|image = GWR_17410_20150320GWR 17410b 20180626.jpg

|status = Under restorationOperational

|years2 = 2016-2018|events2 = Restoration begun

}}[[File:GWR 17410a 20180626.jpg|thumb|300px|right|17410, June 2018]]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.

==History17410 in preservation==It arrived on the SVR in on 24 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 01/09/2015, accessed 10/11/2015</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=== Restoration by the [[The sanding gear is currently missingLNER Carriage Group|LNER Carriage Group]] began in December 2015 with the aim that once restored, it could be used as a fitted brake van on demonstration freight trains, filming and photo charters, and for brake van rides. In early 2016 the 17410 Fund transferred ownership to the GWR drawing has been located. It appears that several other groups are short of sanding gear [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd|SVR Charitable Trust]] for their Toads, restoration and its hoped to join with them in a scheme to construct a batchcontinued preservation on the SVR.<ref>[http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/gwr_toad_17410.pdf Public Notice GWR ‘Toad’ 17410], dated 1 September 2015, accessed 10 November 2015</ref>

It is intended to restore A new pair of veranda side doors and replacement opening window frames were made, and the end hatch restored. The layers of paint were removed from the interior, when it to was found that its first, "as near original condition as reasonably possible, 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 GWR liverypink lettering, but with the word "CARDIFF" (presumably its first allocation) below. Its later (presumed BR ) interior finish was off white (ivory) and bauxite has not been ruled out as with a possibility for the futurewhite ceiling.

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 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 curb rails and handbrake pedestal had been consigned corner posts were made and fitted by Mawley Engineering Ltd to replace the scrapheap, plywood templates made, and prices were being sought for their replacementthoroughly rotten originals. By September of that year a considerable amount of (However the very necessary) weld repair had been carried out on prominent waist level angle irons, the exposed section of underframetwo vertical "T" sections at the end, ballast bins and bases of the supporting steelwork.<ref>[http://www.nationaltwo side door slam posts were in good condition and were refurbished and re-preservationused.com/threads/svr-wagons-2016.631598/page-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 The new veranda steelwork structure was seal welded to form both supporting framework and paneling is due to be fitted in October 2016 to replace prolong its life expectancy, but volunteers undertook the thoroughly rotten original. To finance time consuming job of drilling the restoration The SVR Charitable Trust is seeking donations and component sponsorship, both of which can be Gift Aided. A form can be accessed by clicking on new steelwork for snap head rivets to 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 curb 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.GWR_17410_20180602.jpg| Return to service in the 2018 Goods Gala (right)

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

*[http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrustrhrp.org.uk/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=9641 17410 on www.vintagecarriagestrust.orgRailway Heritage Register On-Line]<br>*[http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/gwrtoad17410.html GWR Toad 17410 on www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk]