GWR 17410 'Toad' 20T Goods Brake Van
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 last in SVR service it was lettered in late GWR style grey livery and allocated to "Bristol RU".
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 LNER Carriage Group, started. In early 2016 the 17410 Fund transferred ownership to the SVR Charitable Trust for restoration and continued preservation on the SVR.[1] 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.
The sanding gear is currently missing, and the GWR drawing has been located. It appears that several other groups are short of sanding gear for their Toads, and its hoped to join with them in a scheme to construct a batch.
It is intended to restore it to as near original condition as reasonably possible, and in GWR livery, but BR bauxite has not been ruled out as a possibility for the future.
Much progress has recently been made on stripping the vehicle prior to restoration, the rate of which will depend on fundraising for materials. Much of the steelwork, the entire wooden floor and most of the side/end/roof planking needs replacing. The tyres need to be turned to remove flats. Vacuum cylinder, brakegear pins and bushes must be refurbished. A new stove and roof canvass will be essential.
As of July 2016, the rotten steel veranda sides and underfloor platework which supported the sandboxes, vac cylinder and handbrake pedestal had been consigned to the scrapheap, plywood templates 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. All new veranda steelwork to form both supporting framework and paneling is due to be fitted in October 2016 to replace the thoroughly rotten original.
To finance 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 the link Donate
See Also
References
Railway Heritage Register Wagon Survey
SVR Stock Book Eighth Edition
- ↑ Public Notice GWR ‘Toad’ 17410, dated 01/09/2015, accessed 10/11/2015
- ↑ NatPres forum SVR Wagons Thread