GWR 65620 'Vanfit' Covered Goods Van

GWRGreat Western Railway 65620 'Vanfit' Covered Goods Van
GWRGreat Western Railway 65620 'Vanfit' Covered Goods Van
Built By	GWRGreat Western Railway Swindon
Status	Operational
Number	65620
History
Built	1945-47
Diagram	V36
Lot	1467
Type	4-wheel ventilated van
Capacity	12 tons
Telegraphic code	VANFIT
Brakes	vac fitted
1976	Arrived on SVRSevern Valley Railway
Goods Wagons

65620 is a vacuum-braked covered goods wagon or 'Merchandise Van' with a capacity of 12 tons. It was one of 700 built to Diagram V36 Lot 1467 between July 1945 and May 1947, at the end of the GWRGreat Western Railway's existence as a separate company. The wagons were replacements for condemned vehicles and were allocated miscellaneous unused numbers in the 68XXX series. They were fitted with a plywood body as a wartime / post-War economy measure. This type of wagon had the telegraph code 'VANFIT'.

65620 was rescued from Barry Scrapyard in 1975, arriving on the SVRSevern Valley Railway in January 1976. The '7714 Group', who had use of it as a store, recanvassed the roof in 1979 and it received a repaint in 1982. An overhaul including replacement of the doors was carried out in 1993.

A more comprehensive overhaul was carried out in 2005-6 with the roof canvas and the panels from two ends and one side being replaced. The majority of the other panels were replaced in yet another overhaul in 2015.

65620 is owned by The GWR 813 Preservation Fund.

See also

List of goods wagons

Links

• 65620 on www.gwr813.org
• 65620 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line