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{{Infobox wagon
|image = GWR 82554 Banana VanGWR_82554_20170409.jpg
|caption = GWR 82554 Banana Van
|construc = GWR Swindon
|events3 = Major overhaul
}}
'''GWR Banana Van 82554 ''' was originally built as a 'Mink MINK A' Goods Van at Swindon in 1908 to Diagram V12, Lot 576. In 1925 it was converted to a ‘Fruit B’ 'FRUIT B' or Banana Van to Diagram Y5, the conversion involved the removal of vents and the installation of insulation and the end centre shuttered louvre.<ref>Railway Heritage Register Wagon Survey</ref><ref name=Atkins>[[Bibliography#Other References|Atkins, Beard & Tourret (2013)]] pp. 36, 442.</ref> The van had a capacity of 10 tons.
82554 ended its working life in Departmental use at [[Worcester]]. It arrived on the SVR on 8 March 1969 having been privately acquired by SVR member J Moss, and was initially restored as a Banana Van at [[Bewdley]] later that year. After <ref>SVR Stock Book Seventh Edition</ref> It was then used for storage<ref>SVR News 19, Spring 1971</ref>, but after a period of disuse it was acquired by [[The GWR 813 Preservation Fund]] in 1991.<refname=SB9>SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition</ref>
A major overhaul began in spring 1992, considered by the [[Wagon Department]] at the time to be the most extensive (and expensive) rebuild of a covered van to date.<ref>SVR News 102</ref> Both headstocks were renewed, together with the curb rails, chassis diagonal bracing and several sections of body uprights. New body planks were fitted and the vacuum brake equipment, which had been removed prior to arrival on the SVR, was reinstated. The roof was also re-canvassed and the overhaul completed in summer 1994.<ref>SVR News 107, 111</ref>
Following this major overhaul, a quick re-paint was the only work required in spring 2004,<ref>SVR News 152</ref> while canvas repairs and a roof-only repaint were also undertaken in 2008<ref>SVR News 163</ref>.
82554 can normally be found at [[Bridgnorth MPD]] where it is used for storage. The picture below shows 82554 at Bewdley in 2012.
<gallery>
GWR 82554 Banana Van.jpg|Bewdley, September 2012 (Gareth Price)
</gallery>
==See also==
*[http://www.ws.rhrp.org.uk/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=9654 82554 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line]
[[Category: Rolling stock owned by The GWR 813 Preservation Fund]] [[Category:Featured articles]]
