Difference between revisions of "GWR 9653 Restaurant Third"

GWRGreat Western Railway 9653 in service

10020, as it was originally numbered, was built in October 1925 as lot number 1359 to Diagram H32,^[1] and initially formed one end of three-car articulated (“Tri-art”) dining set H32. Its triplet also including dining first 10018 and restaurant car 10019.

After initially serving on flagship services out of Paddington, the arrival of the 60ft flush-sided stock in 1930 saw the articulated sets transferred onto more mundane Cheltenham and Weymouth express services, and by 1935 their usefulness had become limited. In that year the GWRGreat Western Railway introduced their new "Excursion Stock". Two of the six dining car triplets, one of which was 10018-20, were temporarily assigned to the second set "GWRGreat Western Railway VT No. 2" in April 1935, with the dining cars acting as temporary open thirds until sufficient new 1936 open thirds were available.

In April 1936, third 10020 (renumbered GWRGreat Western Railway 9653), third 10036 (renumbered 9654), first 10018 (9655) and first 10034 (9656) were all rebuilt as third class dining carriages to Diagram H52, the length being increased from 50ft 6¾in to approximately the 57ft length of the equivalent 1920s non-articulated stock by splicing in extra frame lengths and adding new body sections. As rebuilt, they included seven bays totalling 56 seats, allowing space for a large vestibule with one toilet and a linen storage cupboard. All were mounted on 7ft bogies.^{[2][3][note 1]}

After conversion, 9653 continued in passenger service into the BRBritish Rail or British Railways era which resulted in the usual renumbering to W9653W. The ex-dining cars were seen on additional services such as Paddington to Birmingham extras or Newbury race trains as late as 1961.^[3]

W9653W was withdrawn from passenger services and transferred into DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. stock in January 1962 as No DW150032. In response to the increasing "cold war" tensions, the government of the day established a number of regional control trains to act as mobile communication control centres in the event of a nuclear attack. W9653W and sister coach W9654W (renumbered DW150326) both formed part of the second WR Control Train, along with five Diagram C57 Full Thirds which were stripped out and converted for office use. This particular train was stored in the Carriage Shed at Craven Arms, from where it would presumably have been moved to shelter in Sugar Loaf Tunnel in the face of an imminent threat^[4].

GWRGreat Western Railway 9653 in preservation

Since the control trains were officially secret, preservation groups were concerned that once withdrawn, they might be scrapped without notice. The Great Western (SVR) Association made periodic "unofficial visits" to Craven Arms to monitor their status. In the event, when the train was disbanded, the coaches were put up for tender. The Association bid for both 9653 and 9654, but were thwarted by the NRM who claimed both for the National Collection.^[4] However several coaches restored by the SVRSevern Valley Railway had taken part in the Rocket 150 event the previous year, and this probably helped the Association reach an agreement with the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum for the pair to come to the SVRSevern Valley Railway on loan, where they would similarly be restored to full running order. Both arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway from York on 18 August 1981; the initial agreement being that 9653 was on short-term loan and would run on the line for one year after it was restored.^{[note 2]} After receiving attention, mainly to make them watertight and install communication cord gear, both were used in that year's Enthusiasts Weekend where they proved popular.^[5]

9653 duly underwent restoration in 1982, with 9654 receiving the same treatment in 1983.^[6] After completion, both saw regular use on dining trains.^[7] In summer 1985 9653 was withdrawn from Severn Valley Limited dining set for a quick repaint which soon became more involved. The 1982 repaint had been a bit of a rush job and problems were found with "...several layers of BRBritish Rail or British Railways's goo and gunge" underneath. After this was addressed, 9653 returned to the Limited set.^[8]

In spring 1989 the interior was re-upholstered and a number of defective fittings were replaced.^[9] It received another repaint and minor framework repairs^{[note 3]} in spring 1994 before returning to the dining set for the season.^[10]

Over winter 1996-7 the dining trains included three BRBritish Rail or British Railways Mark 1 coaches on hire from Waterman Railways (3109, 3106 and 1678). This enabled much needed work to be carried out on the Limited set, particularly on 9653 whose woodwork required many hours of cleaning, stripping and varnishing. A light patch-in and revarnish together with re-sealing the gutters took place over winter 1999-2000.^[11]

Around 2003, sister coach 9654 moved into the yard at Bewdley for what became a 'stop start' interior repair.^[12] The NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum indicated that they wanted both 9654 and 9653 returned, with work on 9654 therefore being paused. However after the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum realised that both were identical,^[13] an agreement was reached in spring 2007 whereby 9654 was gifted to SVR(H) with 9653 planned to return in 2008/09.^[4] During 2009 the loan period for 9653 was extended for a further five years, with LMS Royal Saloon 798 also being loaned to the SVRSevern Valley Railway for display in The Engine House as part of a programme of periodical change of exhibits.^[14]. In November of that year 9653 was moved into Kidderminster paint shop for refurbishment, particularly attention to leaky roof joints, gutters, windows and vents.^[15] This became what Hugh McQuade subsequently described as "...the longest and most difficult project to have ever been with us so far", including major bodywork repairs. With these eventually completed, 9653 was repainted in GWRGreat Western Railway 1934-42 livery featuring the 'shirt-button' roundel (which it would have carried when first de-articulated) and re-entered traffic on 15 May 2010.^[13]

9653 was retired from service in early 2017 with poor wiring, thought to date from 1923, which resulting in it switching itself off up to fifteen times in a single trip. It underwent repairs involving fitting a new set of battery boxes, a serviced regulator, switchgear and dynamo^[16] The wiring in the ceiling was also replaced, a process which revealed that Swindon had simply laid a second ceiling over the original when the articulated sets were split up in the 1930s. A completely new ceiling to the 1936 profile was therefore made. 9653 then remained out of service due to the tyres being down to scrapping size. These were eventually swapped in time for a return to use in the Dining set on 12 August 2019. ^[17]

Following an increase in the number of 'open-door' incidents, the GWRGreat Western Railway carriages fitted with 'snap-locks'^{[note 4]} were withdrawn from service in early 2023 while the safety case for their use was reviewed.^[18] In late 2023 a modified lock design was approved and both 9653 and 9654 were among those to have their locks re-engineered.^[19]

9653 remains on loan to the SVRSevern Valley Railway^[20].

See also

• List of carriages

Notes

1. ↑ The dining cars from other four articulated sets were rebuilt between June 1936 and July 1937, retaining their original class as First Diners (Diagram H50) and Third Diners (Diagram H51 seating 64 in 8 bays)
2. ↑ The initial agreement was that 9654 would be on indefinite loan. It was hoped that in return the Museum might have taken GWR Brake Third 5883 for short term exhibition but lack of space precluded this. 9653's loan quickly became extended, although this was never formally noted in SVRSevern Valley Railway News at the time.
3. ↑ Repairs were only required to the additional frame sections added when the carriage was extended in 1936, suggesting the wood used was of worse quality than the original 1925 construction.
4. ↑ 'Slam-locks' such as those on BRBritish Rail or British Railways Mark 1 stock automatically move to the locked position when the door is closed. The old style 'snap-locks' fitted on most of the GWRGreat Western Railway stock require the door to be closed and the external handle then to be turned to the locked position manually.

References

1. ↑ Harris (1966) p. 150.
2. ↑ Longworth (2018) p.110.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Harris (1966) pp. 86-89.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} SVRSevern Valley Railway News 157
5. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News62
6. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 66, 71
7. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Ninth Edition
8. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 77
9. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 94
10. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 110, 112
11. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 122, 133
12. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 142, 163
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} SVRSevern Valley Railway News 170
14. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 167
15. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 168
16. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 199, 200
17. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 203, 204, 207
18. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 222
19. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 224, p. 25.
20. ↑ NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum 'Our Collection' entry for GWRGreat Western Railway 9653

Links

• 9653 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line
• NRM 'Our Collection' entry for GWR 9653