Changes

In summer 1968 the opportunity arose to acquire seven redundant coaches from Didcot, including two GWR Hawksworth Full Thirds and five LMS coaches. The Association began [[Severn Valley Railway Society]] was still in the process of raising the money to acquire the line itself, so funds to acquire rolling stock needed to come from individuals and groups. Members of the C&W Department, which had just been established in the newly leased [[Bewdley Goods Shed]], hastily formed the '''Hawksworth Coach Fund''' and succeeded in 1968 as acquiring [[GWR 829 Full Third]], with the other Hawksworth, [[GWR 2119 Full Third]], being acquired by an individual member.<ref name=SVR157>SVR News 157</ref> Although this first purchase was successful, it was clear that pre-nationalisation stock was being withdrawn at an 'alarming rate' and that fundraising at short notice was not easy. The Hawksworth Coach Fund members therefore decided to form a more permanent fund, adopting the new name of '''Great Western Rolling Stock Fund''' (also referred to as the 'GWR Coach Fund'), . At that time there were fewer than ten members and quickly began only a very informal structure with no officers or meeting minutes. The Fund continued to accumulate pre-nationalisation carriages which were being withdrawn from service by BR at , including part of the Swindon test train in 1969, the timelast opportunity to acquire complete GWR passenger coaches in good condition.<ref name=GWSVRA>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.ukSVR157/background.html GW(SVR)A website ‘Background’] (retrieved 8 February 2019)</ref>  In 1972 a separate group, the ‘Great '''Great Western Locomotive and Carriage Society’Society''', was formed with the intention of saving a locomotive, [[GWR Mogul 7325 | Collett Mogul 9303/7325]], from [[Barry Scrapyard]].<ref>SVR News 25</ref> The two groups shared common aims and members, and in 1973 merged to form the '''Great Western (SVR) Association''',<ref name=SVR128>SVR News 128, “The "The Great Western (SVR) Association celebrates 25 years”years"</ref> the somewhat convoluted title being chosen to avoid any confusion with the Didcot-based Great Western Society.<ref>SVR News 157<name=SVR157/ref> The first Annual General Meeting of the new Association was held on 18 May 1974.<ref>SVR News 34</ref>

The Association’s Association's 25th Anniversary was noted in SVR News in 1998.<ref name=SVR128/> The Constitution which governs the Association’s status as a registered charity was adopted on 24 October 1998.<ref>Charities Commission website</ref>

It ran a special train on 12 May 2019 to celebrate “the 50th Anniversary of the Association on the Severn Valley Railway”.<ref>Leaflet circulated to members, January 2019</ref>. This anniversary relates to the 1968 origins rather than the Association’s formation in 1973.

{{As of|20192022}} the Association owns 20 21 [[Carriages | carriages]](three of which are owned by Association members), one [[GWR 1257 Siphon G Bogie Milk Van| Siphon G Milk Van]], and a [[GWR 107291 Macaw B Bogie Bolster| Macaw B Bogie Bolster]].<ref>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/stock_list.html Stock list on the GW(SVR)A web site (retrieved December 2018January 2020)]</ref>. A full list of SVR-based rolling stock owned by the Association may be found [[:Category:Rolling stock owned by the Great Western (SVR) Association | here]].

===RestorationsMost recent restorations===Only 3 of the carriages have not yet been returned to working order.<ref>GW(SVR)A booklet</ref>*The association’s Association's restoration of [[GWR 9103 Nondescript Saloon | GWR 9103 Nondescript Saloon]] was the overall Winner in the Heritage Railway Association’s Association's Carriage and Wagon Competition for 2015.<ref>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/news.html GW(SVR)A website] (retrieved 6 January 2017)</ref>*[[GWR 650 Brake Third Open (Excursion)|Art Deco Brake 3rd 650]] entered service in November 2015*[[GWR 6045 Bow-end Composite|Bow-end Composite 6045]] whose restoration was completed in April 2020.

The Association’s most recently ===Yet to be returned to working order=== Only three carriages have yet to be returned to working order.<ref>GW(SVR)A booklet (since publication 6045 has been completed restoration project was [[Carriages|Art Deco Brake 3rd 650]] which entered service in November 2015. and 2242 acquired)</ref> {{As of|20192023}} work on 2426 and 4786 is in progress at [[Carriages|Bow End Composite 6045Bewdley Down Yard]] is internally complete and awaiting final painting and bogie overhaul, while repairs to Hawksworth Brake Third 2242 have been paused waiting the work on 4786 is now the roof and space in progress at BewdleyYard for work to continue on the interior<ref>[http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/news.html GWR(SVRA) Newsletter published Jan 2019October 2022 news update] (Retrieved 14 October 2022)</ref>.

*[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1802133566694120/ The GW(SVR)A on Facebook](Private group)