LMS 12992 Corridor Third
| LMS 12992 Corridor Third | |
|---|---|
 LMS 12992 Corridor Third | |
| Built By | BRCW for BR |
| Status | In service |
| Number | 12992 |
| Other numbers | M12992M |
| History | |
| Built | 1949 |
| Designed By | Stanier/Ivatt |
| Diagram | 2119 |
| Lot | 1484 |
| Type | CF, TK |
| Length | 57ft |
| Weight | 30T |
| Seats | 42 third |
| 1972 | Arrived on SVR |
| 1991-92 | Major overhaul |
Contents
Contents
Service
Corridor Third (TK) 12992 was built for BR in 1949 as part of lot number 1484 to diagram number 2119 by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRC&W) at Smethwick, that company being a contractor who regularly built coaches for the LMS. It followed the basic Stanier Period III design of a 57ft coach seating 42 passengers in 7 compartments together with two toilets, but included some post-War modifications made under George Ivatt, among them an all welded roof, the provision of two extra doors on the corridor side and changes to the style of sliding ventilators.[1]
12992 entered service in BR Crimson & Cream livery[1] with BR London Midland Region numbering M12992M.[2] Before the end of its working life it was repainted in the mid-1960s blue and grey livery. It continued in passenger service until 1971, outlasting the end of steam.[3] It was never renumbered from M12992M, although at one point it was allocated a subsequently cancelled Departmental number DM396006.[2] It eventually became redundant at Tavistock Junction, Plymouth, an unusual final location for an LMS carriage[4].
Preservation
12992 was purchased from Plymouth by the L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Fund after a "£1 per head" appeal.[5] The only other surviving BRC&W example of the type, 13045, was acquired from Derby St Mary's by a Fund member and both carriages arrived on the SVR on 9 December 1972.[6]
It was tentatively arranged for 12992 to visit the Derby Litchurch Lane Carriage Works Open Day on 11 August 1973, together with 8F 8233, corridor brake third 26986 and "Stove R" 32919. Work was underway at Bewdley, but by July 12992 was still in need of new corner posts and rebuilding at one end, so 24617 was sent instead.[7] The restoration was completed in early 1974 with 12992 being turned out in LMS 1947 livery.[8]
In summer 1974 12992 was one of the items of rolling stock requested for the following year's Rail 150 event at Shildon,[9] but in the event did not take part. It continued in use on SVR services, although by late 1982 was reported as needing stop-gap attention to the doors and floor.[10] It was withdrawn from services pending a major overhaul in 1984, spending a period in storage at Kidderminster.[11]
In 1991 12992 was taken out of storage at Kidderminster and moved into the Carriage Repair Works for repairs to begin. The seats were removed, some in a "highly dubious state". While in the Works, two corner posts and a door fell off! The carriage was hastily tied together and sent to Bewdley, where the last of the steel sheets also came adrift. A large quantity of timber was required to replace the corner posts and stringers together with sections of the floor. The carriage was completely re-panelled and welded up and the bottom twelve inches of the roof were also replaced. All the doors were also rebuilt.[12] 12992 returned to Kidderminster where it was given two overhauled vacuum cylinders, the drawgear was tightened up and a number of steam-heat problems were sorted out. By spring 1992 12992 had returned to Bewdley for repainting in LMS livery and interior work[13] The interior was in poor condition and was stripped out. Some timber could be salvaged, with the rest being replaced by new parts made from Brazilian mahogany. The old veneered panels which had disintegrated were replaced with mahogany veneer. In autumn 1992 another return to Kidderminster saw the toilet floors replaced, the seats refitted, the linoleum flooring laid and the doors rehung.[14]
Following this major overhaul, 12992 returned to service. In 1997 the Kidderminster Carriage Works paint shop was commissioned, giving the opportunity to tidy up the LMS set with a number of repaints including 12992. The carriage's roof with an area of 570 sq. ft. required two-and-a-half litres of paint and 4 hour to complete. On this occasion the corridor side was rubbed down and fully repainted, while the compartment side only needed washing down with sugar soap, touching in small holes and re-varnishing. Once lined, lettered and numbered, the glass and brass was polished to complete the repaint. The set also received attention to its upholstery, with 12992 having the armrests recovered.[15]
In September 2002 12992 was again at Kidderminster, where the plumbing hoses were renewed and a frost damaged lavatory recommissioned. On this occasion the compartment side was fully repainted while the corridor side which was fully repainted in 1997 only required some colour patching and two coats of varnish.[16] 12992 was re-varnished at Bewdley in 2006.[17]
In 2007 the former owning group, the L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Fund, donated all its vehicles to the SVR Rolling Stock Trust (now the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust), becoming a department of the Trust from that time.
In summer 2008 12992 returned to Kidderminster Carriage works for a planned brake overhaul and bogie work. Brake pins and linkages were renewed and machined. At the same time the seats were re-covered by the regular contractor using reproduction 1949 LMS moquette provided by the Trust. Paint shop staff re-bedded all the sliding window glasses and fitted or adjusted skates and springs on the windows. 12992 was completed but not required for that year's Santa Services so spent winter 2008-09 in the carriage shed.[18][19]
12992 regularly forms part of Set L, the LMS Maroon set in pre-War LMS livery, notwithstanding that it was not built until after nationalisation.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jenkinson & Essery (1977) p. 109.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Longworth Volume 2 (2019) p.302.
- ↑ SVR Charitable Trust
- ↑ SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition
- ↑ SVR News 26
- ↑ SVR News 26
- ↑ SVR News 29
- ↑ SVR News 31
- ↑ SVR News 32
- ↑ SVR News 63,66
- ↑ SVR News 90,99
- ↑ SVR News 99
- ↑ SVR News 102
- ↑ SVR News 104
- ↑ SVR News 122, 124
- ↑ SVR News 139
- ↑ SVR News 163
- ↑ SVR News 164
- ↑ SVR Charitable Trust
Links
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