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Removal of the glass house
===Restoration===
By mid-2010 the Fund was in a position to begin the conversion of 70759 to return it to service as a second LNER brake van (BTK) for the teak set. This would be a major and costly undertaking and be dependent on securing grants and match-funding donations. In order to maximise the funding opportunities Fund decided to gift 70759 to the SVR Rolling Stock Trust (now the [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd]]). The project would then be physically undertaken by the LNER (SVR) Coach Fund team on behalf of the Trust. A survey had been carried out which revealed a number of compromises made during the carriage's wartime construction. These included pressed steel corner brackets rather than the usual stronger wrought iron ones, nails used instead of the usual screws, and an assortment of different bolts to secure the pigeon basket racks. Many of the lower and end panels were of plywood rather than teak, which was in short supply at the time.<ref name=SVR170>SVR News 170</ref> GWR Snake 1145
The design chosen for the conversion essentially followed LNER Diagram 114, a four-compartment corridor Brake Third (BTK). The four compartments and corridor, together with a toilet, would occupy the 'large van' end while the 'small van' end would be retained as the Brake's luggage van. However there would be variations from that diagram, principally that the guard would normally be accommodated in the far corner of the luggage van (a similar layout to [[LNER 24068 Composite Corridor Brake|LNER 24068]]). As the full Brakes gave the guard the relative luxury of a compartment at the centre of the carriage, this feature was to be retained, both to give the SVR guards some comfort and also to save altering the brake gear.<ref name=SVR170/>.
On Wednesday 17 August 2016 24506 was successfully test run between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth behind [[813|GWR 813]]. It was added to Set N on Friday 19 prior to its first run in SVR passenger service on Saturday 20 August 2016.
When restored it had internally a wooden frame largely panelled with safety perspex glazed windows around the Guard’s seat, desk, setter and handbrake area, known as 'the glass house'. It was later removed due to operational safety concerns, over reaching the setter in an emergency.
The work was paid for by the owners, the SVR Charitable Trust which raised £70.1k in donations, gift aid and grants through the generosity of its many enthusiastic supporters. The underframe of 70759 has been dismantled for spare sections, the centre portion being retained at Kidderminster carriage works as a strong and stable workbench<ref>SVR News 188</ref>.
*[http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=1048 70759 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line]
*[http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=2409 Donor carriage 70442 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line]
*[http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=969 4149 Gresley Gangwayed Passenger Brake (Pigeon Van) on Railway Heritage Register On-Line]
*[http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk//teak_set.html#70759 70759 on lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk]
*[http://svrtrust.org.uk/our-vehicles/lner/70759-2.html 75069 on svrtrust.org.uk]
