VEHICLE DETAILS

One of three basically identical carriages in our collection (see also 24080 and 24278) these were the last type of wooden bodied vehicle to see service on Britain's main line railways, the final one (9135 - now in the National Collection) not being withdrawn until 1977. 9124 was built as number 24280 at York in 1937, one of a batch built with electric cooking facilities. It continued in this form until 1958, when a shortage of more modern buffet cars saw it rebuilt with propane cooking for (unusually) use on the Southern region. This ensured it survival, being repainted blue/grey and remaining in service until 1975. Brought straight out of service by the newly established Great Central Railway it continued in use until its poor condition forced retirement in 1981. Then stored for several years it received cosmetic attention for a filming contract in 1986, before returning to store for a further 5 years. In 1991 it was acquired by an RVP member who immediately set about completely rebuilding it. As we have two other vehicles of this type the decision was made to return 9124 to its post 1958 condition and it was outshopped in maroon livery in 1995. Since then it has operated regularly in GCR trains (the only wooden bodied passenger coach in regular use on the railway). It received an overhaul and repaint in late 2003, and returned to service on 14th February carrying blood and custard livery; the only serviceable LNER carriage in preservation to do so. As it forms a key part of the GCR's service trains its private owener sold it to the GCR's supporting charity in 2005 to ensure its long term use; nevertheless it remains in daily service on the Great Central.

CCT 96202

A vehicle with a very interesting history, 96202 started life at Dunkinfield in 1928 as a non corridor composite coach (CL). It ran in this form until 1959 when, for reasons now lost in the midsts of time, it was selected for a complete rebuild as a bogie Covered Carriage Truck. This was a strange decision as numerous Mk1 vehicles were coming off the production line at the time. 96202E (the E suffix being an error as this was in fact a BR series number) emerged in maroon carrying large "Anglo Scottish Car Carrier" lettering. The rebuild proved of little benefit as it was withdrawn less than 6 years later. However 96202 entered departmental service as a stores van, lasting until 1991 when it was preserved by a RVP member and moved to the GCR. Reskinned and fully restored to 1960 condition and entered service in 1995. It ran with the TPO set and in several photo charter trains, until being stopped for a repaint in 2001. It remains serviceable, having been repainted in plain maroon livery in 2008.

POS 80301

80301 is an example of the type of Travelling Post Office carriage which replaced 70294E. Built at Wolverton in 1959 it was the second of th then new Mk1 design sorting vehicles. It was fitted with full mail exchange equipment and differs from later batches of sorting carriages in having larger windows (the design was changed after the train robbery in 1963). The use of the exchange equipment ceased in 1971 and the equipment was removed. 80301 continued in service (repainted blue/grey and then bright red) until 1995, when the earlier sorters were withdrawn. Preserved by an RVP member in 1998, it arrived on the GCR and was made serviceable in 1999. In 2002 it received a repaint in its original livery and re-entered service. At special events it is often used in the centre of GCR passenger trains enabling visitors to try sorting mail on the move. It has also seen use with the LNER TPO set and on photographic charters. In 2006 it was fitted with working traductor arms - first used in July 2006. The project continued with a new catching net fitted in July 2007. It is now fully operational although further internal work is ongoing to conclude its restoration.

POS 80349

80349 is an example of the final type of Travelling Post Office carriage which was a development of 80301 with smaller windows (after the mail train robbery in 1966). Full history to follow; never fitted with exchange equipment it nevertheless had sorting frames identical to 80301. This vehicle lasted until the very end of TPO trains in January 2004, after which it was stored securely at Euston for possible preservation. RVP purchased it in 2006 as part of our Mark 1 TPO project, and it arrived on the GCR in early 2008. It has since been fitted with dual brakes (air and vacuum) and returned to service on the GCR in October 2008. A repaint in 1960's Royal Mail red is planned for late 2009.

POT 80438

80438 is an example of the final type of Travelling Post Office Tender vehicle which replaced 70268E. Built at York in 1967 it was part of a batch of tender vehicles built to the later design (with smaller windows), and never had steam heat or vacuum brakes. In later years running on the West Coast Main Line it remained in service until the end of TPO operation in January 2004. An RVP member purchased it in 2006 to make our Mark 1 TPO train up to four coaches (representing all of the vehicle types). It remained at Euston awaiting delivery until 2008, when it arrived on the GCR. Its restoration to working order involved the fitting of vacuum brake equipment. It entered service in July 2009 and runs with 80301, 80349 and 80458 as part of our Mark 1 TPO project. A repaint in 1960's Royal Mail red livery is planned for late 2009.

BPOT 80458

80458 is also an example of the final type of Travelling Post Office Tender vehicle, but differs in that it is fitted with guards accomodation and a hand brake (such vehicles allowed TPO trains to run formed solely of TPO vehicles, but they were relatively rare and often TPOs ran with standard guards brake vans). Built at York in 1967 it was the second of a small batch of tender vehicles built with a guards brake compartment. It was to the later design (with smaller windows), and never had steam heat or vacuum brakes. In later years running on the West Coast Main Line it remained in service until the end of TPO operation in January 2004. RVP always intended to purchase one of these vehicles and two members stepped in to allow that to happen. Purchased in 2006 it remained at Euston awaiting delivery until November 2007, when it arrived on the GCR. Its restoration to working order involved extensive body repairs and the fitting of vacuum brake equipment. It entered service in January 2009 and runs with 80301, 80349 and 80438 as part of our Mark 1 TPO project. A repaint in 1960's Royal Mail red livery is planned for 2009.

BZ 70654E

This six wheeled brake was built as late as 1950 at Stratford works, to a design that is clearly Thompson in origin. 84 of these unusual vans were built probably from parts made at other works and lying spare (there seems little other reason for introducing a new van type at this time). They were the last six wheeled carriages built for use on Britain's railways. 70654E led an uneventful life; trundling around the Eastern region carrying parcels until the late 1970's when most non standard van types were withdrawn. Many of these vehicles entered preservation, and 70654E was privately purchased and moved to the GCR. Repainted maroon (a livery it doesn't seemed to have carried before, being built in crimson and repainted rail blue by BR) it ran on the GCR from 1981 until 1990. Unfortunatley its owner then passed away and it fell into disuse for the next 10 years. By this time all but one of the other preserved BZs had been dismantled, generally so the underframes could be used under much older vehicles. RVP therefore sought to acquire it, and immediately embarked on a major restoration program to make it the only restored example of its type. Its condition proved worse than we imagined - three years later the finished vehicle has about 80% new framing and entirely new steel panelling - it is literally as new. Its rebuild was so extensive that it won a Transport Trust award for restoration in 2003 - our first national award.

GUV 93579

93579 is a standard mark 1 General Utility Van built at Glasgow works in 1959. Many hundreds of these vans were built and they became the standard parcels and mail van type on the railways right up to the present day. Over the past thirty years they have been used to carry everthing from cars to newspapers, many remaining in sevice until the end of Royal Mail contract in January 2004. 93579 ended its active life at Derby, where it was racked out for use as a stores vehicle. Donated to RVP in 2003 by Fragonset Railways Ltd it has been repainted maroon and continues to be used for storage.

5 Plank B477060

B477060 was built at Ashford in 1950, to diagram 1/034 and lot 2153. BR diagram 1/034 was identical to SR diagram 1375 and LNER diagram 210 - an example of the latter on the GCR is E312422. It's a standard 5-plank 'high' open wagon with an all-wooden body with small centre drop-down doors on each side, and when new they were unfitted, although most (including these two) received vacuum brakes during BR service. Some examples (but neither of these two) were fitted with tarpaulin bars. B477060 is different, however, as at some point in BR service it was modified with full-length drop-sides. The precise purpose of this modification is unknown but a similar modification was also carried out to a 1945-built GWR wagon W27038 (later BR internal user 041207) and it is thought that both were used as test weight carriers, so it is possible that the modification was in connection with this. It would appear from the above the B477060 is thus unique. Even more so since September 2009 when its owner agreed to it being repainted in Mountsorrel Granite Company livery to promote our project to restore this branch line. The livery is an accurate recreation of a livery applied to many 5 plank wagons during the branch lines operation. However it should be pointed out that B477060 never previously carried this particular livery. Nevertheless we hope you agree it makes a nice change! (our thanks to Nick Tinsley for allowing the wagon to be restored in this way, and Phil Hetherinton for the wagon history).





Unserviceable stock
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