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Breakdown vans?


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Hello all,

Does anyone know if there is a record of all the GWR breakdown vehicles and their locations please?

They are a diverse bunch of vehicles and as I try to identify details of the two at Truro, from the array of photos I’ve collected, I realise making an accurate model is a challenge!

Cheers,

Andy

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Are you referring to the vans that were specifically built for use in Breakdown trains,  or the ones that were conversions from old vans or coaches?

 

 I think you’ll find that the former are listed in a register held at York for ‘Pilot Vans ‘.  There isn’t a list for the later, they have random numbers throughout the wagon numbers.

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I’ve found a list of Breakdown vans.  Truro had no’s 133 & 147, both built in 1908.  Both were 31ft long.  133 was the same as 134 which went to Didcot.  Numbers 145 to 148 went to Newport, Gloucester & Didcot.  146 is now on the SDR https://southdevonrailwayassociation.org/Wagon-Photographs-GWR.html#146

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  • 6 months later...

Hi to all.

I have a spreadsheet on all of the breakdown Vans with all their details supplied to me by John Lewis and updated by me.

 

i will try to provide a link in the next couple of days, maybe someone could suggest the best place to list it as i haven’t used Rmweb for some considerable time.

 

Dave Bowden

Edited by kada33
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On 15/02/2020 at 09:01, AndyH said:

Thanks for the info. I am not quite sure as they appear to be quite heavily modified in appearance. Next time I am in York I will look at the register you mentioned.

Cheers,

andy

When you are in York, do you knock on a door, make an appointment, or what? How do you know what’s in York, and what’s at Kew? Hope you , or anybody else, can help with this as I would like to know more of the Merthyr/Brecon scene. I should have paid more attention when I was a schoolboy, hey ho. Cheers, Dai Davies

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Hi All I thought you may like to see a photo of Break Down Van no.146, I've sent a copy to AndyH already. This was taken on a photo shoot on the SDR in September  2010.

Second photo taken in October 2016, bit different to the paintwork in six years.

 

146_BDV.jpg

BDV_146_1.JPG

Edited by kada33
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In reply to 88D question above the NRM in York, when I required a GA of a Mink A Van (V18) for a model kit in G1 I was going to produce I went to York, I don't remember making an appointment but I got to look at the OPC microfiche on a projector and after choosing the GA I required I was told it would be six weeks and I would get an email letting know when I could download the Tiff file. The bad news was it was going to cost £15 for one copy.

 

Not long after that the dept went onto 4 days work and then I believe the dept closed. 

The drawing in York go upto 99,999 from 100,000 onward they are at Que. This was told me by John Lewis (GWR Wagon Steward for the HMRS)

 

Hope this is of some help.

Dave

Edited by kada33
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14 hours ago, kada33 said:

In reply to 88 question above the NRM in York, when I required a GA of a Mink A Van (V18) for a model kit in G1 I was going to produce I went to York, I don't remember making an appointment but I got to look at the OPC microfiche on a projector and after choosing the GA I required I was told it would be six weeks and I would get an email letting know when I could download the Tiff file. The bad news was it was going to cost £15 for one copy.

 

Not long after that the dept went onto 4 days work and then I believe the dept closed. 

The drawing in York go upto 99,999 from 100,000 onward they are at Que. This was told me by John Lewis (GWR Wagon Steward for the HMRS)

 

Hope this is of some help.

Dave

Many thanks. I’m sure arrangements will have been changed with Covid as well.

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The study center is closed at the moment. [Unless someone knows otherwise] These days when working they are only open Wed -Fri (staff cuts by the Govt)  and it has always been essential to book in advance - via email is fine. 

 

Yes the first 100000 registers are at the NRM. I am informed the higher numbers are at Kew.  They are in huge tomes and the staff will only make IIRC 4 at a time available. 

 

There is more about the registers here 

and I wrote about using them in some detail in the HMRS Journal 

 

Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All

I just found this PDF file of the interior of a Riding van so it will of interest to many I hope.

Clicking on the file downloads it to your chosen downloads folder, I didn't realise this and I got 4 file in my downloads folder. So it is not viewable on RMweb.

  

Riding Van Interia.pdf

 

I Have 10 photos reffered to in the above PDF which is 24mb, to large to upload here, so if anyone would like a copy  it will be via WeTransfer if you still would like a copy them PM me with your email address.

Dave

Edited by kada33
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Here is a link to my BDVT & BDV photos, these were taken by me over many years and as can been seen the state of some of them has deteriorated some what. 

When ever I went to a Heritage Railway be it on a Photo Shoot or a private visit I always took photos for modelling details for later.

 

I have also included a Spreadsheet of the preserved vehicles as listed in ws.rhrp.org/ws/wagoninfo website. 

There are bound to be errors in it, which I shall update as fresh information becomes available. Let me know if anyone believes there is an error.

Dave

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_JAHfS-ckDdi9iee45L_CSNUMzcHtc72?usp=sharing

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Here is a link to my BDVT & BDV photos, these were taken by me over many years and as can been seen the state of some of them has deteriorated some what. 

When ever I went to a Heritage Railway be it on a Photo Shoot or a private visit I always took photos for modelling details for later.

 

I have also included a Spreadsheet of the preserved vehicles as listed in ws.rhrp.org/ws/wagoninfo website. 

There are bound to be errors in it, which I shall update as fresh information becomes available. Let me know if anyone believes there is an error.

Dave

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_JAHfS-ckDdi9iee45L_CSNUMzcHtc72?usp=sharing

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For those interested in the Preserved BDVT & BDV have a look at my above Google Drive link as I've updated the spreadsheet with new items which are in Red. More will be added as and when I can verify the information.

 

Dave 

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1 hour ago, Penrhos1920 said:

Is it a converted Toad?

There seem to be a couple of straps or similar equipment hanging down the far end of the side and the roof seems to have something set into it. The general dimensions look to be similar to a Toad.

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On 12/09/2020 at 03:49, kada33 said:

Hi All I thought you may like to see a photo of Break Down Van no.146, I've sent a copy to AndyH already. This was taken on a photo shoot on the SDR in September  2010.

Second photo taken in October 2016, bit different to the paintwork in six years.

 

146_BDV.jpg

BDV_146_1.JPG

Repainting doesn't seem to be a strong point. The shed's not much better!

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4 hours ago, phil_sutters said:

There seem to be a couple of straps or similar equipment hanging down the far end of the side and the roof seems to have something set into it. The general dimensions look to be similar to a Toad.

I'd have thought it would be to long for a Toad!

Khris

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12 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

Is it a converted Toad?

It might be but it could equally be a purpose built Civil Engineer's vehicle at that date because Toads were still in traffic use although that was rapidly declining.  

 

The crane is not an M&EE breakdown crane but a Civil Engineer's crane while the train is a freight train and is lamped as a Class 7 freight so presumably the crane and associated vehicles were vacuum piped as I doubt the crane was fitted.  The crane was correctly marshalled immediately behind the engine - exactly as it should be when moved in a freight train.

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16 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

Is it a converted Toad?

Agreed, one of the standard GWR Sleeping and Mess van conversions of brake vans. The inverted V framing on the side and some of the windows can be seen. Typically would work with a Civil Engineers cranes, as this one. For example 

https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrbrakevan/e21f492ee

 

Paul

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