Westward Exhibition Train converted from GWR Siphon G's

[Rail-Online]

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any additional detail of the Westward Exhibition train which appears to have been made from connverted Siphon Gs?

 

There is only ref to one vehicle being converted in the HMRS book and that is a generator vehicle for exhibition train use.

 

The really strange thing about this train was the external lights hung off the roof gutters - would this make them out of gauge? They certainly would be vulnerable to damage.

 

http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p265322570

 

As always thanks in advance for the information

 

Cheers Tony

[Miss Prism]

The really strange thing about this train was the external lights hung off the roof gutters - would this make them out of gauge? They certainly would be vulnerable to damage.

 

Bogie Siphons were 8'6" wide over the bodies, generally 8'9.5" over cornices, and I think the GWR loading gauge was 9'8" at the cantrail level, so there is some legitimate lateral space for such lights. Or maybe the lights were hung on (on the train's 'viewing side') on a temporary basis.

[Mallard60022]

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/news---latest-reports-and-photographs/westward-tv-exhibition-train-sid-sponheimer

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any additional detail of the Westward Exhibition train which appears to have been made from connverted Siphon Gs?

 

There is only ref to one vehicle being converted in the HMRS book and that is a generator vehicle for exhibition train use.

 

The really strange thing about this train was the external lights hung off the roof gutters - would this make them out of gauge? They certainly would be vulnerable to damage.

 

http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p265322570

 

As always thanks in advance for the information

 

Cheers Tony

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/news---latest-reports-and-photographs/westward-tv-exhibition-train-sid-sponheimer

[Mallard60022]

[Mallard60022]

April 1961 Trains Illistrated had an article in it about the train. I think I have that somewhere.  I found that mag but it is just the photo's available on Google and a small caption.I was interested to see that  30582 Radial was on the train at Exmouth

Phil

Edited December 6, 2017 by Mallard60022

[bubbles2]

There was also an article in the Model Railway Constructor in the 60's about modelling this train, I have it in the railway room, I'll try to dig it out.

 

http://cornishmemory.com/item/BES_17_83

 

 

[/url]Westward ITV train 1961 by Peter Francis, on Flickr">http://Westward ITV train 1961 by Peter Francis, on Flickr

Edited December 6, 2017 by bubbles2

[JohnR]

Wouldnt it be nice if Bachman were to do a special pack of this train?

[chrisf]

Hi,

 

Does anyone have any additional detail of the Westward Exhibition train which appears to have been made from connverted Siphon Gs?

 

 

 

Composition of the train

 

·         W17907 –  equipment van, converted from 20 ton GWR Toad goods brake van

 

·         W1012 – cinema coach, converted from BR standard RSO.  Preserved at Ruddington.

 

·         W9103W – studio, nondescript brake saloon, diagram G58, lot 1400.  Preserved st Severn Vslley.

 

·         W2941W, W2983W, W2769W – showrooms, Siphons G, diagram O33, clad in smooth external sheeting.  2983 preserved at Gloucestershire & Warwickshre Raiwlay

 

All these were blue and white, with all-blue ends, and lettered “Westward Television Exhibition Train” in slanting old-gold letters on the lower sides, except the shorter W17907 which had “Look Westward” instead.   The Siphons G had also the sailing ship on their upper sides, flanked by “Look Westward” repeated, all in blue.

 

·         W34915 – BR standard BSK, lined maroon livery, used as brake van and detached from train whilst on show.

Info courtesy Railway Observer, April 1961.  There is also an article by Jeffery Grayer in Railway Bylines Collection 2006-7.

 

Chris

[jonhall]

 

Composition of the train

 

·         W17907 –  equipment van, converted from 20 ton GWR Toad goods brake van

 

·         W1012 – cinema coach, converted from BR standard RSO.  Preserved at Ruddington.

 

·         W9103W – studio, nondescript brake saloon, diagram G58, lot 1400.  Preserved st Severn Vslley.

 

·         W2941W, W2983W, W2769W – showrooms, Siphons G, diagram O33, clad in smooth external sheeting.  2983 preserved at Gloucestershire & Warwickshre Raiwlay

 

All these were blue and white, with all-blue ends, and lettered “Westward Television Exhibition Train” in slanting old-gold letters on the lower sides, except the shorter W17907 which had “Look Westward” instead.   The Siphons G had also the sailing ship on their upper sides, flanked by “Look Westward” repeated, all in blue.

 

·         W34915 – BR standard BSK, lined maroon livery, used as brake van and detached from train whilst on show.

Info courtesy Railway Observer, April 1961.  There is also an article by Jeffery Grayer in Railway Bylines Collection 2006-7.

 

Chris

 

 

That's interesting, I have copies of photos of at least 3 Siphons in Exhibition train use. The 'Radio Show Special' had at least 3 Siphons painted white, with a dark blue band, and 2 large solebar to cantrail coloured panels at roughly 1/3 &2/3rd with the radio manufacturers on them W2990W was Ferranti (red panels), W2052 Ekco (Yellow), and another Invicta/PAM (green), there may one or possibly two more with Blue panelsseen at the edge of the photos - most interestingly these numbers don't match those used for the Westward train.

 

Jon

[brianusa]

Who can forget Angela Rippon in her prime, along with Sooty and Sweep?

 

Brian

[chrisf]

Who can forget Angela Rippon in her prime, along with Sooty and Sweep?

 

Brian

 

It is indeed the case that Angela Rippon began her TV career with Westward before achieving national renown on the BBC.  Westward's puppet was Gus Honeybun.

 

Chris 

[Rugd1022]

Courtesy of Raymond Tamblin on the Old Oak facebook group...

 

[The Johnster]

I recall visiting a similar set up, indeed it may have well been this train relabelled for the purpose, for TWW (Television Wales and the West, which covered the South Wales, Bristol, and North Somerset/South Gloucestershire areas in early ITV days) at Bute Road, Cardiff.  IIRC it was not hauled by City of Truro, but a 43xx, and stabled in the bay platform, then little used.  1960 perhaps!  Typical of me, 8 if it was 1960, that I remember the train fairly accurately but more or less nothing about the exhibition.

 

I did see City of Truro one evening running tender first down the bank at Monthermer Road Bridge in Cathays, Cardiff, having had repairs done at Caerphilly to a damaged cab side sheet that had lost an altercation with the coaling stage at Llanelli, I found out later.  My father refused to believe this.  The next time I saw it was at Cathays depot in 1985 as part of GW 150.

[AberdeenBill]

Great information...   The RSO (W1012) must have been almost new in 1960.  Was it converted back to traffic use after the exhibition?

 

Bill

[Mallard60022]

Great information...   The RSO (W1012) must have been almost new in 1960.  Was it converted back to traffic use after the exhibition?

 

Bill

About 9 years old when converted? http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=1108

[bubbles2]

There was also an article in the Model Railway Constructor in the 60's about modelling this train, I have it in the railway room, I'll try to dig it out.

 

 

 

Found the magazine eventually MRC September 1961, 56 years ago. Edit sorry pages uploaded the wrong way round, read the right page first. 

Edited January 9, 2018 by bubbles2

[Miss Prism]

The end van is a Toad conversion. (Probably an ex-AA11.)

[Mallard60022]

Found the magazine eventually MRC September 1961, 56 years ago. Edit sorry pages uploaded the wrong way round, read the right page first. 

Brilliant thank you bubbles. That will be most useful. I have the evidence of a T9 (120 I think) and a Radial (at Exmouth) on the train. so OK form my needs. I do have one pic of it, with Truro, in the Station Yard at Exeter Central.

Phil

 

P.S. I bet you were distracted into reading through loads of other stuff during the search..............happened to me when I went through my 1960/61/62/63 Trains Illustrateds

Edited January 9, 2018 by Mallard60022

[bubbles2]

 

 

P.S. I bet you were distracted into reading through loads of other stuff during the search..............

 

You're dead right there..........  I have thousands of old mags some over 100 years old, GWR mags dating back to the 1800s, going to have to thin them out or extend the railway room in the not too distant future I think.

Edited January 9, 2018 by bubbles2

[Mallard60022]

Leaving Bude behind T9 Class 4-4-0 No 30120

 

BHC_21_058ed - Exhibition Westward Train.jpg

Copyright Bude Heritage Centre.  See http://cornishmemory.com/item/BHC_21_058

May I copy that to my layout thread?

Phil

[Mallard60022]

Phil,

 

I can't really answer that as it's not my photograph.  It might be best to consult http://cornishmemory.com/terms and/or http://thecastlebude.org.uk/heritage-centre/ in respect of any licensing or re-use agreement.

I'll link back to this thread then an note the Originator. Thank you.

Phil

[Mallard60022]

Phil,

 

It might be easier to just provide a link back to the original web posting;  http://cornishmemory.com/item/BHC_21_058

Yes, thanks.

Phil